The small town of Vizhnitsa is known far beyond the borders of Bukovina for its many interesting natural and architectural sights. People come here to have a rest both quietly and actively, both in summer and in winter, and the first place where many visitors start to get acquainted with the town is its railway station.
The railroad in Vizhnitsa, which became a developed center of crafts and trade in the XIX century, was laid in the 20s of the XX century, and the two-storey building of the station dates back to the same time. Today, this building is one of the architectural landmarks of the town, it welcomes those who come here by rail, as well as all those who come to the town by car from Vashkivtsi.
The impression that the station building may make on those who see it for the first time is unlikely to coincide with the final opinion of this wonderful city after a vacation there. Built in the years when the whole world was going through hard times, it does not attract with its architecture, except for its resemblance to the old railway stations, which gives a romantic feeling. Station buildings of this type can be found in many other cities in Western Ukraine, it is not difficult to notice those who have already spent their holiday in the Carpathians. They do not impress with their monumentality, size or architectural solution, as, for example, Simferopol railway station, they just appear before the eye as they are, modestly welcoming new visitors to the city.
On one of the walls of the building of the Vizhnica Railway Station hangs a commemorative plaque with an inscription that translates into Russian as follows: «Dedicated to the memory of the 2027 inhabitants of Vizhnica who were taken away and repressed in 1941-1953 to Stalin’s camps». It refers to the Jewish part of the town’s population, which by the early 1940s had more than 5 thousand Jews. Tragic and sad is this part of the history of Vizhnitsa, as well as of the whole world in those difficult times. Fortunately, today neither the Jewish nor the rest of the town’s population is threatened by anything, and it, like many other settlements in Western Ukraine, similar to each other in their hard fate, has lived a calm and measured life.
Tourists speak about this town as one of the most amazing towns of Bukovina, the soul of which it is considered to be. There are many places here, striking and impressive, forever remaining in the heart of those who spent their vacation in Vizhnica. Well, the railway station as an inconspicuous greeter simply welcomes guests to the city, «passing them into the hands» of hospitable and dressed up hosts — many are impressed by other architectural sights of Vizhnica, however, and the station is popular among tourists as a place that is just interesting to see.