In the summer of 1709, a battle took place in Poltava. It decided the results of not only the 21-year long Northern War, but also the future of Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. Two hundred years later, the National Historical-Cultural Reserve «The Field of the Battle of Poltava» was created at the place of the battle. Right away, it became the city’s main attraction.
Built in 1650 on the hill near Vorskla River, the Exaltation of the Cross Monastery is considered to be one of the best samples of Ukrainian baroque architecture and one of Poltava's most interesting sights. However, it's not just a valuable architectural monument - many important historical events are connected with the cloister.
At Poltava's historical center - on the Ivanova Gora, where town's key historical and architectural sights are gathered - the magnificent building of the Holly Assumption Cathedral is particularly notable. Today it is one of the main Orthodox temples in the region.
Poltava Local History Museum is one of the oldest and the most interesting museums in Ukraine. It houses unique collection of authentic items and antiquities that introduce the history, nature and culture of Poltava region, as well as true treasures of the world history, including artifacts from Ancient Egypt, India, China and Japan. The museum is reckoned among the most visited ones in the city: yearly, about half a million Poltava locals and guests visit its original expositions.
When you enter picturesque Dikanka, located in the north of the Poltavskaya Oblast', you cannot help but wonder how such a great number of natural, architectural, and historical riches can fit in a relatively small space. However, it immediately becomes clear why the great Nikolai Gogol chose this marvelous place as a «decoration» for scenes of his original works.