Location: Kirovohrad
Top Things to do in Kirovohrad
- 1. Kirovohrad Arboretum
- 2. Kropivnitsky Kirovohrad Ukraine Music Drama Theatre
- 3. Ukraine Guardian Angel
- 4. Transfiguration Cathedral
- 5. Alexandr Pashutin Statue
- 6. Kirovohrad Art Museum
- 7. Kirovohrad Local Lore Museum
- 8. Elisavetgrad Art Gallery
- 9. Khutor Nadiya Museum-Reserve
- 10. Scythian Statues Open Air Exhibition
The 10 Best Things to Do in Kirovohrad, Ukraine
Kropyvnytskyi (Ukrainian: Кропивницький, translit. Kropyvnyc'kyj [krɔpɪu̯ˈnɪtsʲkɪj]) is a city in central Ukraine on the Inhul river, and is the administrative center of the Kirovohrad Oblast. Population: 232 052 (2015 est.).
Restaurants in Kirovohrad
1. Kirovohrad Arboretum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By cwilliams1984
Many of us remember the parks in our neighborhood, a swing, a favorite slide, maybe a place to feed the ducks. Dendropark in Kirovograd, Ukraine is all of that and more. I have been going to this park for quite some time now. In the last year alone the owners have transformed it into a child's paradise. They have the typical Playgrounds for children, large open areas to walk and feel like you are away from the city. However, they also have attractions for the kids (and the kid at heart), they have a train, a roller-coaster, the spinning teacups, they even have bumper-cars and bumper-boats. It reminds me of my childhood, going to the county fair. But, the best part, It is always open to the public, no admission to the park, and small fees to ride the rides. All of this surrounded an amazingly landscaped property enriched by the beautifully maintained Gardens of tulips. Dendropark is one of the nicest places I have been in all of my travels. Also available in the park, food, beer, live Concerts, even child care for a fee. Very soon they will be adding a water-park in the park also, I suspect nothing less than amazing. I highly recommend visiting Kirovograd, Ukraine and making a day out of Dendropark.
2. Kropivnitsky Kirovohrad Ukraine Music Drama Theatre
Overall Ratings
5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By golovach - Kiev, Ukraine
Как оказалось, это первый театр в Украине! После реставрации выглядит просто великолепно! Проводили здесь конференцию. Поразило богатство убранства зала и великолепная люстра. Говорят, что труппа не особо сильная и кировоградцы не часто ходят в театр. А жаль....
3. Ukraine Guardian Angel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By MCI-KBP - Dubai
This nice monument is near the Riekartz Hotel and the beautiful church on the square. It's the angel that protects the city symbolically. The monument was built post-Soviet times. Prior to construction it was just a wide open space.
4. Transfiguration Cathedral
Overall Ratings
5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By SweetLana155 - Kirovohrad, Ukraine
Спасо-Преображенский собор был построен в неоклассическом стиле, на месте сгоревшей деревянной церкви, в 1813 году.
Когда я впервые побывала в этом храме, а было это в советское время, здесь была расположена картинная галерея города. Состояние здания было плачевным, но видимо именно этот факт сохранил её в более менее надлежащем виде. Зачастую, в советское время, во время богоборческой кампании, в церквях располагались хранилища и склады.
После провозглашения независимости, храм был возвращен Православной церкви и в нем стали вестись восстановительные работы, и наряду с этим, проводились службы.
Теперь территорию собора украшает колокольня, фонтан, скульптурные композиции, цветники и редкие породы деревьев.
Благодаря усилиям прихожан и бывшего настоятеля храма о.Петра Сидора храм стал не только украшением нашего города, но и духовным пристанищем для верующих. Замечательное место для духовной работы и отдыха.
5. Alexandr Pashutin Statue
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By MCI-KBP - Dubai
Located in downtown in front of one of the main government buildings. It's local tourist must see and of course you have to sit in the chair. Nearby you will find local shops and a few food outlets.
6. Kirovohrad Art Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By Cora_v - Kyiv
It was only in the third try that I finally managed to get to the Kirovograd Art Museum. It hosted a wedding on Saturday, was closed on Monday, and it was only thanks to my passion for arts (and some free time I had) that I came back there for the third time.
Its collection was surely worthy my persistence. Not at all large, but with quite a few masterpieces. Unfortunately, the core artworks of permanent funds are squeezed in two small halls: of Sacral Art and of Western and Russian Art.
Sacral art exposition of XVIII-XX looked richer than in the Russian Art Museum in Kyiv. Its most significant item is by no means the unique Hunter’s gonfalon of XVIII, oil-painted on both sides of deer’s horns. And one of the most touching is Mother of God with the Child of XIX that looked very much like famous Madonna by Vasnetsov in St.Volodymyr Cathedral in Kyiv.
As soon as I entered the Western and Russian Art Hall, my attention was immediately drawn to The Wacky by Pavlo Svedomskiy. It was only few month before that I saw it on Adrian Prakhov’s exhibition in Kyiv, and I was sorry to see it losing much of its power here, in the small room, stuck among other paintings of different theme, colour and style. «On the Terrace» by Wilhelm Kotarbinski - another picture I always liked - left pretty much the same impression. Among the other works exhibited in this hall I’d mention Shishkin’s «Pine Forest», Savrasov’s «Sunset», Robilliard’s «Portrait of a the Girl with a Coral Thread in Hair», a pencil sketch by M.Rerich, Shilder’s «Portrait of Maria Fedorovna». Unfortunately, they match together so poorly, that the entire hall rather resembles a private apartment of an enthusiastic collector.
