Ukraine

I chose a couple of cards for tonight's update, first of which is this one above, from the Ukrainian capital. It depicts Maidan Nezalezhnosti (literylly Independence Square), the main square of Kyiv. The square has been known under many different names, but often it is called simply Maidan.The square has changed numerous names throughout the past: Khreshchatyk Square (Kreshchatitskaya ploshchad), Council (Parliament) Square (Dumskaya ploshchad), Soviet Square (Sovetskaya ploshchad),  Kalinin Square (Ploshchad Kalinina), then again Council (Parliament) Square (Dumska ploshcha), and backt to Kalinin Square (Ploshchad Kalinina), Square of the October Revolution (Ploshchad Oktyabrskoi Revolutsyi) and finally Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti). Thanks a lot, Helga!

Ukraine

I've always been interested in different alphabets and other ways people note things down, especially how they used to do it in the past. Helga sent me a postcard with the letters of the Ukrainian alphabet, or "Ukrayins’ka abetka" how they call it. The Ukrainian alphabet is one of the national variations of the Cyrillic script, used to write Ukrainian. It comprises thirty-three letters, representing thirty-eight phonemes, and an additional sign — the apostrophe. Ukrainian texts are, however, sometimes written in Latin alphabet.

Helga used brand-new UNICEF stamps that depict the  works of Yuliya Zadorozhnaya and Eugene Belobraghin -  contestants  of the Ukrainian children and youth creativity contest “Equal opportunities – through the eyes of children” organized by the UNICEF fund in the year 2007. Wonderful! 

Ukraine

Katya sent me the beautiful night view of St. Andrew's church in Lviv. She writes this church (also called Bernadine church) is a part of the Bernardine monastery that was built outside Lviv's city walls in the 17th century. Today it's in the centre of the city! In 2008 the monastery got colourful illumination, so at the evening it's the most beautiful attraction of Lviv. Indeed, it seems very very beautiful.

Two stamps issued last year with a neat postmark. Thanks a lot, Katya!

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I've just heard on TV News that we are probably having snow here in Istria in a couple of days, after a week full of sunshine and spring temperatures, so I find this snowy view very appropriate. Dasha sent me this postcard above, showing traditional wooden huts (called kolyba in Ukrainian; in Croatian there is similar word with the same meaning: koliba) on Poharska shieling. It's located near Chorna Klyva (1719m), mountain range Gorgany, Ukraine. 

As Dasha is both postcard and stamp collector, she has chosen these nice colorful Christmas stamps for me. Thank you, Dasha!

Ukraine

Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second largest city in Ukraine, placed in the north-east of the country. It has the population of about 1.5 million.

The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became and remained the capital of the Ukrainian SSR until 1934, when the administrative capital was moved to Kiev. Today, Kharkiv is the administrative centre of the Kharkiv oblast.

Kharkiv is known for its Freedom Square, which is the sixth largest square in Europe and the twelfth largest square in the whole world. Another interesting site of Kharkiv is the Holy Annunciation Cathedral, which is also shown on the postcard. The Annunciation Cathedral is one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world.

Julia sent me this nice card from her hometown. Ukraine is quiet common country in Postcrossing site and forum, but I haven't had many swaps with Ukrainian users yet. This is my only postcard from Ukraine, for now :)