---

---

 

Visit Ukraine

Individual Traveler

Group Traveler

Special Interest Tours

Read About Ukraine

Photo Albums

Contact us

Excursion about Zhitomyr

When asked about the city of Zhytomir, Ukrainians will not tell you a lot about this place. Ukraine has numerous wonderful places to visit, and local people are used to living in historical areas where each sqeare meter of land bears tons of history. Still, Zhytomir is somehow unique even for Ukrainians. One of the most important factors that dominated its history is its location very close to Kyiv, the capital. It takes only 2 hours driving, and you will certainly receive a full package of enjoyment from visiting this city.

The city itself is an ancient Ukrainian city, which serves quite a few purposes today. It is an administrative, ecomonic and cultural center of Zhitomyr oblast.  It was built centuries ago, along the banks of Teterev river and it's sleeve Kamyanka. The city is practically a sattelite for Kyiv, for it is located in 135km from the capital of Ukraine. Today, the population of the city is about 300 thousand people.

Zhytomir was founded in the year 884. According to one of the most popular legends, the city took its name after a senior warrior who used to serve for Kyis knights Askold and Dir, whose name was Zhidomyr. Old manuscripts of those times certify that Zhydomyr established a settlement in this place, and later this settlement gave a start to development of a town.

Another version of Zhytomyr's origin is the word combination that translates as zhito (rye, or well-being, life) and Mir (peace), so the name can be translated as "Living in peace". An old story says that a tribe of so-called Zhytichi used to live all over these lands. They were a very peaceful nation and their main industry was planting rye and producing flour and bread.

In 1240, Zhytomir was destroyed completely during the Tatar-Mongol invasion. In 1320, the city came under the power of Great Lithuania Knight. Later, in 1399, a Tatar Khan Edygey crashed the Lithuanian troops of knight Vitovt and captured Zhitomyr. 

In 1444, the city acquired a Magdebourg Order status, but in 1482 it was devastated by Tatar-Mongol Khan Mengli-Girey again.

Poland took over in 1569, and according to Lyublin Agreement, the city came under the Polish power. In 1686, Zhitomyr became the center of Kyiv State, and in 1804, it became a regional center of Volyn area.

In the Soviet time, in 1937, Zhitomyr acquired the status of an oblast center.

The forests of Polissya and the fields of Podillya describe the area of Zhytomir. It is a very beautiful area with big climbable cliffs, vast fields and forested hills. The name of Zhytomir reflects the poetry of Ukrainian folklore. “Zhyto” means rye (in a broader meaning - plenty of food, well-being) and “myr” means peace.

In the center of the city there is a large rock which reminds about the old times when the first settlers found the city in AD884.

The city is also remarkable of being the center of Soviet Astronautics.  Soviet Hero Sergey Korolov was born and lived in Zhytomir. The Cosmonauts Museum in Zhytomir is the only one in Ukraine. The exhibit includes the original Soyuz spaceship which Yuri Gagarin traveled in, as well as the first soviet satellite. Also there are some examples of a lunar rover, space capsules and space meal.

The Museum of jewels and decorative stones is another attraction for visitors. It keeps the collection of 1500 examples of the minerals and rocks from Ukraine and other countries. The excursion provides interesting facts and information about the quarrying in Ukraine.

On the bank of Teteriv River there are huge granite cliffs of 20-25 m height, which are popular among climbers. On the picturesque land above the river there is Trehgorsky male monastery. The nature lovers will find the place absolutely fascinating, like a small Japanese garden engraving paths and a mill. In summer, the beaches and rocks above the city are good place to swim and sunbathe.

The Polissky Nature Reserve is an attractive place near the village of Selezivka due to its calmness, quietness, unknown paths and virgin forest. Bird watchers will see the rare kind of owls, and this area has become known as a home of wolves and lynx.

A beautiful love story which happened with the worldly known French classical writer Honore de Balzac started in this corner of Ukraine. The emotions and feeling are reflected in his poems, so get to know some episodes from Ukrainian period of his life, which will give you a better understanding of Ukrainian culture. The village of Verhivnya became the stage of the events of that far time.

The relationships started through the correspondence with a young decisive lady, whose letter attracted Balzac’s attention among the hundreds of
letters he already received from the female admirers. Later the virtual love obtained the real outlines. Balzac married the woman - Evelina Ganskaya, who had Polish ancestry, and for 5 years they lived in Zhytomir area. The house where they used to live has become a Museum of Balzac and is open for excursions.

The Curing Sanatorium “Denishi”, which is located in 30km from Zhytomir, is a well-known place for its methodology of medical treatment of cardiovascular diseases, endocrinal and nervous systems, and digestive organs. A high quality of treatment, unique efficiency of treatment and inexpensive prices attract people from all over Ukraine and beyond all the year round.