Little-known places attract with their beauty and magic even more than well-known ones. Here you can feel yourselves pioneers, enjoy picturesqueness in silence and be alone with virgin nature. Also, you can get acquainted with the least known places but still worth to be seen in Kirovohrad region.
Ustynivske Monastyryshche
Location: Zavturove village, Ustynivska area, Kirovohrad region.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 102 kilometres.
The first place in our “must have list” is Monastyryshche – a unique and mysterious area. It is located in Zavturove village. This place can be compared with the famous English Stonehenge. The beauty of Monastyryshche fascinates at first sight. The emerald waters of the Ingul River wash huge stone plates. People say if you look attentively, you can see “the new mother”. That’s why the hill has folk name “Divych-Hora”. As the origin of this place is unknown, locals tell tourists different legends.
Some say this is the place of ancient monks’ worship, another legend connects this temple with pagan sacrifices. There is also a legend that the pregnant lover of Master Trebynovskyi was hiding in these caves, and that nuns who committed adultery were sent there.
Anyway, this place is considered to be the centre of power and the fulfilment of women’s desires. But one rule to be obeyed – all wishes must be positive and connected with family and kids.
Another group of rocks looks like a turtle. There is a deep hollow with a funnel-like entry. There is a rumour that the way leads to the Crimean Khan’s gold.
Visitors can enjoy the clean air, calm waters of the Ingul River, walk through the ancient places, and muster the strength. Tourists climb to the top of the stone to throw a coin and make a secret wish or to tie a ribbon on a tree near the monastery.
Urochyshche “Kaskady”
Location: Zlynka village, Malovyskivskyi area, Kirovohrad region.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 62 kilometres.
The second place in our “must have list” is the natural reserve Urochyshche “Kaskady”. It is one of the most beautiful places in Kirovohrad region and is located in the southwest of the Zlynka village, Malovyskivskyi area.
This is a unique, natural cascade of waterfalls on the territory of about 2.5 hectares. The location of the Urochyshche itself is also unique. It is located on the site of a textological structure that is over a hundred years old. Such a rare location cannot be found anywhere else.
The unique tandem of the land, air and water has created a wonderful world of flora and fauna. Here you can admire many rare plants listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (it is an official national red list of the threatened animals, plants and fungi that are protected by the law in Ukraine.)
“Kaskady” is a great place for camping. Here you can enjoy the nature and go fishing. It is only 62 km from Kropyvnytskyi to the Zlynka village. Beyond the village, after crossing the railway bridge, tourists have to drive 6 km. along the dirt road (it’s a road without any asphalt) and the dam will appear. A left turn before the dam will lead to the Urochyshche.
Arboretum “Veseli Bokovenky”
Location: Ivanivka village, Dolynska area.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 70 kilometres.
The cherry on the cake of Kirovohrad region is the Arboretum “Veseli Bokovenky”. It consists of 5 main landscapes. They reproduce individual geographical zones with the corresponding landscape in miniature. The park was laid out by Mykola Davydov in 1893 on the slope of the small river Bokovenka. The history of this place is romantic and tragic at the same time. In his youth, Mykola Davydov fell in love with Hanna Burdzunkevich, the daughter of a landowner who lived next door. But the girl soon married a huszar (solder of cavalry) and died young. Anna was buried in her own village, and Davydov covered the road to the cemetery with rose petals.
Never getting married, Mykola Lvovych gave all his love to the arboretum. After inheriting from his father several acres of neglected orchard, he began studying the art of landscape design. In 1883, an arboretum was established, which was constantly expanding.
After 1917, the landowner Davydov left his native village and went to Odesa. But all the time he supervised his brainchild and corresponded with its manager for many years.
One day, during the time of destruction, the park could be destroyed, but the residents of the nearby village Ivanivka protected the trees from chopping. Unfortunately, the fate of the owner was tragic. He lived in Kharkov in poverty, begged alms in the market. His burial place is currently unknown.
