Where Ukrainian Traditions Live
Sometimes people travel to get new impressions, to change the picture of boring everydayness, to improve health, to fill the picture album at least. Sometimes even just to kill time. But my idea is quite a bit different, I like to travel because of meeting new people. I prefer to meet a good conversationist, good like-minded fellow rather than just see the sights. And there is no such suitable cause for getting acquainted with somebody as to meet him during a celebration, at a holiday. So, this Christmas at the beginning of the year we decided to celebrate in Lviv.It was wonderful time! Here, in Odessa, in Southern Ukraine, the population almost lost all the Christmas traditions - as you know Soviet regime attacked religion, and as an outcome at least half of Ukraine became atheistic. But Lviv has been annexed by the USSR only in 1939, so the Soviet regime couldn't affect the inhabitants there so far as to destroy all the people's traditions. That's why me and my family went to the Western Ukraine for Christmas celebration.
We stayed there at a catholic monastery, in a house specially designed for family life. Beautiful window's view charmed us from the very beginning - frozen pond surrounded by fairytale trees, sheltered benches, all under snows...
Thus we started to go in the tradition. Each day has been opened with morning church service, held in monastery's chapel then we used to go to the breakfast, followed with Christmas chants, and this way we learned many traditional Ukrainian carols.
One day we went on an excursion to the city center and spent whole day long looking at the stoned history - medieval and later buildings, churches and other relics, many of which where built in renaissance, baroque, or classic styles. Many Soviet historical movies have been produced in Lviv because of its architectural integrity.
Especially we were impressed by Armenian Cathedral, constructed between 1370 and 1390. Its fresco paintings were admirable! Also impressive was the Gunpowder Tower with walls about three meters thick.
And finaly, the main thing: we've found a lot of good, open-minded people, associated with them, shared with them our thoughts, learned from them real Ukrainian Christmas traditions and now so far we are able to establish true Ukraine here, at Ukrainian South, in the beautiful sunshine resort named Odessa.
Info
Lviv, located in Western Ukraine, was founded by Ukrainian King Daniil Halytskiy in 13th century.
Historic center of the city has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1998. UNESCO gave the following reasons for its selection:
- In its urban fabric and its architecture, Lviv is an outstanding example of the fusion of the architectural and artistic traditions of eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany;
- The political and commercial role of Lviv attracted to it a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions, who established separate yet interdependent communities within the city, evidence for which is still discernible in the modern townscape.
Lviv has good touristic and travel infrastructure including hotels, transport and services. It makes the city one of the best travel place in Ukraine.
We stayed there at a catholic monastery, in a house specially designed for family life. Beautiful window's view charmed us from the very beginning - frozen pond surrounded by fairytale trees, sheltered benches, all under snows...
Thus we started to go in the tradition. Each day has been opened with morning church service, held in monastery's chapel then we used to go to the breakfast, followed with Christmas chants, and this way we learned many traditional Ukrainian carols.
One day we went on an excursion to the city center and spent whole day long looking at the stoned history - medieval and later buildings, churches and other relics, many of which where built in renaissance, baroque, or classic styles. Many Soviet historical movies have been produced in Lviv because of its architectural integrity.
Especially we were impressed by Armenian Cathedral, constructed between 1370 and 1390. Its fresco paintings were admirable! Also impressive was the Gunpowder Tower with walls about three meters thick.
And finaly, the main thing: we've found a lot of good, open-minded people, associated with them, shared with them our thoughts, learned from them real Ukrainian Christmas traditions and now so far we are able to establish true Ukraine here, at Ukrainian South, in the beautiful sunshine resort named Odessa.
Info
Lviv, located in Western Ukraine, was founded by Ukrainian King Daniil Halytskiy in 13th century.
Historic center of the city has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1998. UNESCO gave the following reasons for its selection:
- In its urban fabric and its architecture, Lviv is an outstanding example of the fusion of the architectural and artistic traditions of eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany;
- The political and commercial role of Lviv attracted to it a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions, who established separate yet interdependent communities within the city, evidence for which is still discernible in the modern townscape.
Lviv has good touristic and travel infrastructure including hotels, transport and services. It makes the city one of the best travel place in Ukraine.
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