By modern standards, Chernivtsi is a small town. We accept it with no offense, yet insist: ‘Do not make little of our town.’ Not without reason the town once was proclaimed Kleine Wien – little Vienna. History favoured it with the place on the borders of the great empires and nations. In the Middle Ages, an outpost in the north of the Ottoman Empire, in the new time – the eastern border of Austro-Hungary, in the last century - the administrative and financial centre of Romania Mare, Great Romania, Chernivtsi became a gateway of the Soviet Union to Europe after the Second World War, maintaining this status in independent Ukraine. The city on the seven winds. Whom have these winds not brought in our corner of the world! Austrian emperors and English lords, Romanian kings and leaders of Zionism, Soviet generals and secretaries-general, Ukrainian presidents and bishops of the church, they all visited the former capital of the Austrian crown land, present-day regional centre of northern Bukovyna. The last-year major event was the visit of Catholicos of the Armenian Church to Chernivtsi. Imagine how many cultural and political influences the city experienced! Thank God, Chernivtsi has never been the site of ethnic antagonism. The city ethnic communities have each their venues. Visit the Polish House, if you will, or the Ukrainian People’s House. Romanian society is holding meetings under their flag, and George Drozdowski Hall of the German House is a place popular with the young Austro-German Alliance. Thus, multiculturalism is a genetic thing with the Chernivtsi citizens. Not in vain the city emblem which decorates the city hall shows the open gates, thus messaging the historic destiny and mission of Chernivtsi. The glorious past aside, Chernivtsi definitely has something magic about itself. Everyone who has ever been here would fall under the city’s spell. The tourists from Europe deeply concern themselves in the pristine 19-th century Austro-Hungary which defines the architectural feel of the city, and the visitors from the East are totally fascinated by its European charm. The city is in particularly high favour with filmmakers: its streets and interiors are famed to be a perfect setting for period movies shooting. The area of villas that runs behind the city park is a much-loved spot. Architectural fantasies and tastes of customers formed a diverse, yet harmonious locality of private houses, each of them, in the words of the poet, having ‘the uncommon visage’. Until the mid-20th century, it was the outskirts of the city. Smooth and steady groove of the urban life beat in the city center triangled with three main squares, Tsentralna (Central), Teatralna (Theatre) and Soborna (Cathedral), each of them still serving its intended function. Central Square, dominated by the austere edifice of the city hall with its tower clock sending hourly chimes, is a representative center of the city crammed with offices, tourist agencies and shops. The square is encompassed by the architectural-historicism buildings; the only exception is the Wien-Secession, elegantly lavish facade of the Art Museum, former Sparkasse. Seven streets converge on the area, connecting the East with the West and the North with the South. Str. Holovna (Main Street), the major traffic artery of the city, follows the historical Berlad trade route leading to Transylvania. From the square starts the pedestrian str. Kobylyanskoi (Kobylyanska Str.). This is Chernivtsi Corso. In 2008, when the city celebrated 600-year anniversary since it was first mentioned in the charter of Moldavian Prince Alecsandru cel Bun, the street acquired a new look, but its status has not changed. It’s here that wedding ceremonies, art exhibitions and fashion shows are held, and, which is most important, here loving couples of every age meet. Cathedral Square stretches along the top of the hill. With the course of history, its function changed. Under Austria, the name of the square itself – Austria Platz – referred to its dominant position. It housed government establishments attested to the power of the Austro-Hungarian Empire - Bukovyna Landtag, Criminal Tribunal, or the jail, and gendarmerie. Behind the ancient trees of the former Franz Josef Park rise the impressive cupolas of the Holy Spirit Cathedral, the main church of Bukovyna Orthodox Metropolis. Still in their places, today these buildings are venues for quite different activities, so the square had to adapt to the conditions, yet retaining its name. Today, this spot has become a forum for the expression of the will of the people, the site of mass meetings, crowded political discussions, concerts, and here, which is most important, a gorgeous New Year’s tree is usually set to the delight of kids. The name Theater Square speaks for itself. City Theatre – the pearl of urban architecture, the work of Austrian architects Fellner and Helmer, forever secured for the square its cultural role. The theatre is set in a mount of the beautiful buildings, each of them deserving an individual attention. In recent years, quite a different role mastered two squares which have undergone an exhaustive reconstruction. These are the Philharmonic Square and the Square of Turkish Well. While the first one has become a favourite rest spot, the second one now welcomes the local holidays – the City Day and St. Peter’s fair. That’s where the craftsmen and artists can show their handwork in all its beauty! Right here, in the square, deft blacksmiths would hammer out a real horseshoe for your good luck. It would be a serious mistake not to take advantage of such opportunity! Speaking about the city architectural monuments, we cannot but mention that twenty works of architecture are included in the National Register of Monuments of History and Culture of Ukraine. Moreover, a magnificent ensemble of the former residence of Bukovyna metropolitans, the brainchild of the famed Austrian architect J. Hlavka, is in the list of the world architecture masterpieces protected by UNESCO. This alone is enough to visit our city. Today, the residence edifices house Chernivtsi National University. What makes Chernivtsi ever more attractive is its compactness, a property which can be referred to through the modern architecture term «walking accessibility.» Unlike in other cities, all the essential facilities are within walking distance, which makes Chernivtsi highly comfortable for living. In spite of steep climbs and descents, the city-dwellers may reach almost anything on foot: the market and the store, work, school and university, a bank and a hospital, a museum and the theatre, the city park and the stadium. These hills and climbs, with the streets meandering atop, are neither tiring nor boring. Indeed, every turn reveals a new architectural landscape, the beauty of houses or detached buildings. The proximity of the green Carpathians makes the city pleasant for a refreshing audience with nature. In the past, aristocratic hunting of wild boars and roe deer, horse riding, races, casinos and brothels endowed the city with the title of ‘Little Paris’. Some of these entertainments have sunk into oblivion. However, today the thriving tourist industry offers active recreational possibilities both for skiers and hikers. Instead of small hunting lodges, leisure activity complexes welcome visitors, «Sun Valley» and «Aqua Plus» not far from the city, and «Stizhok», «Myhovo» and «Kovcheg» – in the Bukovyna Carpathians. Life in the province, far off megapolises and metropolises, is fascinating in its own right. Here the settled spiritual values are preserved and cultivated. In Chernivtsi, where «book-people lived”, as the poet once said, literature and art have always been revered. Liszt, Caruso, Moissi, Houdini, Chaliapin, Vertinsky, Richter and other celebrities of the previous era found here the appreciative audience. It was here that Parisian variety theatre «Folies Bergere» and the Drama Theatre of Vilnius gave performances. The city was the starting point for the dazzling careers of the famous tenor J. Schmidt and W. Ursulyak, and in modern times, D. Hnatiyk, Sidi Tal, S. Rotaru. Here writers and poets M.Eminescu, K. E Fransoz, G. Ritstsori, G. Drozdowski, M. Sperber, E. Steinbarg, I. Manger, P. Celan and R. Auslander wrote their first lines. In cosy cafes and shady parks the polyphony of five languages sounded. All of this created the ineffable atmosphere the of city life, glorified in dozens of books. Life goes on. A new turn of history offers new opportunities, while returning some old issues back to their course. The city gates are open wide for guests from all over the world, and every day the trumpet call sends this message from the city hall tower. Listen and you will hear the words of love and a call from heart to heart. Gru. aus Chernowitz! |
