Chernihiv is one of the most ancient towns in Ukraine, and has been affectionately described as "a land forgotten by time". It is now the administrative, economic and cultural center of the region. The city is situated on the banks of the Desna River, 141 kilometers north of Kyiv and has a population of 300,000. The history of the city goes back to the time of Old Rus, a period when monumental architecture, literature, crafts and trade flourished. It was one of the most important centers of Kyivan Rus so it is no wonder many places of historical interest are found here today. Five out of the twenty-five architectural landmarks of the 11th - 12th centuries have been preserved and are opened to the public for exploration and enjoyment.

Chernihiv is older than Kiev. Chernihiv was first mentioned in the year 907 A.D. Many legends and ballads are connected with the city. According to one of them, Chernihiv was named for Prince Cherniy and his daughter. Another one says it owes its name to the thick, dark, surrounding cherniy (black) forests. According to folk legend Prince Cherniy was buried in Black Burrow not too far from Boldin Hills. The name comes from the slavish word Bold (Oak-tree). There were (and still are) many oaks there, one of them being over one thousand years old. Boldin Hills in Chernihiv is probably one of the most important historical sites in this ancient city. Rising some 35 meters above the beautiful Desna River the area dominates the landscape and its importance dates back to antiquity. A sacred place for local inhabitants from pagan times forward it is nowadays preserved as one of the largest Kievian Rus burial grounds in Ukraine, consisting of over 200 burrows. The first of them appeared around the 9th or 10th centuries, and the largest graves are of the epic heroes Gulbishche and Besymiany who were the prototypes of the athlete Illya Muromets who was the defender of the Rus empire.Here in the mound, archeologists discovered the cremated remains of Gulbishche, both his riding equipment and the largest sword ever discovered in Ukraine.

During the course of the Rus Empire, Chernihiv became a center of spiritual life in Rus. In 1069 the founder of the Kiev-Pechersky monastery, monk Anthony created an underground monetary. Many hermit-monks lived in these caves for hundreds of years. In 1239 Chernigov was captured and destroyed by Tatar-Mongol invaders and in 1649 the monastery was restored by the Cossack colonel Stephan Podobailo who dubbed it his "Sky Protector". He was later killed in in 1654 in a battle for independence for Ukraine from the Poles and was buried nearby at St Illya's church. Some believe that the underground caves of the monastery can cure people of their ills, and have special medicinal qualities. Many people, not only from Ukraine, but from Russia and Belarus visit these caves to gain energy from them. It is said that locals saw a ghost of a monk here and a local newspaper published a photo with a silhouette of him praying on one of the cave walls.

These ghosts are said to still inhabit the halls and passageways, but if someone wants to approach it, the apparition will quickly disappear. Some claim that if a cat is brought into the caves it will see the ghosts, hiss at them, its hair will stand on end and then quickly run away.

Chernihiv is rich with legends. One of them tells us about Polkownik Vasiliy Kasperovich Dunin-Borkovskiy, who lived in the 17th century. He belonged to the richest and most influential family of the time. Much of his money went to the reconstruction of temples, but it was not because of his generous character. It was believed that he had made contact with malicious spirits and was trying to make amends for his terrible sins. He died in 1702 and was cremated and placed in the Eletsky monastery. After his death, some people said that he was seen riding his carriage with black horses from Eletsky monastery towards the Desna River. It is historical fact that all the temples that he had personally reconstructed (Voskresenskya church, Spaskiy Kathedral, the Church of St. Peter and Paul) were all burned and destroyed sometime after his death.

In the 17th century the complex at Boldin Hills was expanded and by the middle of the 18th century it served as a mighty feudal estate and possessed 10 thousand serfs, 24 villages, 30 mills and surrounded by forest and lakes. The total length of the underground caves is 350 meters. They include three churches and a chapel. Once it was a much larger underground complex and there is evidence of this in the hill on the opposite side of the ravine that separates St Iillya's Church from the Trinity Cathedral that awaits further exploration and restoration.

One of the most famous modern people buried here is M. Kotsubinsky who lived in Chernihiv for 15 years and died in 1915. A famous writer who like Taras Chevchenko wrote in Ukrainian is probably best known for his novel "The Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors".

Nearby the monestary, on the opposite end of Boldin Hill, is a monument over the "Grave of the Unknown Soldier" which was erected to glorify the liberators of Chernihiv from the Nazis in WWII. During the occupation of Chernihiv by the Nazis in World War II the region became a center of partisan warfare. The Nazis destroyed over 70% of the housing and many of the schools, hospitals and industrial enterprises.

Chernihiv Val (Rampart) is the name of the former fortified center of the ancient town. This forested park juts up away from the city itself and towers over the Desna River and is a favorite place to visit that provides a spectacular view. The rim of the park is lined at the precipice with replica cannons and the view overlooks a maritime museum down by the river. The Val was the scene of many battles that helped protect the city throughout the centuries. Nowadays, boat rides can be taken up the river to see some of the surrounding forests. These 45 minute cruises are well worth the time. Within the neighboring area of the park sits Our Savior Cathedral which was built in 11th century. Nearby is Borysoglebsky Cathedral which is considered one of the first constructions in the city.

Chernihiv is famous for its churches, particularly those erected during the 11th and 12th centuries. The most notable of these is the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior, one of the oldest churches in the Kyiv an Rus, built about 1017 by Mstyslav, the younger brother of Yaroslav the Wise. St. Katherine Church, on a hill opposite the dytynets, was completed in 1715 to commemorate the heroism of the Kazaks of Chernihiv in the storming of the Turkish fortress of Azov in 1696. There are a total of 12 old churches in Chernihiv worth exploring. It is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions and many people come here to propose and hold their marriage ceremonies in nearby Trinity Cathedral. There are three underground wooden churches on the grounds of Anthony's Caves. Two churches at the monastery are worth a visit: the Troyitsky Cathedral (1679-1695) and the 1677 Presentation church with its five-tiered bell tower.

