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Antonovycha st. 31,
79018 Lviv Ukraine

ZAPORIZHIA - ZAPORIZHZHYA - ZAPOROZHYE

Zaporizhia (776.918 inhabitants) is the capital city of Zaporizhia region in the southern part of Ukraine. The city lies on the bank of the Dnieper River which played an important historical role in the past. The biggest island of the river, named Khortytsia, belongs to Zaporizhia region. The territory of the island, shaped by the waters of Dnipro on the West to the Old Dnipro (Dnieper) and on the East of the current river flow, is now about 2700 hectares and its length – 12 km. It has a unique steppe flora and fauna which preserved mainly on the territory of the island.

Nowadays Zaporizhia is quite young but important center of heavy industry, metallurgy, aluminum and chemical industries. The construction of the hydroelectric power plant "Dniproges" on the Dnieper river was crucial for the economic development of the whole city. The largest manufacture in the city is Zaporizhian Automobile Factory with his famous "Zaporožets". 

  Badly damaged during the war, Zaporizhia was rebuild in a typical soviet architecture style. This beautiful city with a large number of parks and green spaces, green avenues and flower lawns along the roads still strongly echoes the Soviet architectural culture with its museums, universities, the philharmonic, circus, and the theaters.

On February 19, 2016, the 11 kilometers long avenue of Lenin with the huge Lenins monument as its highlight was renamed into Sobornosti (Unity) prospect, the city governance made the decision to taken off the monument of Lenin. 

 

There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and hotels, where one can take a rest and spend the leisure time with a pleasure.The Khortytsia Island is a popular resort among tourists and locals.

Nowadays Khortytsia is the national property of Ukraine. Previously the island was inhabited and ruled by the Cossacks who built Zaporizhia Sich, the state with the democratic rules and led there autonomous and military life. From Khortytsia Cossacks made raids to the Black Sea. They were fighting against Polish kings, Russian Tsar and Ottoman sultans, standing for the independence of Ukraine. Today on the island there is a beautiful restaurant with the folk Cossacks interior and traditional Ukrainian cuisine.  

In the northern part of the island, there is the Museum of Zaporizhian Cossacks history. Not far away from the museum, there is also a copy of the Cossacks camp with towers and fences, reconstructed for a film production primarily.

Well known and popular is Cossacks cavalry theatre located in the south of the island. There the artists in traditional Cossacks costumes perform their skills and mastery in military affairs, horse riding practices and revived Cossacks traditions of daily life.