THE OFFICIAL SITE of THE NATIONAL DENDROLOGICAL PARK "SOFIYIVKA"   www.sofiyivka.org.ua russian ukrainian
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A bit further, one can see the source "Silver springs", founded in 1974 according to the project of Kyiv architect O.I.Lopushinska; it is situated on the place where in 1850 there was a booth with the pipe for water discharge (according to Kazarinov's guidebook).

The Main Alley brought us to Flora Pavilion. This is the end of that part of the park, which was created in the years when the park was under the jurisdiction of the Department of military settlements. The southern border of the park was there during Potocki's time.

In front of Flora Pavilion the square is planned, and from it few roads run in different directions.

An asphalted road across the Venetian bridge will take us to the Upper pond and to the entrance to Uman state agrarian academy (former main school of horticulture) as well as along greenhouses to a view site near the obelisk. From this place along the Upper Alley we can find ourselves on Belleview Terrace and then go back to Flora Pavilion. You can be given a ride in a carriage along this road (the same as it was in old times).

The second road from Flora Pavilion goes steeply upward and to the left, it leads to the administrative zone of the park, to glade Dubinka and further to a western part of the park where new picturesque places capture the visitors' sight.

Along the Upper Alley, which is calm and shady with old-aged trees, free from excursions/ visitors, a middle road leads to greenhouses in the opposite direction of the above-described route.

Our trip goes along the Upper Alley, near a twisting bank of the Lower Pond. This is the best place to see the variety of talented pictures created by nature.

Till recently there has been an opinion that Flora Pavilion was built where Shepherd's hut was situated in the years of the construction of the park. Bt S.Groza, who studied at Uman Basilian Monastery (1816) and knew the park very well, stated that there had been no buildings at this place up till 1820. When Uman district was getting ready to welcome tsar Oleksandr I in 1820, Country Pavilion was placed there.

In his "Guidebook across "Sofiyivka" T.Themery mentioned that the administration of the Department of military settlements ordered to pull down Country Pavilion because of his unattractiveness; according to the project of military engineer K.Rapponet "a monument of a beautiful style" was built on this very place (Flora Pavilion exists till our days). Most of the authors of guidebooks "Sofiyivka" state that Flora Pavilion has been built based on the project of Makutin.

Flora is Roman goddess of spring, fourth and flowers. The Greeks called her Chlorida. In spring in her honor so-called Floralias were celebrated, jolly games were played. Girls were dressed in bright clothes decorated with flowers; they sang songs and danced glorifying Flora. In antique art Flora was depicted as a young woman with flowers in her hands or she scattered them around. Flora Pavilion is an integral part in a composition design of the whole park ensemble. Its bright decoration on a green background was inherited from the Country pavilion. An ellipsoid form of the pavilion stresses the impression of a logically accomplished very artistic picture, which perfectly blends with the landscape surrounding it. Despite its monumentality, the pavilion looks so light from the Terrace of Muses, as if it drifts in the sky. The impression is reinforced by its reflection in the water of the Lower Pond.

When you are very close to the pavilion, it looks nobly and at the same time elegantly and gracefully, thanks to its precise architectural forms, tall and well-proportioned columns in Doric style, and tracery bas-relief on the frieze, which pictures leaves and grape clusters. This ornamental patter was done in 1852 according to drawings of academician of architecture O.I.Shtakenshneider. Granite steps lead to a space oval hall with good and unusual acoustics, and between snow-white columns one can see a panorama of the Lower Pond, which amazes with its unusual beauty and variety. Vegetation, stone, water, architecture of small and big forms the complex of hydro technical buildings, all of these are the main elements the park was made of.

The park, as a scientific institution of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, is engaged in researches of connatural and cultural flora of austral Forest-steppe of Ukraine, introduction and acclimatation of plants in the region.

The article of the director of the famous park I. Kosenko summarizes this work:

50 years anniversary of the Sofiyivka park as a scientific institute of the Ukraine's NAS

In the final article of I. Kosenko the review of the park's whole history from the moment of the foundation till todays is made:
205 years since the foundation of Sofiyivka

The team of scientists of the park issued the catalogue of plants with the total amount 1994 taxons, in which 25 taxons of hazels, 24 beeches, 41 fir-trees, 44 junipers, 100 lianas, 320 roses, 57 rhododendrons and 98 flower plants - totally 1220 trees and bushes and 774 herbaceous plants.
Catalogue (zip 380 КB)

The hothouse of the park is the unique center of cultivation of conifers and deciduous trees, bushes, roses seedlings - total more than 200 items.
Price-list
Open|Download (22 КB)

The beauty of the park was sung by a lot of poets, but the poem of the Polish poet S. Trembecki occupies an especial place. Written in 1811, it is the park guide book in verses.
"Sofiowka" and comments of Adam Mickiewicz (polish)

Park as the tourist center offers the visitors a complex of services - excursion support in six languages, hotel, restaurant, conference hall etc.
List of services