Probably every person has heard about this significant battle that determined the fate of Russia and significantly influenced the history of Europe. But the memory of it lives not only in books and people’s hearts. The memory of this historic battle is preserved and maintained by the National Reserve «Poltava Battlefield» in the wonderful Ukrainian city of Poltava, where this event took place.
In the early 18th century, Sweden was a very powerful country. The Northern War lasted 21 years, and the victorious battle of Poltava on June 27, 1709 significantly influenced its outcome in favor of Russia. After the end of the war, Russia became a powerful state, and Europe was freed from a terrible neighbor. That is why the Battle of Poltava is considered so important not only in Russia, but also in the countries of Europe, and that is why thousands of tourists from all over the world come to the reserve «Poltava Battlefield» every year.
The reserve was established in 1909 in the north-eastern part of the city on the field where the historic battle took place. The territory of the reserve is huge — 771.5 hectares. Due to the fact that the authentic historical landscape, the whole territory of the battlefield, many objects of historical value, fragments of fortifications of 1709 have been preserved here, it is protected by UNESCO. The Poltava Battlefield Reserve is the only one in Ukraine that is a member of the international organization of military history museums, it is included in the world tourist route.
Visiting the reserve is a unique experience for anyone. All its attractions cannot be seen even in a whole day. For example, you can spend a whole day only in the Museum of the Battle of Poltava, where nine exposition halls display more than 8 thousand exhibits related to the history of the battle and the entire Northern War.
In the museum you can see firearms and cold weapons, uniforms, flags, maps, coins and medals, icons, engravings and portraits, old books and even personal belongings of Pertre I and Russian nobles who participated in the battle. The museum building stands on the battlefield, and in front of its front entrance there is a full-length monument to Peter the Great, created by architect D. Verotsky and sculptor A. Adamson in the middle of the last century.
Of great interest are also obelisks erected in the field at the places where Peter the Great ordered to build a line of redoubts. According to these obelisks, one can get an idea of how talented a military leader the first Russian emperor was: redoubts became not just an advanced position of the Russian army and a huge surprise for the Swedes, they became a new word in the history of military art.
In the north-eastern part of the reserve you can stroll through the arboretum located on 140 hectares, where more than 170 species of shrubs and trees grow. The lilac grove and arboretum, four picturesque ponds and the amazing atmosphere of the arboretum make you forget about reality and be transported into the magical world of incredibly beautiful nature.
But everything that can interest the guest of this attraction of Poltava does not end here. In the reserve you can admire Sampsonievskaya Church of the middle of the XIX century, recognized due to the amazing painting as a unique highly artistic example of temple monumental art, the only chapel in the world in the Ukrainian Art Nouveau style, built on the place of the meeting of Nicholas II with peasants in the beginning of the last century. The monument on the mass grave, where 1345 people are buried, reminds of the bravery and human sacrifices that always accompany war.
In the reserve «Poltava Battlefield» there are other sights of historical value and interest for tourists. But it is impossible to tell about all of them, as well as about the unique atmosphere that reigns at the place where the fateful for the world order battle took place, it is better to see it all with your own eyes and feel it with your soul.