Chernivtsi city tour

Average duration of Chernivtsi city walking tour - 3 hours. Tour at Chernivtsi university takes 40 min-1 hour. 

Price for 3-hour city-tour (English, German, Hebrew and French languages):

PROGRAM OF CHERNIVTSI CITY TOUR

We’ll visit the following items of interest:

The exquisite courtyard "Italian yard" and courtyard of the German People's House.

Time for you to take a photo of yourself riding the Bronze forged horse carriage, where we will depart Kobylanska Street.

Take in the majesty of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, of the roman-catholic church Heart of Jesus, Cathedral Square and German and Polish community houses. These houses served as important meeting places to discuss politics, provide Diaspora assistance and hold cultural events.

The noteworthy Armenian church, designed by architect Josef Hlavka. Today the Armenian community in Chernivtsi is small, but the church is so beautiful and the preferred place for non Armenian community weddings and holds concerts of exquisite pipe organ music.

Opposite the Armenian church there is Ukrainian House. It was visited by the famous Ukrainian patriots-Lesia Ukrainka , Mykola Lysenko, Mykhailo Hrushevsky and Ivan Franko.

A short stroll to the "drunken church" in Chernivtsi correctly called Nicholas Cathedral. It earns its nickname through its twisted dome shape created to satisfy a peculiar incident in the church’s construction – we will explain on tour. Architecturally built in the Romanian Brancoveanu style, designed by architect Nanesku.

Next to this church is a Greek Catholic Cathedral. Visit the church canteen and taste the finest pyrohy/varenyky (dumplings) in Chernivitsi.

From this church we go down to the oldest part of the city - the Turkish well, dug during the times of Ottoman invasion and occupation. It was recently renamed the square of St. Mary. In the square of Mary itself – you’ll view the well, from which water once supplied half of the city. Now a fountain replaces the well, which was built to commemorate the 600 anniversary of the city. You will also see the very interesting 3-meter Gulliver-bicycle (Penny Farthing) and flower-clock.

We’ll walk over Turkish bridge and view a breathtaking panorama of the valley of the Pruth River and left bank (East European Plain). In clear weather surrounding villages will be seen and the highest point of the East European Plain - Mount Berd.

We’ll stroll back to the centre via cozy streets. Military Items of interest include the General's house, the house of the Colonel and guardhouse. Religious items of interest include the ancient Church of the Exaltation, restored at huge cost and effort by the local congregation. The church contains a stunning and inspiring organ built in Vienna.

Next to the church is an architecturally unusual building inspired by a ship. Legend has it that in Chernivtsi, were two brothers who became captains and dreamed of their ship and the sea. Thus this building owned by them was built in a ship style and has a nick-name "Schifa" ("ship-house").

Below this unusual house was the hotel "Moldova". There, in 1847 there were two concerts of  prominent Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt.  Nearby, at the Musical Society Hall, which was on the Philharmonic square, were famous musicians and singers S. Krushelnytska, E. Caruso, M. Lysenko, A. Rubinstein, Feodor Chaliapin, J. Schmidt, Sidi Tal. Also we will visit the Main Post office building. Also, there was the hotel "Bristol" on the Philharmonic square. The house features a refined architectural style.

From the Philharmonic square in walking distance, we find ourselves in front of a large former synagogue - Temple. It was made in the Moorish style, but during the Second World War the building was hit by a bomb. In 1954 the building was restored, but not as a synagogue, only as a cinema. Films are currently showing there.

On the way to Theatre Square, we will stop for a moment near the monument to the great Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu.

Now we are on the Theatre Square, which historically was called Elizabeth Square, and  long time before was called Fishplatz , because fish were sold there. Here you can see one of the best theatres in Europe - Chernivtsi Music and Drama Theatre named by Olha Kobylanska. It was designed by the Austrian architects F. Felner and H. Helmer. The very similar theatre is in the German city of Fuerth.

Also in the same square there is the former Jewish National House, and in front of this building there is the former House of Crafts and Trade (Medical University today).

Also we will see the building of Regional Administration and Regional Council of Chernivtsi city not far from the Theatre Square. This building has been constructed in 1906 as a court. Local name is the "House with lions".

On the way to the main building of Chernivtsi National University we will see: 1st - 6th University departments; University library; the monument to Yuri Fedkovych, and also former German Protestant church.

The ornate Residence of Metropolitans of Bukovina and Dalmatia commenced building in 1864. Construction continued for nearly twenty years and was very expensive at that time. This residence is literally an architectural masterpiece. Nowadays this is Chernivtsi National University named by Yuri Fedkovych. On 28.06.2011 this building  was listed as a World Heritage Site.

During our trip you can become witness of luxurious interiors of this building.

For the truth they say, better to see once than to hear seven times.