Happy Independence Day, friends!

Let’s remember all together today the events, places, personalities, inventions that we should be proud of!

On August 24, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine proclaimed the Act of Independence of Ukraine. Later, on December 1, more than 90% of Ukrainians said their “yes” to independence in a referendum.

In Ukraine, there is a point that is the center of Europe. At the end of 19th century it was erected by Austro-Hungarian geographers in Transcarpathia. Of course, computational methods have changed several times since then, and such points have appeared in several other countries. However, according to a long-standing study, the Center of Europe remains in Ukraine.

The tallest monumental sculpture in Europe is the Motherland in Kyiv. Its height with a pedestal is 102 meters. The Motherland holds a 16-meter sword in its hand. The area of the shield is almost 100 square meters. From the Revolution of Dignity on the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, a wreath of poppies is put on the head of the
monument – a symbol of memory and sorrow.

The Chornobyl disaster entered the Guinness Book of Records. 35 years have passed. The Ukrainians did the possible and the impossible to protect the world from the atom and erected the world’s largest movable ground structure – the Shelter sarcophagus – over the destroyed Chornobyl power unit.

The deepest and most beautiful metro station in the capital’s subway is Arsenalna station. It is 61 years old. It is laid at a depth of 105.5 meters. So deep passengers do not go down anywhere in the world. But if you want to feel like in an ancient temple, with mosaic panels that tell the story of Kiyv Rus, go to the station “Golden Gate”. The most respected travel guides call it one of the most beautiful in Europe.

One of the largest squares in Europe is in Kharkiv. Freedom Square. From a bird’s eye view it can be seen that it has the shape of a snail. Its total area is 11 hectares. It is 15 football fields. It can accommodate the world’s 15 largest transport aircraft “Dream” – Ukrainian aircraft.

Ukrainian An-225 “Dream” aircraft is a separate page in the history of Ukraine, that is admired by the whole world. This is the largest aircraft in the world and it has Ukrainian flag.

Ukrainians opened the sky and space to mankind. The father of the helicopters is Igor Sikorsky from Kyiv and Serhiy Korolyov from Zhytomyr. It was his Vostok-1 rocket that launched a man into space for the first time in the world on April 12, 1961. Zenith rocket launchers Pivdenne have become part of space programs in many countries around the world. Elon Musk called this rocket his favorite.

Ukraine’s largest flag is 384 square meters on the highest 90-meter flagpole in Kyiv. It is on the Pechersk hills and it can be seen everywhere.

A unique constitutional act in Europe. A document that is ahead of its time. It’s all about the Constitution of Philip Orlyk in 1710. Its position and the desire of Ukrainians to defeat the Moscow aggressor resonate very clearly with the modern history of Ukraine.

Light – high quality and without soot. This is also an invention of Ukrainians. The kerosene lamp was first lit in Lviv in the middle of the 19th century thanks to pharmacists Jan Zeg and Ignatius Lukasevich. In 1853, the first emergency surgery was performed in Lviv at night.

It was in Ukraine that the world’s first kidney transplant operation was performed. And it was made by a Ukrainian doctor, Professor Vorony, in Kharkiv in 1933.

Surgery, bridge and space. And all this is combined under the name Paton. The world’s first all-welded bridge across the Dnieper in Kyiv – Eugene Paton with the inventions of one of his sons Vladimir. Open space welding and soft tissue connection technology, which reduces blood loss during operations, are already implemented ideas of Boris Paton. On August 19, 2020, he passed away. Both the father and his sons are legends and, of course, a separate page in the history of Ukraine.

Ukraine has unique monuments of Ukrainian architecture that protect the world. The UNESCO heritage, in particular, includes Chersonesos Tavriya – an ancient city-state in the Crimea. St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, built in the early 11th century, and the residence of the Metropolitans of Bukovina – an incredibly beautiful complex of the 19th century. Today Chernivtsi National University is there.

Of the 12 laurels in the world, four are in Ukraine. This is the status of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery. Pochaiv Lavra in the Ternopil region. Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra in Donetsk region and Holy Dormition Univ Lavra in Lviv region. The only one in Ukraine is Greek Catholic.

The main find of archaeologists of the 20th century was called the golden pectoral. The best museum collections in the world dream of it. The royal ornament of the ancient Scythians was found in Ukraine. The Scythians buried it in the steppe in the 4th century BC.

Land is another treasure of Ukraine. We have more than 650 types of soil. But the uniqueness of Ukraine is that two thirds of the territory is chernozem. One of the most fertile soils, where there is a maximum of nutrients for plant growth and development. It is everywhere except Polissya and the Carpathians.

The second largest desert in Europe is also in Ukraine. Oleshkiv sands with an incredible landscape, with a variety of flora and fauna. 200 thousand hectares of dunes in the Kherson region. In summer, the sand here heats up to 70 degrees. There are also legends that in Oleshkiv sands the Cossacks-characteristicists tested themselves for endurance.

The longest residential building in the world is also in Ukraine. In Lutsk. Taking into account the branches, its length is almost 3 kilometers. It is difficult to imagine. Worth to see.

Ukrainians have sporting achievements that no one can beat yet: Double forward somersault with a 180-degree turn. Almost 25 years have passed since it was made by a Ukrainian woman at the Olympics in Atlanta. This element is still no one can repeat, even men. So, it is still called by her name – the name of Lilia Podkopaeva. Olga Harlan, a Ukrainian, remains the only six-time world champion in the history of the fencing sport.

Melitopol cherries, Kherson watermelon, Transcarpathian honey, Petrykivka painting, Krolevets towels and Hutsul bryndza are all available only in Ukraine. Each of these six facts unites, first of all, uniqueness: only Ukrainians are lucky with these gifts. And the fact that soon they will all receive “geographical indications” – to be in the same row, for example, with Parmesan, cognac and champagne – products and goods that officially belong to certain territories.

And another brand and symbol of Ukraine that is worth mentioning is the Ukrainian wreath. Traditional decorations of Ukrainian women – lush, floral – national holidays or celebrations always turn into a colorful ocean of blooming beauties.

Ukrainian folk song “Shchedryk” has become a symbol of Christmas on the planet. Composer Mykola Leontovych perfected this work all his life. And gave Shchedrivka the eternity. For more than a century it has been sung by Ukrainian and foreign performers, it sounds in rock arrangements, a cappella. And the whole world knows – Carol of the bells – is the Ukrainian “Shchedryk”.

Ukraine owns the longest musical instrument in the world. And this is a trembita. It used to be a means of communication. Such a mountain mobile phone. Now everything has changed and it is devoted only to music. You can’t confuse its sounds with anything.

Learning to play the trembita is not easy. Ukraine is the best!!!
(Source: tsn.ua)