The New Entrance from the Kyivska street

The 6^th period: 1980- till present time. After a calamity, which happened in 1980, the biggest revival, repair and restoration of "Sofiyivka" were done, more than 50 objects being restored for four months. In 1980-1993 based on the project of E.Lopushinska Acheron Lake was restored and pergola "Mushroom" was created. In 1980 the territory of a military unit was opened on the area of 5,1 hectares, and administrative zone of the park was organized there. 25 garages for cars, tractors and ancient carriages bought in Poland were rebuilt there. Technical service station was repaired considerably; a small laboratory building with rooms for visitors upstairs was built. Where once there were ammunition warehouses and Germans arranged a hospital for Soviet prisoners during the war, the following was built, namely, a library with a reading room, a canteen for employees with a relaxation room, a conference room which can accommodate 90 people, warehouses. A boiler was gasified, a water pump station was built, and water is piped from the well bored in the western part of the park. A power-saw bench, a joiner's workshop, sauna, barns for keeping horses, sheep, poultry were built. In 1980-1996 25 families were resettled from the territory of the park, Living conditions were improved for eight families. At present the total area of the park is 153,7 hectares, there are no families living on its territory which makes it possible to observe a reserve regime of the park; in addition, since 1993 the park has been protected by 21 militia people.

A boiler-shop gasified in 1996, a hothouse on the area of 0,4 hectares, a cellar (180 sq. m) for keeping seedlings, above which necessary facilities for the staff are located; a fog forming device was developed for rooting own-rooted seedlings, a container site, a water pump tower with its own well and a water pump station situated on the bank of Krasnostavski pond; from this place water is supplied for watering.

In 1995 "Sofiyivka" was awarded with a medal, a diploma and bas-relief board by the international organization Europa-Nostra for a tremendous work done for improving and maintaining the park in a very good shape. 160 applicants took part in the contest to be recognized as the best institution in preservation, reconstruction and restoration of historical, cultural, architectural heritage and natural landscapes; 30 were chosen distinguished, including б which were given medals, diplomas and bas-relief boards.

To implement the order of the President of Ukraine N26/93-rp of March 10 1993 and the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers N456 of June 16 1993 "About the measures to be taken for the preparation and celebration of the 200^th-anniversary of a dendrological park "Sofiyivka" of Ukraine's Academy of Science", a general plan of improvement, restoration and widening of the park was worked out by Kyiv Institute "Ukrengproject". A new city water-pump station was built which replaced the one near the Main Entrance. A complete reconstruction of the zone near the Main Entrance was done from Sadova Street with the bridge across the Kamianka River and a tourist complex built on the basis of a former restaurant "Druzhba"; the latter was included into the budget of the park according to the resolution of the session of the city council of people's deputies in 1995. Along the thalweg of Grekova gully, in accordance with the original map of "Sofiyivka" of 1855, three ponds were restored. There a road-alley system was developed, it connects the Main Entrance with a tourist complex; a tourist zone was created in 1995-1996 and it includes two similar houses with cash-offices, a florist's, an exhibition of fish, a room for tour-guides, a cafŭ. From the architectural point of view they exhibit some elements, which are typical for Thetis' Grotto. A parking lot for 100 vehicles was built in this zone. Underground toilets, a gasified boiler shop, a sewerage station, a fountain with inverse water supply were built.

The new zone of the park, the Lishchynoviy Pond and the Tourist Complex Built

A tourist route from Kyivska Street to the Main Entrance lies along a new part of the park created during these years in accordance to the conditions of Florence charter; its aim is to save and maintain a historic part of the park. Here ideal conditions for doing research work with introduced wooden and shrub species were created; not much could be done in a historic and exposition area of the park. A building, which houses research laboratories and occupies 5000 square meters, was constructed; later Ukrainian Institute of dendrology may be set up here, which will ensure a scientific approach to conservation of a unique "Sofiyivka" as well as other parks of the country for the generations to come.

To implement the above-mentioned resolution of the government, the bridge in the Temple Valley, the composition "Devil's bridge", the underground Acheron River and Amsterdam Lock were restored. A ferry-passage to the island of Anti-Circe was also restored, as well as a serpentine road along the Parterre Amphitheatre, which was changed completely, namely, granite steps were removed, and 40-year-old thuyas, junipers, and mulberry-trees were replanted during the last years.

All the statues and busts were restored. The statue of a three-headed "Eagle" was made of bronze and installed on the obelisk, Diana's grotto was restored; benches were placed along the route (they were there before the Revolution of 1917).

It is worth mentioning that a museum of the history of the park was created, monographs dealing with the history of the park and introduction of its vegetation were published.

At 28th of February, 2004 by the Order of President of Ukraine № 249/2004 the park have been named the National dendrological park "Sofiyivka".