Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine facts for kids
The Seven Wonders of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Сім чудес України) are seven amazing historical and cultural places in Ukraine. These special sites were chosen in a big contest held in July 2007. It was the first public competition of its kind.
After this first contest, there were others! People also voted for the Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine and the Seven Wonderful Castles of Ukraine. All the places chosen are protected areas that belong to the public. This means everyone can visit them and enjoy their beauty and history.
To pick the winners, two groups voted. Experts in Ukraine chose their top seven favorite places. At the same time, people using the internet voted for their favorite seven sites on the official website.
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How the Wonders Were Chosen
The idea for the "Seven Wonders of Ukraine" started with Mykola Tomenko, a politician in Ukraine. His motto was "Piznai Ukrainu!", which means "Discover Ukraine!". He wanted people to learn more about their country's amazing places.
This project was part of many other events happening across Ukraine. These events helped people explore different regions and their unique traditions. For example, there were events like "Starry autumn in Kachanivka" and "Let's discover island Khortytsia".
Picking the Top Sites
First, local groups and regions made a huge list of 1,000 possible places. Then, a special group of 100 experts looked at this list. These experts included historians, people who study culture, and tourism specialists. They narrowed down the list to 21 top candidates.
After that, people all over the internet could vote for their favorites from these 21 places. The voting started on July 7, 2007. About 77,000 people voted online! The voting ended on August 21, 2007, and the winners were announced that very day.
Each place that won was given a special statue. These statues were made from green marble, shiny steel, and gold-colored acrylic paint.
The Seven Wonders of Ukraine
The final results were announced just before Ukraine's Independence Day on August 21, 2007. Here are the seven places that were chosen as the first "Wonders of Ukraine":
| # | Name | Location | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 / 2 | Sofiyivsky Park | Uman, Cherkasy Oblast | |
| Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) | Kyiv | ||
| 3 / 4 | Kamianets National Historic-Architectural Reserve | Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast | |
| Khortytsia | Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhzhia Oblast | ||
| 5 | Chersonesos Taurica (Khersones Tavriysky) | Sevastopol | |
| 6 | Saint Sophia Cathedral | Kyiv | |
| 7 | Khotyn Fortress | Khotyn, Chernivtsi Oblast |
Special Recognitions
Besides the main seven, three other places from the list received special awards:
- The Livadia Palace was recognized as a monument of modern history.
- The Ostroh Castle was honored as a spiritual monument.
- The Pysanka Museum in Kolomyia was celebrated as a monument of modern Ukraine.
Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine
The Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Сім природніх чудес України) are the most popular and unique natural landmarks in Ukraine. This was the second part of the "Seven Wonders of Ukraine" program. All these natural sites are protected areas that are open for people to visit and enjoy.
| # | Name | Location | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falz-Fein Biosphere Preserve "Askania-Nova" | Askania-Nova, Kherson Oblast |
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| 2 | Landscape park "Granite-steppe lands of Buh" | Mykolaiv Oblast |
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| 3 | Landscape park "Dnister Canyon" | Dnister |
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| 4 | Simferopol Speleology Museum (Marble Cave) | Chatyr-Dag |
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| 5 | National Nature Park "Podillian Tovtry" | Khmelnytskyi Oblast |
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| 6 | Shatsky National Nature Park | Shatsk, Volyn Oblast |
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| 7 | National Nature Park "Synevir" | Mizhhiria Raion, Carpathian Mountains |
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Special Natural Nominations
Three other natural sites also received special recognition:
- Balaklava Bay in Balaklava, Sevastopol.
- Oleshky Sands, which is the biggest desert in Europe, located near Askania-Nova.
- Optimistic Caves, the largest cave on the continent, near the village of Korolivka.
How Natural Wonders Were Chosen
The "Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine" were chosen on August 26, 2008. Just like the first contest, experts and internet users voted. Local and regional groups first made a list of 1,000 possible natural sites. Then, a group of 100 experts chose 21 top candidates.
Online voting for these 21 places began on July 7, 2008. Around 77,000 internet users voted. The voting closed on August 26, 2008, and the results were announced the same day. This whole project was started by Mykola Tomenko in May 2007. Winners also received a special statue made of green marble, steel, and gold-mirror acrylic paint.
Seven Wondrous Castles and Palaces of Ukraine
The Seven Wondrous Castles and Palaces of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Сім чудесних замків та палаців України) was the third part of the "Seven Wonders of Ukraine" program. This contest took place after a three-year break. These seven amazing castles and palaces were chosen on December 1, 2011.
Just like the other contests, the voting had two parts. Experts in Ukraine voted for their favorite seven sites, and internet users voted online. Local and regional groups first suggested 138 possible castles and palaces. Then, a group of 100 experts chose 21 candidates (7 fortresses, 7 palaces, and 7 castles).
Online voting for these 21 candidates started on August 22, 2011. Around 77,000 internet users voted in this campaign. The voting closed on December 1, 2011, and the results were announced that day. This project was also started by Mykola Tomenko. Winners received a special statue made of green marble, steel, and gold-mirror acrylic paint.
| # | Name | Location | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lutsk Upper Castle | Lutsk, Volyn Oblast | |
| 2 | Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle | Kamianets-Podilsky, Khmelnytskyi Oblast | |
| 3 | Akkerman Fortress | Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky, Odesa Oblast | |
| 4 | Metropolitan Palace | Chernivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast | |
| 5 | Khotyn Fortress | Khotyn, Chernivtsi Oblast | |
| 6 | Kachanivka Palace | Kachanivka, Pryluky Raion, Chernihiv Oblast | |
| 7 | Vorontsov Palace | Alupka, Crimea |
Special Castle and Palace Nominations
Four other castles and palaces also received special recognition:
- Olesko Castle in Olesko, Lviv Oblast.
- Chyhyryn Fortress in Chyhyryn, Cherkasy Oblast.
- Bakhchisaray Palace in Bakhchisaray, Crimea.
- Kyrylo Rozumovsky Palace in Baturyn, Chernihiv Oblast.
See also
