Transcarpathia
Distance from Uzhhorod to Kyiv: by rail – 798 km, by motorway – 788 km
Geographical data: the region is located in moderately continental climatic area; there are rivers on the territory of the region – 9,5 thousands of streams and rivers the largest are Tysa, Latorytsya, Borzhava
The village of Solotvyno is spread along the right bank of Tysa river. Its old name of Slatyna, which means “salt water”, is first mentioned in 1360 – the salt had already been extracted here at that time. Today it is a small inhabited area with not only dwelling houses and institutions in it but also the 7th, 8th and 9th mines working (the mines of 1-6 are closed down). Solotvyno stands on a large salt cupola. More »
Yosyp Kobal PhD (History)
Archaeology
Over the course of many centuries, Transcarpathia served as an ancient gate which linked the Eastern and Western civilizations surrounding the area. The region was populated in the infancy of mankind, 1 million years ago. Evidence of inhabitants of the Stone Age were found near the village of Kololevo, Vynohradovo district, and the Korolevo site is the oldest one in the Ukraine.
Olexandr Andyaloshiy, Chief of the Department of Regional Development, Town planning and Architecture of Transcarpathian Regional State Administration
Transcarpathian region is one of the picturesque corners of Ukraine. Dividing the regional territories among the ethnic groups of huzuls, boyky, lemky dwelling in the land one can see at once the influence of original culture of that or other group on folk architecture. It is especially present in sacral architecture. The golden fund of sacral architecture is formed by the gothic churches of Maramoros traditional architecture in Khust district. Castle architecture rose to especially high levels of development in 14-18 centuries. Twelve castles of different periods were built on the territory of the region. Since Transcarpathia was located on salt ways, the first castles were built up as boundary posts of 9-12 centuries period. The designers of fortification buildings were mainly French and Italian engineers.
Towns and villages of Transcarpathia are united by the great number of temples. Every town or village, even the smallest one, has its own temple and there are dozens of wooden and stone temples constructed during the 19th – 20th centuries and preserved till nowadays among them.
Oksana Havrosh, art critic
The most important qualities of the artistic language of Transcarpathian art − high spirituality, poetry, integrity of perception of the world − are those fundamental principles which come from the sources of folk mentality. Nameless Huzul pysanky, carved communion crosses, flasks, mugs and tubes, engraved tins and embroidered towels will save forever hidden in the simplest symbols history of the land, endured and struck with the boundless love to the native land. Wooden folk architecture is the most prominent phenomenon in the history of art and architecture of Transcarpathia. More »
Carpathian mountains is one of those wonders of Europe, even of the whole world, that at the same time arouses amazement, delight, anxiety and furthermore sorrow for our present and future destiny. In the XXI century the Carpathians acquired new features not only as the geographical part of Europe, but as an important factor, that in great degree influences living conditions and inner feelings of the whole European continent residents.
Such definition may seem to be a bit exaggerated. But region geographical position, its historical destiny gave reason to place memorial, connected with numerous legends about location of geographical center of Europe exactly in Zakarpatska oblast, in Dilove village, Rakhivsky district, where mountain Goverla, the highest top of the Ukrainian Carpathians, is located. Many scientists consider it as geographical center of the Carpathian region. Here is a certain piece of truth. Zakarpattya is the western region of Ukraine, which borders with four Carpathian states of the European Union -Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Romania. Its first neighbors – Lvivska, Ivano-Frankivska and Chernivecka oblasts are also the members of the same Carpathian family. So, it takes only an hour and a half by air to reach Kyiv, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, Vienna, Bonne, Geneva, Paris, Rome.
The Guzuls are a small ethnic sub-group of Ukrainians who live in the Eastern Carpathians, in the West of the Soviet Union. Their homeland, Guzulshchina, lies within three administrative regions of the Ukrainian SSR (Ivano-Frankovsk, Chernovitsy and Zakarpatye regions). Through the centuries, this group of Ukrainians, living isolated in the mountains, developed quite distinctive crafts and art forms of their own, on which their geography and natural resources have left their stamp. Thus, thick forest gave them logs for building and for wood carvings; the harsh climate of the mountains influenced their clothes and home. The Guzul peasants’ sheep gave them wool for heavy homespun clothes and lighter patterned weaves, sheepskin for their colourful sleeveless jerkins and leather for their boots, bags and belts; and they made colourful hand-painted pottery out of an abundance of local clays.
According to Lviv restorers, this wooden church was built in the village of Syanky (Lviv region) in 1703. Originally it was a three-dome, Boyko style building, which was transported to the village of Sil at the end of 18th century (probably in 1777) using four pairs of oxen. More »
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