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Kaniv (Cherkasy Region)
The town was first mentioned in a chronicle of 1144. At the beginning of A.D., proto-Slavic settlements were situated there. On the territory of the town three ancient settlements, a burial mound and household utensils of the 10th- 12th centuries were found.
The town remembers the times under the sway of Tatars, Lithuanians, Polishes, Turkishes, and Russians. The major war conflicts were battles against the Lithuanians in 1536 and against the Polishes in 1625. The history of the town is closely connected with the name of
T. H. Shevchenko. In 1925, a culture preserve was founded on Chernecha (Tarasova) Hora near the town. T. Shevchenko was buried there in 1861. The complex consists of the Literature and Memorial Museum, the biggest monument to Shevchenko in Ukraine, the cross from his grave, the first museum of Kobzar set in a traditional Ukrainian hut, and a park. Its collection has 21 thousand pieces.
Near the town there is a nature reserve, founded in 1923, which is one of the oldest in Ukraine.
It has a territory of more than 2000 hectares. Islands Kruglyk and Shelestiv, and Zmiyini islands in the Kaniv Reservoir belong to the nature reserve. The biggest part of the reserve is the territory of Kaniv dislocations (Kaniv hills). Monuments of nature are combined with monuments of history, archeology, geology, and paleontology. The faun numbers nearly 5 thousand species.
The Kaniv District used to be a site of towns, mentioned in chronicles − Roden, Zarub, Kaniv, about founding and development of which one can find out on visiting the museums.
Sights:
The Heorgiyevsky (Uspensky) Cathedral, 1144.
It was built in the times of Prince Vsevolod. The Cathedral obtained its modern look after the reconstruction in 1805-1810. T. Shevchenko’s coffin was placed there before the burial.
The Velyke and Male Horodyscha – monuments of archeology which belong to the Early Iron Age and Scythian culture.
The Nature Reserve of Kaniv, 1923.
Museums:
The Shevchenko National Reserve: Tarasova Hora, tel. (04736) 42-36-8.
The Cultural Reserve Grave of T. Shevchenko: Tarasova Hora.
The Kaniv Historical Museum: 15, Lenin St, tel. (04736) 3-23-41.
Working hours: 9 am – 4 pm: Monday to Friday.
It was founded in 1991. It collection consists of approximately 7 thousand exhibits. The museum has a unique collection of Trypillian crockery (4000 - 3000 B.C.).
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