Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
04744 / POP 86,900
All roads in Ukraine seem to pass through this central hub, home of relentlessly idyllic
Sofiyivka Park and the final resting place of the revered Hasidic Rabbi Nachman of
Bratslav. Visiting Uman is a perfect way to break up the journey between Kyiv and Ode-
sa, or in a pinch, the town can be visited as a long day trip from either city. Beyond the
park and the tomb, this is one of many places in Ukraine where time seems to have
stopped c 1985.
Sights
Sofiyivka Park
PARK
( 322 10;
www.sofiyivka.org.ua
;
vul Sadova; adult/child 25/15uah; 9am-6pm May-mid-Nov)
Sofia Pototsky was a legendary beauty, and Uman's stunning park is her husband Count
Felix's monument to her physical perfection. Having bought Sofia for two million zloty
from her former husband (she had been sold into slavery at an early age by her parents),
the Polish count set to landscaping this 150-hectare site with grottoes, lakes, waterfalls,
fountains, pavilions and 500 species of tree. The result, completed in 1802, was
Ukraine's answer to Versailles.
A map at the park entrance describes the history of the park in English and points the
way to the various highlights, most bearing sentimental names like
Island of Love
and
Grotto of Venus
. The park is such a superlative piece of landscape architecture that you
do not need to be a park lover to appreciate it. In summer you can hire boats to traverse
the park's many ponds. As it turns out, Sofia broke Felix's heart before he died, having
an affair with his son.
Tours of the park are available in English (480uah). However, these are tediously de-
tailed, so only commit if you're really interested. The park is about a 10-minute walk
from central Uman, down vul Sadova.
Rabbi Nachman's Tomb
TOMB
(vul Pushkina)
To visit the tomb of Rabbi Nachman, head towards Sofiyivka Park, and
about halfway down vul Sadova, turn right onto vul Pushkina.
Sleeping & Eating
During Rosh Hashana most Uman residents rent out their flats to pilgrims or tourists.
Fortetsya
HOTEL$
