Cherkassy region is rightfully called the heart of Ukraine, the main artery of which, the mighty Dnieper, divides this region into two banks. The right bank is located on the Pridneprovskaya Upland, which caused the presence of a large number of river valleys, ravines and canyons. The left bank is located on the Pridneprovskaya lowland. The land on both sides of the banks is fed by water from the Kremenchug and Kanev reservoirs. And the valleys of the rivers Rosi, Vilshanka, Tyasmin are considered landscape masterpieces of this area.
Cherkashchyna is one of the smallest (20.9 thousand square meters) and at the same time one of the richest regions of Ukraine. Its richness is not only unforgettable landscapes with numerous rivers (more than 1 thousand) and lakes (more than 2 thousand) located on this land, but also centuries-old history, which has left behind an eternal memory in the form of architectural and archaeological heritage.
The history of Cherkassy region goes back to the Stone Age. Today we can say with certainty that the first human settlements on its territory date back to the times of the Upper Paleolithic (35-8 thousand BC). In the period from VII to III centuries B.C. the lands of the region were inhabited by representatives of the world-famous Tripolye culture. More than 100 sites, settlements and burial mounds belonging to the Scythian epoch (VI-II centuries BC) have been discovered throughout the Cherkassy region. It is known that in the IV-VII centuries the region was inhabited by the tribes of Antes, and then — Polans.
In the time of Kievan Rus in the XI-XIII centuries, in order to protect from the nomadic tribes of the Black Sea region, were erected fortress cities Kanev, Korsun, Voin and others. Most of them were destroyed by the hordes of the Mongol-Tatar army led by Batu Khan in 1239-1240. Since the XIV century. Cherkassy region, as well as practically the whole right-bank Ukraine, was a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The long stay of Cherkassy lands under foreign oppression provoked many uprisings of the Ukrainian people, among which two events are given special attention in the history of Cherkassy region. The first is the War of Liberation of the Ukrainian people in 1648-1654 under Bogdan Khmelnitsky, which was accompanied by the formation of the Ukrainian Cossack state with a military-political center in Chigirin, from where the Great Hetman ruled the state for two decades. The war ended with the Pereyaslav Rada and the forced annexation of Ukrainian lands to the Moscow state. And in 1667, according to the Andrusiv Treaty, the left-bank part of Cherkashchyna went to Russia, and the right-bank part to Poland.
It was here, in Cherkashchyna, in the village of Subotov, that Bogdan Khmelnitsky was born and spent his childhood. The Cossack hetman is buried here in the Ilyinskaya church, and in Chigirin there is a museum dedicated to his life.
The second significant historical event of those times is the Haidamak rebellion of 1768, which was called «Koliyivshchina». Maksym Zaliznyak and Ivan Gonta, natives of Cherkassy land, were the leaders of this liberation struggle.
Cherkassy region was in the epicenter of bloody battles during the Great Patriotic War. In order to confront the occupants throughout the region was waged guerrilla warfare, the center of which was Kholodny Yar. In February 1944, one of the most outstanding military operations took place — the Battle of Korsun-Shevchenko. Participants of these military operations call this battle «Stalingrad on the Dnieper», which ended with the complete defeat of the fascist side. In the Korsun-Shevchenkiv Historical Museum you can see a diorama of this momentous battle. Despite the significant destruction of the times of the war, to our days on the territory of the region have been preserved Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish religious buildings of XII-XX centuries.
The Great Kobzar of the Ukrainian people Taras Shevchenko was born, lived and worked in Cherkashchyna, who found his rest on Tarasova (Chernecha) Hill in Kanev. In Budyshche village there is a room-museum of Taras Shevchenko. Nearby there is a park, where the leaves of a perennial oak still rustle, in the hollow of which little Taras hid his drawings (according to legend). Everyone can come up, close their eyes and, embracing Taras’ oak, feel the irresistible spirit of our people and all-consuming love for our homeland. How can one remain indifferent to this generous land, which inspired the people who epitomized the independence of our homeland?
This region will gladly welcome its guests and offer them more than 400 objects of nature protection areas, the most precious of which is considered to be the oldest in Ukraine Kanevsky Nature Reserve (1923). Of course, you should also admire the pearl of garden and park art — National Dendrological Park «Sofiyivka», which adorns the city of Uman. In the same city there is the grave of Tzadik Nachman, the founder of the religious doctrine of the Bratslav Hasidim. Hasidic Jews from all over the world make pilgrimages to this place.
Thanks to the fact that the region is located in the forest-steppe zone, there are 66 species of mammals, 280 species of birds, 11 species of amphibians and 9 species of reptiles. And the therapeutic properties of local mineral waters, such as Zvenigorodskaya, are known far beyond the borders of Ukraine.
For those who are fond of architecture, there are 132 objects of regional and 37 objects of national importance in the region. There are 39 state museums and 7 historical and cultural reserves, as well as much, much more.
Boundless historical and cultural potential, rich natural resources, unique architectural and archeological sights of Cherkassy region will satisfy the demands of the most refined tourist, who will always be welcomed by this grateful land.