Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi

Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi (Ukrainian: Корсунь-Шевченківський, translit. Korsun’-Shevchenkivs’kyi; Polish: Korsuń Szewczenkowski) is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. The city rests on the banks of the Ros' River, and is the administrative center of the Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi Raion (district).

The current estimated population is 18,593 (as of 2005).

History

A fortress Korsun was founded in 1032 by the Kievan Rus' prince Yaroslav the Wise and served the protection of Kiev from Nomads from the southern steppe regions. The name of the city comes from the Greek city of Chersones (translated as Korsun) on the Crimean Peninsula. In 1240, Korsun was destroyed by Batu Khan. In 1584, a military base was established in the city.

In the early modern times the place belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, during which another fortress was built and the city received the Magdeburg rights. In 1630, Cossack rebels led by Taras Fedorovych attacked the town and destroyed its Polish garrison. The town was razed by Polish forces during the 1637 Cossack rebellion led by Pavlo Pavliuk. In 1648, the Battle of Korsuń during the Khmelnytsky Uprising, took place here. In 1768, during the Koliyivschyna Rebellion, the Polish garrison was destroyed by the forces of Maksym Zalizniak.

In 1793, Korsun was included into the Russian Empire. In 1903, one of the largest paint factories in the whole Russian Empire was built in Korsun. In the period of the Second World War (1941-1945), the Soviet Red Army defeated about 60,000 German forces in the area surrounding Korsun (for further information, see Korsun Pocket). On February 14, 1944, Korsun was cleared of German forces.

In post-war years, the farm and agricultural economy of Korsun was soon rebuilt. Until 1944, the city was known simply as Korsun, however, it was later renamed in honor of Taras Shevchenko, a famous Ukrainian poet and artist.

Economy

Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi contains a railroad station Korsun, on the railroad line Kyiv-Zvitkovo. Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi also contains many industrial factories, namely some mechanical factories, a construction material factory, an asphalt factory, a winemaking factory, sewing factory, and others.

Culture

Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi is twinned with Gifhorn, Germany.

Monuments of architecture

• A park complex belonging to the former palace of the noble Lopukhinykh-Demydovykh family, considered one of the best natural park complexes in the style of Romanticism in Ukraine. The park was constructed in 1782 by the request of the noble Stanisław Poniatowski, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a writer and artist. In the middle of the 19th century, the park was decorated with many sculptures. In addition, small pedestrian bridges were added. Total area of the park – 97 hectares.
• The palace of the noble Lopukhinykh-Demydovykh family.
• The Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi historical-cultural preserve.
• Museum dedicated to the history of the Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi Battle.

Famous people from Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi

• Vasyl Avramenko, Ukrainian actor, dancer, choreographer, balletmaster, director, and film producer, credited with spreading Ukrainian folk dance across the world.
• Olefir Holub, Ukrainian military and government figure.
• Hryhoriy Hulianytskyi, Ukrainian polkovnyk.
• Hanna Zolotarenko, wife of hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky and sister of Ivan Zolotarenko.
• Ivan Zolotarenko, Ukrainian polkovnyk
• Andriy Kandyba,
• Ivan Nechui-Levytskyi, Ukrainian writer.
• Kyrylo Stetsenko, prolific Ukrainian composer.

Gallery

See also

• Korsun Pocket – 1944 battle on the Eastern Front of World War II.
• Battle of Korsun – 1648 battle during the Khmelnytsky Uprising.

References

External links