Walk along Preobrazhenskaya Street is always interesting and informative and not only because it has a lot of original architectural buildings with their distinctive histories, but also because of the fact that this street will lead you to Preobrazhensky Park (formerly called Ilyicha Park), which is full of cozy places where you can relax and think about the eternal. The luxury and exuberance of the park’s greenery captivates and amazes our perception. It is hard to imagine that 200 years ago there was a desert steppe here, and on the territory of Odessa there were less than a hundred trees.
The park was opened in May 1937 and was built on the site of the First Christian Cemetery, which was laid in the early XVIII century. On its territory was built and consecrated in 1820 the Church of All Saints. Many famous Odessians, who left a memorable trace in the development and history of the city, were buried in the temple. In 1934 the church was first closed and then destroyed, as those times were the times of atheism. Later, the Luna Park was placed on the same place, thus horrifying the ministers of the church from the desecration of the holy place. A few years later Luna Park had to be closed due to financial problems. To date, excavations of the Church of All Saints are underway. Therefore, all tourists passing along the main avenue of the Preobrazhensky Park will definitely turn to the excavation site and in addition to a pleasant vacation in solitude with green charm, will also be able to go on a historical journey, helping to restore historical values.
Today the park covers an area of 13 hectares, of which 2/3 is green space and 1/3 is alleys, grounds and structures. It is also worth noting that the neighbors of the park are Privoz market, the famous Moldavanka and Odessa Zoo, which you can visit if you want.
We do not always find time to be alone with nature and enjoy the peace and quiet, and it is the parks and squares that save us, which include Preobrazhensky Park.