Another decoration and sightseeing of Kharkiv is the garden named after T.H. Shevchenko. Being located in the very center, the garden, nevertheless, allows you to relax from the bustle of the city, to feel unity with nature, without leaving the city. A walk through the marvelous chestnut and oak alleys, birdsong, rest in the shade of numerous trees will give you a charge of vigor and a sense of peace.
In the garden there are more than 100 species of shrubs and more than 15 thousand species of trees, among which there are such rare specimens as giant oaks, which are more than 200 years old. And all this splendor is located on the territory of 25 hectares.
The history of the garden takes us back to the XVII-XVIII centuries. At that time the area of the present garden was a forest. After the transfer of this place in 1804-1805 years. Vasily Karazin, the founder of Kharkov University, started planting trees and laying out alleys. This is how the University Garden appeared, a favorite place not only for students, but also for all residents of the city. In 1906, a monument to V.N. Karazin was erected in the center of the garden.
In 1927, between Rymarskaya Street and the University Garden there was the Trade Union Garden. Here you could not only take a walk and breathe fresh air, but also visit the reading room, summer branches of Kharkov clubs and even the theater, where famous actors, writers and poets performed.
In the 30s Profsoyuzny garden was connected with the University Garden. The entrance to the new garden became free for all comers. New alleys were built, trees were planted, a fountain appeared.
In 1934, during the celebration of the 120th anniversary of T.H. Shevchenko’s birth it was decided to build a monument to the great Kobzar. In 1935 sculptors M.H. Manizer and Sh.H. Langbard presented to Kharkiv citizens a majestic bronze monument 16.5 meters high, surrounded by 16 bronze sculptures, revealing the history of the struggle of the Ukrainian people. Since the opening of the monument, the garden has been named in honor of T.H. Shevchenko.
After the First World War the garden was not only restored, but also expanded its territory, reconstructed the western slope. Architect A.S. Mayak and sculptor F.I. Savuskan built a cascading staircase, on which the fountain flowed. One can approach this splendor by an oak alley planted in 1955 for the 150th anniversary of the founding of the university. In 1967, a fountain, which later became a color-music fountain, appeared on the central alley.
At the back of the garden is located the cinema-concert hall «Ukraine», designed for 2 thousand seats for watching various kinds of movies, holding concerts and events. The original shape of the building not only fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape, but also convinces: nature and man can speak the same language. The hall was built in 1963 according to the project of architects V. Vasiliev, Y. Laksiev, and V. Reusov.
Since 1895, the oldest in Ukraine Kharkiv Zoo, which has more than 5 thousand specimens of 340 species of animals, reptiles, birds, fish, amphibians from all over the world, has been open for everyone on the territory of the garden named after T.H. Shevchenko. Everyone without exception is attracted to the aquarium with more than 80 species of exotic fish. Almost since the foundation of the garden in 1808 on its territory was built astronomical observatory of Kharkov National University. Here the study of processes on the Sun is carried out, observation of the planets of the solar system and satellites is carried out. For many years the head of the observatory was academician N.P. Barabashov.
Visiting the garden named after T.H. Shevchenko, you will not only have a great rest in the bosom of nature, but also will be able to organize your leisure time in an interesting way. On its territory there is a restaurant «Crystal», children’s playground with a swimming pool. Every year on August 21-22 in the garden there is an exhibition of fresh flowers, in spring there are Kharkov dominoes championships.