BIG 8 DAYS TOUR TO Western Ukraine
Chernivtsi
The history of Chernivtsi began many centuries ago. Archeological evidence indicates there was a population in the area since the neolithic era. Artifacts from the Bronze and Iron ages have been found in the city, remains of early Slavic tribes discovered in the area date back to the 2nd to 5th century and artifacts of Croatian and Tiverian people found originate from the 9th to 11th century. The fortified settlement originally located on the left bank of the river Prut is believed to have been built by the Great Prince Yaroslav Osmomysl who ruled the region in the 12th century.
L’viv
L’vv is one of the World Architectural Monuments. It is located near the border with Poland and the architecture is influenced strongly by the proximity to this neighboring country. L’viv is some 550 kilometers far from Kyiv and has population of about 730,000. It is an attractive historical and cultural destination for tourists and artists. You can reach L’viv (Lviv in Ukrainian) by car of course or take a night train from Kyiv.
Kamyanets-Podilsky
For many centuries Kamyanets-Podilsky was a major cultural centre for Podillya area. In 1977, to preserve the historical and architectural heritage of the city which numbers over 200 monuments, by a decree passed by the Ukrainian SSR Council of Ministers, Kamyanets-Podolsk was proclaimed a historical and architectural preserve.
Pochaiv
It is the eastern orthodox monastery (lavra) in Pochaiv (Ternopol region). It is the most sacred eastern orthodox holy place in Volyn and the second-important one after Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Ukraine. According to the legend, the monastery was founded by monks of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, who fled from Tatar invasion in 1240. The first records in chronicles about it are dated back to 1527. In 1597, Pochaeva Lavra obtained a wonder-working icon of the Blessed Virgin, which was brought to Ukraine in 1559 by Bulgarian metropolitan – Neophyte. In 1675, Pochaivs'ka Lavra was besieged by Turkish, but then they suddenly left the town. The prosperity of the monastery falls at the second half of XVII century due to the activities of hegumen Iov Zheleza (1602-1651). From 1730 Pochaev printing house was operating, which printed 187 books. This Lavra is rich in murals, sculptures and ornaments and worth visiting as a healing and holly place.
Pidkamin'
The village takes its name (translatable into English as "below the rock") from an inselberg, called the "devils rock", located on the adjacent hill. Pidkamin became know for a Dominican monastery. It was first established, by twelve monks from a monastery established by Saint Hyacinth in Kyiv, who were forced to flee from the city when it was ravaged by Mongols. During the 17th century a fortified abbey was constructed. Pidkamin hosted a wonder working icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary (a copy of the famous Protectress of the Roman People from the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome), crowned in 1727 by the Latin Rite bishop of Lutsk Stefan Rupniewski, assisted by other Roman and Greek Catholic bishops, with a crown conferred by Pope Benedict XIII. After World War II the icon was removed from Pidkamin to rescue it from communists and today remains in the Dominican church of St. Adalbert in Wroclaw, Poland. During World War I Pidkamin was largely destroyed by Russian artillery in 1915. After World War II in 1946 the monastery was closed by the soviets and turned into a jail. Later the monastery was used as psychiatric hospital, which still exists, and the church was turned into a stable. After the collapse of the soviet union and the emergence of independent Ukraine, the ruins of the monastery were given to Ukrainian Greek Catholic Studite Monks.