SOCIAL PROGRAME FOR ACCOMPANYING PERSONS
General excursion along Odessa
During the excursion you will visit historical places of the city:
the famous Potiomkinskaya staircase, the Odessa Opera Theatre, the squares and museums of Odessa,
attractive city park named after T. G. Shevchenko, where ancient vallum is situated, cozy streets: Pushkinskaya, Rishelyevskaya, Lanjeronovskaya, and of course Deribasovskaya - unique historical and architectural monument, and also historical buildings, in which Art, Archeological, Marine and other museums are situated. You can walk along magnificent Sea front, where city Duma, palace of earl Vorontsov with colonnade, monument to duke de Richelieu are situated. You will observe panorama with view of marine station, port and sea. By excursion bus you’ll go for a drive along ancient Odessa districts and streets.
The catacombs of Odessa (30 km from the city)
The catacombs of Odessa are the longest in Europe. Together with experienced guides you will visit the underground labyrinths, watch the camp of the partisans during the war of 1941-1945. The Odessa Catacombs are an estimated 2,500 kilometres of labyrinths stretching out under the city and surrounding region of Odessa, Ukraine . The majority of the catacombs are the result of stone mining .
Most of the city's 19th century houses were built of limestone mined nearby. Abandoned mines were later used and widened by local smugglers. This created a gigantic labyrinth of underground tunnels beneath Odessa, known as the "catacombs".
Today they are a great attraction for extreme tourists, who explore the tunnels despite the dangers involved. Such tours are not officially sanctioned because the catacombs have not been fully mapped and the tunnels themselves are unsafe. There have been incidents of people becoming lost in the tunnel network, and dying of dehydration or rockfalls. Only one small portion of the catacombs is open to the public, within the "Museum of Partisan Glory" in Nerubayskoye, north of Odessa. The tunnels are often cited as the reason why a subway system has never been built in Odessa.
The churches and cathedrals of Odessa
Odessa always was and now is the multi-national and multi-religious city. During this excursion you will visit the Christian churches and monasteries, the centre of Arabic culture, the Judos synagogue, etc.
During bus excursion we will tell you about birth, annihilation and revival of Odessa churches, history of Odessa relics, art of modern icon-painters and many others. For a long time Odessa has been centre of pilgrimage, leading to relics of Palestine, Rome, Constantinople, Sinai, Athos. You will visit churches of different religious confessions. You will visit Holy- Uspanskiy fiary, founded in 1824. Here ecclesiastical seminary is located, where now about 700 seminarians are being taught. Visit reconstructed in 1998 church of Holy Mary Magdalene, Spaso- Preobrajensky cathedral, Greek Svyato- Troizkaya church, Church of Holy George (Armenian church), Arkhangelo- Mikhaylovsky convent.
Visit to the city of Belgorod- Dnestrovsky and Shabo
Belgorod- Dnestrovsky (the former name- Accerman) is one of the oldest cities of Europe. Its history starts 2,500 years ago when the ancient Greeks founded the city of Tyra on the coasts of the Black Sea. The ancient fortress-castle was built by Genoveses in XIV century on the high coasts of Dnestrovsky Liman and till now shrinks the imagination of the visitors.
The famous Shabo dwelling was founded more that 200 years ago by Swiss settlers of Vaud. They were invited by Alexander I to cultivate the vineyards on these territories. The descendants of these settlers inhabit Shabo to the present day, and Shabo wine remains famous for its quality.
You will visit the centre of vine- making and have an opportunity to taste the best local wine samples in the old “royal” vault.
A whole day excursion, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m- by preliminary registration.
© Ukrainian Research Institute for Medicine - 2011