Davydov’s brainchild changed owners many times. Initially, according to the will, it was part of the Southern Geographical Society (1912), later part of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Agroforestry (1930), and the Kirovohrad Regional Department of Forestry (1999). Today, it is dendrological forest centre “Veseli Bokovenky”. The territory is more than 100 hectares of land. 963 species of trees and shrubs can be seen here, many of them are very rare, such as ginkgo tree, iron tree, western sycamore, brick tree, etc. Every year, the park delights its visitors with the flowering of a huge collection of lilacs.
For travellers, there are small houses located on the territory, where they can stay overnight for a reasonable price. Also, the excursion can be ordered.There are special places for making fire and enjoying the scenery in romantic atmosphere. As the park has three more lakes in addition to the Bokovenka River, it is a great place for fishing. But you have to take a snack with you, because there is nowhere to buy or cook.
Arboretum “Veseli Bokovenky” is located near the villages Zelenyi Gai and Ivanivka of the Dolynska area.
Salt lake
Location: village Vesele, Bobrynetskyi area.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 85 kilometres.
One more little-known place, but the most interesting in our list – lake Solone, in the village Vesele. Tourists come here for healing blue clay, which treats joints, bones and skin diseases. The saltiness of the lake is explained by its historical location. Once upon a time, the border of the ancient sea was there. The current lake was created artificially with the help of a dam.
It is not an easy task to get the blue clay from the bottom. The salt water does not allow to dive deep and pushes up. For the convenience of taking water procedures on the shore, the stairs were arranged, and a concrete slab was laid. Unfortunately, there are no sun umbrellas or tents, mind it!
The villages Rozumivka and Bovtyshivka
Location: Oleksandrivskyi area
The distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 57 kilometres
The villages Rozumivka and Bovtyshivka are located very close to each other in the Oleksandrivskyi area. They are known mainly because of the Raevskyi landowners. In the Chrestovozdvizhenska Church, above the high cliff of the Tyasmyn River the burial-vault of the spouses is located.
Tourists can visit the local museum. (Not free of charge) One of the exhibits, a bust of Raevskyi, made by a famous sculptor from Italian marble, was found in the ground by a local villager and used for a long time as a weight for salting vegetables. The price for the excursion is low, but the guides will tell a lot about the heroic deeds of Mykola Mykolayovych and the Decembrist Volkonskyi’s wife – Maria.
One more interesting place to visit in these villages is the Bondarskyi pond. It is known not only for its wonderful landscapes, but also for the three-hundred-year-old oak tree under which a treasure wagon was once buried. Oleksandr Sergiyovich Pushkin, a close friend of the Raevskys, often visited this oak. And “Lukomorya oak ” from the poem “Ruslan and Ludmyla” can be just that oak. The pond is currently under rent, but for five hryvnias (0,20 €) you can relax on the shore in one of the gazebos.
Water mill
Location: village Lupolovo , Blagovishchenskyi area
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 228 kilometres.
The original and interesting building-the water mill is located in the village Lupolovo. It was built in 1901 by the landowner Konstantyn Smyrnov. The mill was made in the Modern style, it had 3 floors and architecturally resembled a small castle.
Local residents tell the legend that once Konstantyn found a treasure- a lot of gold coins. He used them to buy the equipment for his mill in Germany. At that time, the mill produced seven types of flour. The quality was so good that people called it gold.
When Bolsheviks came to the power in 1917 Konstantyn Smyrnov was shot, although he was ready to give his estates up, he just wanted his mill not to be destroyed.
For many years, the building stood without any windows and in a half-ruined state. Later, the restoration works started, and there was an idea of making a hotel. But the work stopped.
Benchykiv mill
Another castle-like mill is located on the bank of the Synyukha River. It is called Benchykiv. Locals say that the name was given by the previous owners. The mill is made of granites. Unusual exterior attracts people’s attention. Benchykiv mill has four floors on the river side, and only three on the shore side.
The mill-castle is located on the rocky cliff near the river. There is a picturesque landscape: the clear waters of the river surrounded with the wide valley.
Morozivskyi coal mine.
Location: near the village Pantaivka, Oleksandriyskyi area.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 64 kilometres.
