This country in Eastern Europe is home to seven World Heritage Sites, including the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves and St. Sophia Cathedral, which you can see in the image below, blending in with the colorful Kyiv skyline. Many other ancient structures are strewn across the country, having weathered revolutions, upheavals, and wars. The timeless influences of Byzantine architecture and Imperial Russia can be seen in structures like the reconstructed Golden Gates that have been standing since 1037.
Kiev, a hero city - not a chicken dish CREDIT: ISTOCK
Some structures were inspired by Stalinist architecture that was supposedly enforced to uphold communist values. This rich history is just one of many reasons why we are heartbroken to see the impact of the Russian invasion on Ukraine. Russia’s strategic military moves are putting this sovereign nation in the global spotlight, while few people know about its rich history and beauty. If you’d like to learn more about the wonders of Ukraine, read on to discover the little-known facts that make this nation so interesting.
It’s surprising that few people know much about Ukraine, considering it is Europe’s second-largest country, measuring 233,062 square miles. Ukraine features beautiful landscapes made green and lush by the rivers Dnieper, Southern Bug, and others. Toward the eastern hills, it shares upland borders with Russia and Belarus.
ADVERTISEMENT
Traveling down south will lead you to the country’s coastline along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Poland and Slovakia share borders with Ukraine to the west. As you can see from the map above, Ukraine is far larger than the surrounding countries.
ADVERTISEMENT
One too many of Ukraine’s historical structures have been threatened over time, and again today with Russia's aggression. One of the most beautiful examples is the Saint-Sophia Cathedral, with its golden domes and sparkling crosses. Other heritage sites include the Greek colony of Chersonesus, founded 2,500 years ago.
ADVERTISEMENT
Carpathians beech forests, wooden tserkvas, the Struve Geodetic Arc that gave us an accurate calculation of a meridian arc, the Chernivtsi Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans, and the Old Town (Lviv City) are among the other World Heritage sites.
ADVERTISEMENT
Guests in Ukraine might be surprised by the locals’ drinking habits. Like many other Europeans, Ukrainians love to throw back a few drinks. Favorites include cold Ukrainian beers such as the Lvivske or the Oblon, the fruity Kompot, and the Horilka. Locals are also partial to shots of imported spirits like cognac, consuming much more than the rest of the world.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ukraine ranks sixth in the world in alcohol consumption – not a bad score with a population of a little over 41 million. They are only topped by their glugging neighbors Russia, Moldova, Lithuania, Belarus, and Romania.
ADVERTISEMENT
There’s a misconception that Ukrainians mostly drink vodka, and that’s because they themselves use this term, even when they are technically referring to horilka – their national drink. Both are clear spirits, so for the sake of simplicity, they often just use the term “vodka” interchangeably.
ADVERTISEMENT
Though horilka may be referred to as vodka by many Ukrainians, the two spirits differ in taste. Horilka actually translates to “burning water”, and its drinkers are treated with a chili pepper flavor with every shot. Conversely, the meaning of vodka is “little water”, deriving from the Slavic term “voda”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Referring to the country as “The Ukraine” is not something the government or citizens are too concerned about. However, it is not the correct terminology. Since Ukraine gained its independence from the USSR, after the dissolution of the latter, it has been known quite simply as “Ukraine”.
ADVERTISEMENT
To refer to it in the obsolete long-form is tantamount to disrespecting Ukraine’s sovereignty. It’s also grammatically incorrect. The origin of the word “Ukraine” is Slavic, and it translates to “borderland”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cutting across Kyiv from east to west, with 18 metro stations across the line, is the historical Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska, which started operations in 1960. Step down into it, and you may feel a sense of familiarity as it is reminiscent of the London Underground.
ADVERTISEMENT
The escalator at Arsenalna CREDIT: ALAMY
One of its many stations is the Arsenalna. At 105.5 meters underground, before Dnipro, it is the deepest in the world. After disembarking from the subway and getting on the escalator, it takes five minutes to reach the top landing.
ADVERTISEMENT
Touring around Kyiv and following its thoroughfare from the northeast, where the European Square is situated, leads to the Bessarabska Square through Khreshchatyk street. It is the shortest main road in the world, measuring just 1.2 km. The Besarabsky indoor market can be found at the street’s southwestern end.
ADVERTISEMENT
During the Second World War, the Red Army destroyed this road to deter the German advance. The Khreshchatyk has since undergone major renovations, the bulk of which were achieved after Ukraine’s independence. The Main Post Office, Kyiv City Council, and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy are some of the offices that can be found along its stretch.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you’ve ever had a chicken filet stuffed with an abundance of butter, with egg and some bread crumbs added to the mix, you’ve enjoyed a dish known as the Suprême de Volaille à la Kiev. The general impression is that this originated in Ukraine's capital. But the history of this dish is not so clear.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kiev's centre, and not a chicken in sight CREDIT: FOTOLIA/AP
The truth is that it’s definitely not from Kiev. Many believe that this fancy dish, which became famous among states of the former Soviet Union in the 19th century, was introduced to the world by French chefs who had been hired by Russian aristocrats.
ADVERTISEMENT
Millions of tourists from all over the world visit Ukraine every year to see its tourist sites and enjoy its vast landscapes that are just perfect for postcard images. Its lands are very fertile, and beneath its beautiful scenery, you’ll find layers of black earth, making Ukraine’s acreages among the most fertile in the world.
ADVERTISEMENT
Because of its rich soil, composed of humus, phosphorus, and ammonia, known as Chernozem, Ukraine used to be regarded as Europe’s breadbasket. Unfortunately, it suffered the Great Famine when Stalin enforced the agricultural sector’s collectivization program to solve the grain distribution crisis of the Soviet Union.