The V. Tarnovsky Regional Historical Museum, founded in 1896, is among the oldest and most popular in Ukraine. Highlights are archaeological finds from the burial mounds, including arms, jewelry, and everyday objects from the Kyivan Rus period, like Gulbishche's sword. The museum is at 4 Gorky st. (4622) 7-26-50. It is truly a world class museum and much information about places of interest in the city can be obtained here.

A visit to Chernihiv would not be complete without a visit to the main theater in Red Square. First class performances by local professionals can be seen here during the theater season and it is very inexpensive. The square itself is worth the trip and is a few blocks away from one of Chernihiv's most spectacular parks with a great view of the Ally of Hero's with its water fountains that leads to the golden domed St. Catherine's Church.(This church being a prominent sight as one enters Chernihiv on the road from Kyiv). Right beside the city's main theater is Pyatnitskaya Church. This is an area of the city where the poor resided (handicraft and tradesmen). It was built at their expense and named after their protector (patron) of trade, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa. It is believed that there is a stone in the church which possesses a magical force: if one is to touch it and make a wish, then their dreams will certainly come true. In the center of town, there is an organic architectural ensemble of the Taras Schechenko Music and Drama Theater, the Desna hotel and the Shchorst Movie Theater. There are many other places of culture within the city: A philharmonic society, a museum of war history, M.Kotsubinsky Literary Museum, over 20 community centers and clubs, 138 libraries, 34 schools and the Palace for Youth and Children. This training institution just held their 70th anniversary and was once the home of the Young Pioneers and is still a thriving enterprise left over from soviet times and a testament to the spirit of the Ukrainians. Each winter the school puts on its annual New Years and Christmas pageant and schools from all over the region attend the festivities which last over the holiday season. It is open to the public. The festival is complete with a towering 50 foot lighted Christmas tree, a theater production and the story of "Granmpa Frost" and concerts held three times a day for two weeks. During the school year an amazing variety of courses are available for young people and children of all ages. They can take classes in English, learn traditional Ukrainian music, dance, theater, gymnastics and martial arts just to name a few of the subjects that are offered. In addition, there are many sports facilities that accommodate residents of Chernihiv, including four stadiums, 44 gyms and several swimming pools.

Chernihiv is one of the greenest cities in Ukraine. In spring and summer the golden domes of the ancient churches wallow in the splendid hold of its many parks. In the fall the city becomes vibrant with color, painted as a gift by that master painter--nature herself. The wonderful combination of unique architectural monuments from the past, combined with newer, modern buildings, lend a special charm to the city that makes the city a national treasure.

Not far from Chernihiv to the north is the ancient Ukrainian village of Sedniv, situated on the snow river tributary of the Desna. It was founded in the 10th century and served as a fortress owned by a prince. At the end of the 17th century an alley of chestnuts was planted on top of a high hill overlooking the snow river. A 400 year old oak tree survives and it is a favorite place for writers and poets in Ukraine to find seclusion. Taras Chevchenko used this park for inspiration and wrote poems and drew his pictures here. There is a monument to the great Ukrainian poet in the park. There are also three churches from the 17th and 18th centuries nearby and the very first Soviet horror film was made in one of those churches. The views from the park are spectacular, overlooking picturesque meadows and small forests near the river. Many painters have come here over the ages and continue to this day.

Most of the interesting architectural monuments are located on the Val (battlement) that overlooks the Desna River. In ancient times this was the whole city, but today it is a pleasant park. It winds along the top of Boldin hill and contains the Church of St. Catherine, Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, a Yeletsko-Uspensky Monastery, Holy Trinity Monastery with underground caves on its grounds. Also on the grounds in the park are numerous burial mounds from ancient times. Contents of the mounds and other artifacts can be viewed at the historical museum near Krasny Ploshad (Red Square).

From the hill a footbridge is visible on which you can cross the river. On the other side its possible to walk or bike thru the fields and forests or to swim in the Desna.

Heading into town one will find most of the older buildings of the city around Red Square. (see "other information" below for much more)

Nectar: A pretty standard Ukrainian menu is complemented by a non-smoking policy. An English menu is available. Located across from McDonalds.

Mama Mia: Not what you might expect (i.e. Italian) but this restaurant has some interesting dishes and is a favorite of foreigners in town. Located on Prospect Mir.

Bowling and billiards: These can be found at the Druzhba, along with a decent restaurant, pizza place, night club, shops and movie theatre.

Kayaking: The Chernihiv Center for Green Tourism can arrange for a kayak trip on one of the local rivers. Dimitri Ruduk arranges trips; he can be contacted at (04622) 133-942.

Cross-country skiing is popular in Chernihiv and many olympic atheletes have lived and trained here. Rental skis are available and inexpensive and there are many miles of solitary trails and hills to explore on the outskirts of the city. Any local sports shop will assist you with information and directions.

Reaching the city (for instance, from Kyiv – bus, train, marshrutka, taxi options, prices, times, and frequency of stops between departure city and destination):

The fastest way to reach Chernihiv is via Route Taxi (Marshrutka). Take the Red Line Metro in Kiev to the eastern end, Lisoba Station. Cross the street in the underground tunnel and take the stairs up to the street. Here will be vans leaving between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. for Chernihiv (2 hours).

It is also possible to take a train from Kiev (3 hours). The train usually goes once in the morning and again at night. It is possible to take a Moscow or Minsk train and get off in Chernihiv. See the train station for exact schedules.

Hotel Ukraine: Located at the corner of Mir (Peace) and Peremohi (Victory) this Hotel is a bit worn. Rooms cost about $30 a night.