Just five years ago this mine was full of workers who extracted the lignite coal. Today this place is known as the “cemetery of the excavators”. People come here to see German and Soviet excavators. Some machines were brought from Bashkortostan in 1963-1966. When the extraction of coal was stopped, the excavators were left at the bottom of the cut. One of them, the
Bucket wheel excavator (BWE-1600) is the largest machine of this type in the world.
Nowadays, Morozivskyi coal mine is gradually filling with water, the slopes are falling, so it is not so easy to see the miracle machines of the past. The place is guarded due to the life threatening.
The Black Forest and Black Lake
Location: Bohdanivka village, Znamyanskyi area.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 45 kilometres.
Not many people know about the mystical Black Lake in the Black Forest, which is located in the village Bohdanivka, Znamyanskyi area. This place is associated with terrible legends. It is said that the carriage of Khan Gireyaz sank here with the jewellers, and the Tatars drowned their slaves who had no strength left to continue the journey there.
Many people find this place inconvenient. They say that strange explosions are often heard there. But it has nothing to do with the mysticism.
On the territory of two hundred hectares of sphagnum bogs, methane accumulates and comes to the surface. Here can be seen a rare phenomenon – “floating” islands. Berestovo, or Black Lake, as it is called, is located among the swamps.
Locals assure that it has no bottom, it attracts with its depth and hidden underwater caves. The mystical lake never freezes and never changes its temperature either in summer or in winter. Only leeches and ground crucian carps can survive in the cold water. The entire area around Black Lake is covered with peat moss. It is dangerous to walk around the lake, kilometre-long swamps can drag you into their depth.
The Black Forest is a place for extreme tourists and for lovers of untouched corners of the wild nature. Travelers will really be far from civilization, and this should be taken into account while planning a trip. The excavations are constantly carried out here. Over the years, archaeologists have discovered the remains of the settlements, 265 ancient mounds dating back to the 3rd century BC.
The best way to get to the village Bohdanivka is by personal transport, otherwise you need to catch a local bus or a coach.
The Strategic Missile Forces Museum.
Location: Pobuzke village, Golovanivskyi area.
The distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 157 kilometres.
The Strategic Missile Forces Museum in Ukraine is located near the village Pobuzke. It was built around the remains of a former underground Unified Command Post (UCP) for RT-23/SS-24 Molodets ICBM rockets and is now a part of the National Military History Museum in Kyiv.
For the lovers of military equipment this place will be interesting and informative. The history of the creation of this museum is complicated. Americans, and especially Russians, were against it (because many of the museum’s exhibits are still in service in the Russian Federation).
The museum consists of several parts: an indoor exhibit space, an outdoor exhibition space, 155 meters of underground passageways, The Unified Command Post, An RT-23/SS-24 missile silo, an extendable communication antenna, a power supply and ventilation building, parts of the original protection facilities. Most of the museums, especially the Unified Command Post, can only be visited on guided tours. The outdoor exhibition space offers a wide variety of exhibits ranging from rocket engine parts, mock warheads and missiles to military vehicles, helicopters and trains. Among them are models of the R-12/SS-4 missile (which played a key role in the Caribbean crisis of 1961) and an original R-36M/RS-20 missile of which not only the exterior but also internal components are shown. There are also several MAZ-537 (МАЗ-537) heavy-duty military trucks with various trailers which were used to haul new missiles or even whole command posts to their intended destination.
The site is heavily guarded, and the museum has kept much of the original protection facilities. These include a P-100 electric fence, watch towers with machine guns, cameras, seismic alarm sensors and radiation detection systems.
The excursions are held only by military men.
Apart from Ukraine, such museum exists only in the USA.
Kochubeivski adits
Location: Hannivka village, Petrivskyi area.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 119 kilometres.
Kochubeivski adits is a perfect destination for the lovers of abandoned places and underground tunnels.
The name of the adits come from the name of the grandee who owned the mine. The adits worked from 1904 to 1915. Since that time, they have remained abandoned. Due to the filming of the movie “Red” in 2016, this place is in our list.
The adits are in the middle of nowhere in the wide field. It is impossible to see them, if you don’t know where to search. Hills and cliffs appear out of nowhere, followed by an underground entrance. There are 5 adits, each 35 meters depth.