The works of the local artists are exhibited along the stairs to the upper floors and largely depict familiar places of interest in Kirovograd. The upper hall exhibits some decorative and contemporary arts, but it was under rearrangement when I visited. There is also a small hall for contemporary tempo Exhibitions downstairs.
Amateur photography is allowed inside, paid separately for each hall. I was offered to first see the exhibition and then pay for as many halls as I felt tempted to shoot. Impressive trust in people that I appreciated.
Unbearable heat was the only thing that nearly spoilt my experience. It must have been for cost-saving that they wouldn’t turn the A/C on, and without it, my visit was much shorter than it could have been. Such a shame.
7. Kirovohrad Local Lore Museum
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Cora_v - Kyiv
This is one of the best and most visitor-friendly local lore museums that I’ve been to in Ukraine.
Reopened recently after major repair works, it now boasts an excellent building, an architectural gem. Original interiors of former merchant Barski house were carefully repaired and make an attraction themselves.
Somewhat revised approach to the exhibition arrangement, different from the wide-spread Soviet dusty concept still dominating in many regional museums, makes Kirovograd local lore museum stand out.
Its collection is rather diversified, but it feels that this building is not large enough to fully exhibit it the way it deserves, giving not enough space. Maybe this explains why different historic periods are represented somewhat unevenly. In addition to permanent collection, there’s a hall for temporary Exhibitions in the vault (included into the entrance fee).
Photography is allowed inside, for a petty price (UAH 25 in 2014, with entrance fee being UAH 10). Better take your own pictures, because the assortment of the museum shop (which is not a shop as such rather a stand at the entrance) is very limited.
Young enthusiastic staff is another remarkable thing about this museum. Those who encountered typical museum «babushkas» elsewhere in Ukraine, including Kyiv, will understand what I talk about.
Another outstanding feature was… an A/C operating (unlike in the suffocating Art Museum, which saves every penny at the cost of visitors’ well-being). Comfortable temperature, nice staff and interesting enough collection provide for a relaxed and thoughtful visit and make it a wonderful experience for the local lore museum-goers.
Recommended.
And do not miss a small neglected open air collection of the Scythian statues (so-called Babas) between the flower beds to the left from the museum (please, see my separate review for more details).
8. Elisavetgrad Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By VovaDatsenko - Kiev, Ukraine
Галлерея частная, находится на улице Пашутинской в центральной части города. Вход был 10 грн. В галлерее 3 зала. В первом собраны артефакты Кировограда-Елисаветграда (деньги, газеты, фотографии, книги). Во втором зале большая коллекция фотоаппаратов как иностранного так и советского производства. В третьем зале , как я понял, временные выставки (картины, фотографии). Посетить галлерею стоит, так как у них замечательный гид, любящий и свой город и свою работу
9. Khutor Nadiya Museum-Reserve
Overall Ratings
5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By 888Dmitry - Kiev, Ukraine
В центральной части Украины, в 25 километрах от Кировограда расположен зеленый уголок, дом и усадьба, где жил известный и талантливый украинский писатель и драматург Иван Карпенко-Карый. Музей находится на хуторе "Надия", названом в честь жены драматурга. Добираться самостоятельно на общественном транспорте неудобно, лучше купить экскурсию в туристическом агентстве или на личном авто. На территории усадьбы расположен дом, пруд, парк с вековыми дубами. В доме выставлены более 2 тыс экспонатов предметов быта, рукописей. Недалеко от усадьбы находится кладбище, где нашли приют родные Тобилевичи. Советую!
10. Scythian Statues Open Air Exhibition
Overall Ratings
4 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By Cora_v - Kyiv
My passion for ancient stone idols must explain the high ranking of this attraction regardless poor condition of some of the idols.
The so-called «baba» are relatively abundant in Ukraine, most notable being by the Scythians and the Cumans.
Five Scythian and one Cuman baba’s gathered in the small public garden next to the Kirovohrad Lore Museum as well as the sixth Scythian idol in the museum’s courtyard date back to VI-IV century BC. The museum also owns a neolithic anthropomorphous stella and a Srubna (pre-Scythian) culture sarcophagus, but these are exhibited separately.
Kirovohrad collection can hardly compete in number with the outstanding gathering of the Dnipropetrovsk Lore Museum (over 80 baba’s of different cultures), or in scenic location with Kremenets Mountain idols in Izyum. But as a rich Scythian era stone collection (with 5 Scythian statues in Dniropetrovsk, Kirovohrad owns 6) it is unique. Some carving details are remarkable and well preserved.
The granite statues were moved from their excavation sites centuries ago: three of them - in XVIII-XIX century, the others - in late XX. Unfortunately, their open-air location does not contribute too well to their condition. The impacts of weather and vandal human touch are devastating. So better hurry up seeing them before they are gone for good.
Even if you are not too interested in ancient history, at least cast a glimpse at this little public garden while walking from the Goldenberg balneary towards the Lore museum. This unique open-air exhibition is free of charge.
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