If you were lucky enough to have a vacation in Truskavets, you probably already know that this city is characterized by distinctive culture, delightful nature and picturesque views, as well as a rich history. About the latter you will be told in detail and fascinating Museum «History of Truskavets».
It is located on the lower terrace of Resort Park, surrounded by luxurious century-old forests. In fact, the museum building itself is already a landmark of Truskavets. In 1903, a rich Pole builds the villa «Sariusz» (translated from Polish as Sirius). It is a wooden building in the traditions of Art Nouveau architecture with Islamic-Moorish architectural fragments organically woven into the general composition. Historically, the villa was a vacation home for privileged people (vacation in Truskavets has always been considered elite) until 1982, when the Museum «History of Truskavets» was founded in these walls.
Now 2 floors of the mansion are occupied by 10 exposition halls, 7 of which are devoted to the description of life in Truskavets in different historical periods, and 2 more are exhibition halls for periodical expositions, including artistic ones. There is also a large lecture room for various events, conferences and seminars. Here you will find a lot of useful and interesting information about the history of this region from ancient times (the first finds here date back to the II-III century AD) to the present day.
The first hall is dedicated to the ancient history of this region: there are archaeological finds testifying to the stay of ancient Romans on this territory, as well as schemes of fortifications that existed here in the times of ancient times.
In the second hall you will see the later period of the city’s development. At this time, the locals were engaged in salt-making, as evidenced by the found household items. The first mention of the city refers us to the events of this period — XV century. Some historians are inclined to the fact that Truskavets is a word of Polish origin and means strawberry, others believe that the name of the city came from the Lithuanian druska, which means salt. Arguments in favor of the second hypothesis are presented in the second hall.
The third hall of the museum will tell us about the history of Truskavets in the early twentieth century: the First World War, ZUNR, the activity of «Prosviti» and the establishment of the USSR power, the Great Patriotic War and the period of restoration of the resort after it. It is here that we see the transformation of a small village into a town and a popular resort.
The fourth hall of the Museum «History of Truskavets» illustrates the tragic events of the period of the national liberation war: OUN, UPA. You will see letters of prisoners from Stalin’s camps, sketches of repressed residents of the town and their families. This is the end of the description of the historical past of the town.
In the next 5 hall there is an exposition devoted to the original culture of the local population in different historical periods: household items, art, clothes and so on.
You will get acquainted with the development of Truskavets as a resort in the 6th hall. Throughout the twentieth century, most of the sanatoriums were built here, Truskavets turned into the largest balneological resort and all-union health resort.
The further development of the resort in the conditions of independent Ukraine is characterized in Hall 7. In its center there is a panorama-model, where all the most important objects of the city are marked.
In 2012 there was a large-scale celebration dedicated to the centenary of the museum, in connection with which the hall «The Newest History of Truskavets» with an interactive board reflecting all the most interesting sights of Truskavets and its surroundings was presented.
You can get acquainted with the historical splendor of the resort town at the address Truskavets, Sechevye Sagittarius Square, 2 from 10.00 to 18.00 on any day, except Saturday.
Rest in Truskavets is not only full of health and longevity bouquets of mineral waters, but also the most interesting, mysterious pages of the historical past of our Motherland. A visit to the Museum «History of Truskavets» will give you a lot of new impressions and food for thought for an inquisitive mind. That is why the Museum «History of Truskavets» has taken its place of honor among other attractions of Ukraine.