Poltava

Archaeological evidence dates Poltava from the 8th to the 9th century, although the first documentary reference is from 1174, when Poltava was variously known as Ltava. At that time it was ruled by the Lithuanian Princedom. Destroyed by the Tatars in the early 13th century, Poltava was a center of a Cossack regiment by the 17th century.

Poltava has teacher-training, medical, agricultural and agricultural-engineering institutes and several research establishments.

Places of interest of Poltava

• Architectural ensemble in Kruglaya (“Round”) square - a monument of 20th century classicism;
• Peoples’ Friendship rotunda or Belaya (“White”) pavilion - a colonnade, one of the symbols of Poltava;
• Cathedrals and churches. Spassky church, Assumption church, Makaryevsky church, Holy Cross monastery, St.Nickolas church, church of Vera (“Belief”), Nadezhda (“Hope”) and Lyubov (“Love”);
• Poltava museum of local study is one of the largest in Ukraine among museums of local study;
• Poltava catacombs - a net of underground ways which connected various parts of the old town.