May Days in Western Ukraine

[Natalia_UA]

If you like spending your free time on visiting new interesting places, studying cultural peculiarities of different nations and folks and just having fun in an interesting company, from time to time you for sure face the question “Where to go this time?” If this question is actual for you, if you long for having really nice time and see the things which nobody has seen before, this year you have a great opportunity to visit a small town Khotyn, Chernivtsi Oblast, Western Ukraine, at about 150 km from the border with Poland.
In this very place, not far from the Carpathian mountains, on the picturesque bank of the Dniester river, behind century-old walls of Khotyn fortress which is included into 7 Wonders of Ukraine from April, 30 to May, 3 2010 the first international medieval historical reenactment festival “Battle of the Nations” will take place. Here you can see the same battles as the ones which were held on the battlefields in XIII-XVI centuries. No theatrical performances, just real battles! They include single tournaments revealing the strongest fighters, as well as group competitions and mass battles. The battles in a plain field, the defense of their own encampments and the ravage of the enemy one, the battle for the banner etc. The national teams of 4 countries : Ukraine, Russia, Byelorussia and Poland which are the leaders in the sphere of martial historical reenactment of the Middle Ages will define the strongest in this large order.
Besides you’ll have a great opportunity to study life and culture peculiarities of those times. As all arms and armour, military and family life items and adornment as well as apparel should be historically authentic ones. The festival guests will have an opportunity to rub shoulders with the warriors, to visit their camp and even to share their meal. Local sightseeing places deserve a special attention. First of all, it’s the stone fortress itself which became the strongest fortification of Eastern Europe. It became famous for the fact that the last battle in Khotyn finished with Turkish defeat which was the beginning of Ottoman Empire disintegration. You can see this fortress in such movies as “Taras Bulba”, “Ballade about the gallant knight Ivanhoe”, “The Three Musketeers”, “Black arrow”, “Old Fortress”, “Arrows of Robin Hood” and many others which were shot within its centuries-old walls.
There are also many legends about the fortress, created over the hundreds of years of its existence. Some popular legends involve the origins of the large dark spot on the side of the wall of the fortress. One legend says that the spot was created by the tears of the Khotyn rebels against the Ottoman Turks that were killed inside fortress. Another legend has it that the spot was created from the tears of a girl named Oksana, whom the Turks buried alive in the walls of the fort.
Besides, this region is very rich in different sightseeing places. For example, 20 km far from Khotyn Fortress there is Kamenets-Podolskaya one which is also included to the list of 7 Wonders of Ukraine. The city of Kamenets-Podolsky according to historical and cultural monuments and landmarks (there are 152 of them) is second to Kiev and Lviv. And national historic – cultural nature reserve “Kamanets-Podolsky” has been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
Won’t you agree that picturesque places, medieval romanticism, the events of an international scale, the unforgettable spectacle and a lot of positive emotions are worth visiting “Battle of the nations”!
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www.battleofthenations.com.ua