Ternopil is not just a beautiful city in the west of Ukraine, it has many "highlights" that even the locals don't know about and a special charm. Find out more about the attractions of the Fine City

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Some people call Ternopil provincial, while others call it the second Piedmont after Lviv. Someone constantly expresses dissatisfaction with bad roads, while someone admires the beauty of the city's architecture and nature. Some people think Ternopil is too small and slow, while others claim that there is no more convenient and compact city in the whole of Ukraine. 

Everyone sees something different in this city, but despite all the opinions, Ternopil really has a special charm and many interesting things that can surprise even those who have lived there all their lives. The beautiful city has absorbed the unique flavor of Galicia with Austrian architecture, the beauty of Podillia, and the tranquility of Volyn. 

So, on the occasion of the City Day, which is traditionally celebrated on August 28, we are telling you about the most interesting facts about Ternopil.

Why is Ternopil called the Fine City?

Ternopil is famous for its rich festival and fair tradition. The city hosts many different festivals every year. The largest of them is the International Music Festival - "Fine City". The name of this event comes from the title of a song by the rock band Braty Gadyukiny from the album "It was not to love", which was released in 1994 - "Fine City Ternopil".

This is how the phrase "fine city" was attached to Ternopil. As the saying goes, "There are many cities, but there is only one good one."

It is worth noting that the band's song is not about Ternopil at all, but rather a parody of a "bad guy", but its name is officially approved by the city council as part of the city's official brand.

A gift from an American multimillionaire

The square near the Ternopil Drama Theater is decorated with a sculptural composition called "Random Meeting." This is the work of American sculptor John Stuart Johnson (owner of Johnson & Johnson), presented to the city of Ternopil by philanthropist John Zwozek. It is worth noting that Ternopil is the first city in Europe to receive a gift from a famous sculptor.

However, in 2003, unknown persons stole one of the two figures, and to this day neither the perpetrators nor the "kidnapped interlocutor" have been found. That's why the lady in the blue suit hasn't had company for many years and has been sitting on the bench alone.

The cleanest city in Ukraine?

For many years, Ternopil has been holding its position and is among the top 10 cleanest cities in Ukraine. This is due to the fact that there are practically no large industrial enterprises in the city. During the Soviet era, Ternopil was home to many giant enterprises, the largest of which were a textile and cotton mill, a combine harvester plant, and the Vatra lighting association. However, they all disappeared, in part due to the specific economy of the Soviet Union.

In addition, Ternopil is one of the greenest cities in Ukraine, with four parks of culture and recreation, as well as a landscape park and a memorial park, spread over an area of almost 60 square kilometers.

The land of castles

In total, there were more than 5,000 different fortifications on the territory of Ukraine at different times, but most of them have not been preserved. Thus, today only 116 castles have survived, and most of them are in the Ternopil region - 34 structures.

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Ternopil pond

Few people know that Ternopil is the only city in Ukraine and one of several in the world with an artificial pond right in the center. By the way, its area is more than 300 hectares, which corresponds to the entire Eastern massif of Ternopil (the city district). The pond's original name was Komsomolske Lake.

By the way, there is a secret passage to Zagrebel under the waters of the pond. Jan Tarnowski, who is considered the founder of the city, built a passage to the west under the dam before stopping the waters of the Seret River. The existence of the underground passage from the Old Castle to Kutkivtsi is confirmed by the memories of the builders who restored the castle in the early 1950s. The building has three more floors down. This is confirmed by an engraving of the castle kept in the city's local history museum, which shows a basement with windows. 

A piece of California in Ukraine

On the territory of Ternopil Pond, there is a small piece of California that has no analogues in any city in Ukraine. This is the Gypsy Beach Ternopil, a modern center of social activity that has been equipped for the comfortable recreation of the city's residents.

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Ukraine's first erotic newspaper

In 1992, the first erotic publication in Ukraine, Pan+Pani, was published. The newspaper was published in Ternopil and came out as a supplement to the weekly Zapovit, because the Soviet system did not allow any erotic subtext in the materials. Some Soviet party officials called the newspaper "outright pornography" and demanded that it be closed, but the publishing house survived for about 6 years.

According to Zynovii Frys, the first editor of the newspaper, only a few essential staff members worked on the staff, and the rest of the tasks were on his shoulders. In addition, the publication sorely lacked qualified sexologists, psychologists, and medical specialists, who are often invited by today's publications, and journalists took on this role.

The newspaper published only foreign photographs, most often re-photographed from other magazines, because in the USSR a photographer could even be imprisoned for such work.  In addition, the newspaper created a kind of "dating platform" by introducing a section "he is looking for her" and "she is looking for him." At the time, this section was revolutionary.

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Ternopil's sister cities

The beautiful city has 5 sister cities: Sliven (Bulgaria), Jelenia Góra and Chorzów (Poland), Yonkers (USA), Batumi (Georgia), and Tiraspol (Moldova).

Yes, the multifaceted and somewhat mysterious city of Ternopil is definitely worth visiting at least once. To make your trip truly interesting and leave only pleasant memories, we recommend choosing safe tours from Visit Ukraine. With us, you will not only be able to relax and immerse yourself in your vacation, but also learn a lot of interesting things that you will not find on the Internet. 

Here you will find a variety of tours for every taste: to historical and cultural monuments, waterfalls, dungeons, and other attractions and objects of Ternopil region. Choose a tour to your liking and go on an unforgettable journey with Visit Ukraine!

We remind you! Despite the full-scale invasion of russia, foreign tourists continue to visit Ukraine. So, we decided to talk to foreigners who came to Ukraine during the war and find out what motivates them to travel to Ukraine in wartime, which cities they choose most often, and what they remember and are most impressed by. Read more in the interview here.

Main photo: from open sources

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