Kaniv Shevchenko Tour
Join our guided tour to Kaniv, the eternal resting place of the celebrated Ukrainian poet and painter Taras Shevchenko, who is considered a founder of modern Ukrainian literature. On the way to Kaniv our expert English-speaking guide will share with you the most important and shocking facts about the life and work of the great national poet of Ukraine, and by the time we reach the Taras Shevchenko National Preserve you will have a good basic understanding of Shevchenko’s influence on Ukrainian cultural and political spheres.
Upon arrival we take almost four hundred steps up to Tarasova Hill to pay our respect to the Great Kobzar. Though Taras Shevchenko was first buried at the Smolensk Cemetery in Saint Petersburg, where he died on 10 March 1861, later that year his friends arranged the transfer of his remains by train to Moscow and then by horse-drawn wagon to Kaniv. And there, on top of the Monk’s Hill Shevchenko was re-buried on 8 May, fulfilling his wish to be buried in Ukraine “by the Dnieper-side”, as expressed in the poem “Zapovit” (“Testament”). A tall mound and a big cross were erected over his grave. 60 years later the cross was dismantled by the Soviets and the first monument was erected on Shevchenko’s grave in 1923. In 1939 it was replaced by a new, bronze monument by the sculptor Matvei Manizer. Destroyed during the Second World War, the museum and the monument were rebuilt. And today we stand on top of Tarasova Hill and admire fantastic views of the Dnipro River – the same scenes that almost two centuries ago inspired the great poet.
Right beside the gravesite we find a Memorial Museum of Taras Shevchenko. Renovated in 2010, the museum offers its visitors thousands of unique exhibits featuring rare, early editions of Shevchenko poetry, his memorabilia, photo and audio materials, the artist’s etching, and more.
Then we visit another recently renovated folk museum Tarasova Svitlitsa that gives visitors an idea of how the poet might have lived. Its history begins in 1884 when a local community built a traditional hut near Shevchenko’s grave to accommodate the first “people’s museum” devoted to Taras Shevchenko. One room in that hut was given to I. Yadlovskyj who looked after the grave. Pan Yadlovskyj spent almost 50 years in that hut watching the grave and taking care of a small museum exposition until he died in the year of artificial famine (Holodomor) of 1933. He was buried not far from Taras Shevchenko’s grave.
After exploring Taras Shevchenko National Preserve and enjoying the views of Dnipro river, we have a rest at one of the local cafes (meals not included) and take a 1.5h ride back to Kyiv.
Highlights:
1. ‘Zapovit’ (Testament)
The most translated work by the Ukrainian national poet Taras Shevchenko is his short poem ‘Zapovit’ (Testament). In fact ‘Zapovit’ is so well known in Ukraine that it enjoys a status second only to Ukraine’s national anthem! It was created on December 25 1845, when the 31-year old poet and painter lay seriously ill with...