The lovers of such places should definitely arm themselves with a strong flashlight. Only by illuminating the stone blocks you can see all the beauty of the caves.
Granite rocks on the Ingul River.
Location: Lozovatka village, Kompaniivskyi area.
Distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 14 kilometres.
In our top list of places, we put granite rocks on the Ingul River in the village Lozuvatka. It is a place of unusual strength and beauty. Not everyone knows that they are used for spiritual practices and energy filling.
Twenty-meter hard-to-reach rocks with a length of 400 meters have the status of preserve. Their unusual shape makes them stunning. While studying the natural graphic structure of the rocks, scientists determined the processes of the planet formation.
The rocks are 46 kilometres from Kropyvnytskyi, if to travel by bus. But the road can be shortened with the use of personal transport, the way will be only14 kilometres.
“Cossack Valley” Hamlet.
Location: Karbivka village, Dobrovelychkivskyi area
The distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 98 kilometres.
You can learn more about the Ukrainian village by visiting a real Ukrainian hamlet “Cossack Valley” in the village Karbivka, Dobrovelychkivskyi area. Tourists can get acquainted with the history of the development of Ukrainian culture and traditions. The museum, the zoo, fishing, tasting of cheese and liqueurs of own production, all these activities are offered.
Moreover, visitors can get a chance to stay in harmony with nature, and fill with its forces and energy.
Green Estate “Solomiya”.
Location: Yaremivka village, Svitlovodskyi area.
The distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 84 kilometres.
The green Estate “Solomiya” in the village Yaremivka is one of the cultural places of green tourism. Here, visitors can enjoy the silence, peace and rural atmosphere.
The house itself is in a traditional style for the village, with a clay oven, benches etc. It is full of embroidery, works of art and ancient tools. The story of this picturesque destination began with a theft. The owners bought a half-ruined house for themselves and filled it with antique things, but the house was burgled. The villagers helped to restore the lost and even added some antique items.
This is how the idea of a green tourism was born. The spouses opened the ancient culture of ancestors to everyone. Now tourists can rest in the fresh air and take part in various master classes and festivals.
Tourist centre “Eagle’s Nest”.
Location: the village Subotsi, Znamyanskyi area.
The distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 26 kilometres.
If you want to relax in nature, and don’t go far from the city, then you should go to the village Subotsi to the “Eagle’s Nest” tourist centre. Here, just in 27 kilometres from Kropyvnytskyi, visitor can find the mixture of stunning nature and good service.
This place is as good for family weekends as for business events. Guests are offered summer terraces and a pool for children. There is a restaurant of European cuisine on the territory. Hotel rooms are decorated in a modern style, the cost depends on the number of visitors.
In “Eagle’s Nest” you can enjoy the nature, and rent a boat for fishing.
Park-hotel “Scifia”
Location: Voronivka village, Novoukrainskyi area.
The distance from Kropyvnytskyi – 57 kilometres.
The last place in our “Must Have list” is situated in the village Voronivka, Novoukrainskyi area. This is a park-hotel on the shore of Black Tashlyk lake, 50 kilometres from Kropyvnytskyi. There you can enjoy yourselves on the specially equipped territory. Tourists are offered clean beaches for sunbathing, fishing, active sports and a place for BBQ.
Rent Prices:
deck chair – UAH 30/day;(0,75€)
adult catamaran – 200 hryvnias / hour (5 €); (100 hryvnias / 30 minutes (2,5 €)).
children’s catamaran – 150 UAH/hour (3,80 €) (75 UAH/30 minutes (1,90€)).
kayak – 100 hryvnias / hour (2,50€).
barbecue – UAH 20/hour (0,50€).
gazebos from 200 to 350 hryvnias (depending on the size and location) (5-8,80€).
“Skifia” is a perfect place for spending time with children. There are playgrounds for kids meanwhile adults can enjoy the marvellous scenery.
Park-hotel “Scifia” ends our top 17. But Kirovohradshchyna, which is still completely unexplored, is waiting for its tourists who will appreciate its beauty.
Author: Yana Shevtsova