Under the volleys of ancient guns, shooting from muskets and pistols of real Zaporozhian Cossacks and bell ringing on October 21, 2013 on the territory of the historical and cultural complex «Zaporozhian Sich» on the island of Khortytsia solemnly opened a new tourist attraction — a permanent exhibition «Military Pushkarnya». In a wooden building, the prototype of the Zaporozhian gun shop of the XVIII century, there are almost 200 exhibits, including old Cossack guns of different caliber — falconets, mortars (stupas), howitzers, as well as ozhigi — rapid-fire multi-barrelled weapon of the time of the New Sich (1734 — 1775). Next to the artillery weapons there are cast-iron bombs, metal and stone cannonballs, tools of artisans-artillerymen. The oldest exhibit of the exposition is two XVI century limestone cannonballs found in the bed of the old Dnieper.
The inner walls of the building are hung with the items of cannon care — these are the shufla (scoop on a long leg) for powder dosing, and the bannik (fur on the handle) for cleaning the barrel after the shot, and waders, with the help of which the Cossacks loaded the cannon and other attributes of artillery. In front of the entrance to the cannon house there is a fragment of a Cossack artillery battery fortification.
«Military Pushkarnya» with historical accuracy recreated by local scientists and restorers with the financial support of the metallurgical plant «Zaporizhstal», which in 2005 became the general investor of the project «Revival of spirituality: creation of historical and cultural center and monumental complex on the island of Khortytsia.
«Pushkarnya is a key object that shows the whole complex of military items of that time, starting from the manufacture of gunpowder. The highlight of this place is that part of the exposition is included in the interactive. And visitors will be able not only to admire ancient things, but also to hold them in their hands», — said in his speech the director of the reserve «Khortytsya» Maxim Ostapenko.
Undoubtedly, the new exposition of «Zaporizhzhya Sich» will cause great interest among the residents of the city and its guests and will allow them to get acquainted with the history of defense of the Cossack territory.