Vorokhta

Vorokhta
Ворохта

Vorokhta landscape

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Vorokhta

Vorokhta in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast

Coordinates: 48°16′57″N 24°33′46″E / 48.28250°N 24.56278°ECoordinates: 48°16′57″N 24°33′46″E / 48.28250°N 24.56278°E
Country
Oblast
Raion		  Ukraine
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Yaremche / Municipality
Named Vorokhta 1598
Government
 • Head of council Petro Kermoshchuk
Area
 • Total 15 km2 (6 sq mi)
Elevation 850 m (2,790 ft)
Population (2001)
 • Total 3,800
Website vorokhta.org

Vorokhta (Ukrainian: Ворохта, Polish: Worochta) is an urban-type settlement located in the Carpathian Mountains and is part of the bigger Yaremche. Historically, it is a tourist spa town and later was also turned into a ski resort with several ski-jumping ramps (Avanhard).

It has around 5,000 inhabitants, but due to a constant flow of tourists, its population almost year round is bigger. Located on the height of 800 meters above sea level, it is known for its close ties to the Hutsuls - an ethno-cultural group of Ukrainians who live in the Carpathians, often regarded as a Hutsul capital.

Geography

Vorokhta along with the city of Yaremche and few more villages constitute series of enclaves within the Nadvirna Raion and administered by the Yaremche city municiaplity. Nadvirna Raion was renamed from the Nadworna County, Stanislawow Voivodeship that existed prior to the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939. The town is located near the administrative border with Zakarpattia Oblast in the Verkhovyna-Putyla Mountains close to the Yablunytsia Pass and source of Prut River. Vorokhta is surrounded by the Carpathian National Nature Park and the ethographic area of Hutsuls. The town is surrounded by such mount peaks as Mahora, Makivka, and others.

The area of Vorokhta (Worochta in Polish) was in the mid-14th century annexed by the Kingdom of Poland, and remained in Poland until 1772 (see Partitions of Poland). From 1772 to 1918, it belonged to Austrian Galicia, and after World War I, the town returned to Poland. In 1928, the government of the Second Polish Republic named it a spa. In the interwar period, Vorokhta/Worochta was part of Nadworna County, Stanisławów Voivodeship. Until July 1939, the town was a garrison of Worochta Battalion of the Border Protection Corps. At that time, Vorokhta was a popular tourist spa. Here, Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Bartel had a villa, here stayed popular poet Jerzy Liebert, who suffered from tuberculosis.

Infrastructure

The area became of great interest soon after installation of a railroad through the region in 1880s. Since obtaining its independence after the World War I, Poland has developed the eastern Carpathian region into a great vacation spot. Today, Vorokhta is the center of winter sports, with several ski-lifts. Beside its own ski resort Avanhard, in close proximity and higher into mountains is located another sports resort Zarosliak. Number of hotels (cottage complexes) in area is relative low around 6-8 (small to medium size), however, there are several dozens of private houses that are available for rent.

The town is served by rail (see Vorokhta rail station).

Notable residents

 Bukovel
(Carpathians)		 Yaremche
Nadvirna		 Pechenizhyn
Kolomyia
Yasynia
(Carpathians)		 Kosiv
Storozhynets
   Vorokhta  
Rakhiv
(Carpathians)		 (Hoverla)
(Carpathians)		 Verkhovyna
(Carpathians)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vorokhta.