Mukachevo attractions city tour. Mukachevo: where to go, what to see, where to stay. Drama Theatre: meeting near the stage
The cozy Transcarpathian town of Mukachevo was once located exactly at the intersection of European trade routes. Now it is a kaleidoscope city, and therefore - to the delight of guests and Mukachevo residents themselves! - there are many places where you can go in Mukachevo.
Photo source: cikave.com.ua.
Where to go with a child in Mukachevo
In Mukachevo there are many opportunities to arrange a sweet holiday for children, organize active entertainment, and conduct a quest photo shoot. If the weather is bad, go to the puppet theater and the “Honey House”: you will lift your spirits and warm up.
“Honey House”: tasty, healthy, fun
In Mukachevo, guests large and small will enjoy a delicious tasting and a great journey into the bee world. Here you can taste natural Transcarpathian honey, see a “honey” map of Ukraine, feel the aroma of a candle made of real wax and even play with a collection of toy bees :)
Photo source: tourbaza.com.
Victory Park: towards adventure
Where to go with children in Mukachevo if the weather is great? Mukachevo Victory Park (formerly "Komsomolsky") between Grushevsky, Lermontov and Sadovaya streets offers a whole range of entertainment. The park has recently been restored, and it is located in a picturesque area on the banks of Latoritsa. Attractions, playgrounds, children's parties, a cycling school - all this and much more forms a cozy and interesting children's mini-town.
Photo source: facebook.com author - Alexander Uygeli.
Cyril and Methodius Square: an artistic journey
Having visited the city (formerly it was called Peace Square), where the Victory cinema and concert hall and children's playground are located, you will definitely see the monument to Mihaly Munkacsi. This is a world-famous Mukacheve citizen of German origin, whose real name is Michael von Lieb. He was born on the spot where house number 15 now stands. Migaly Munkacsi became famous in Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Dusseldorf, Paris... Today the Mukachevo artist is considered the “father” of Hungarian realistic painting. In 2016, Mihaly Munkacsi’s painting “Young Woman on a Sofa” was sold at Christie’s for a record $245,000!
Photo source: panoramio.com, author - Sergiy Shyrokykh.
Photo session-quest: looking for sculptures
What to do in Mukachevo when you suddenly get bored? You can arrange a quest and look for all the interesting ones. From the smallest (such as) to the largest and most noticeable (for example). Pleasure guaranteed! If you also take interesting photos and videos to confirm your findings, then such an adventure will definitely be remembered for a long time.
Confectionery house "Bondarenko": a sweet legend
Fine establishments in Mukachevo are a coffee shop and a “Chocolate Boutique”. When you're there, be sure to ask the locals about the legend of the house - the story of a student who became a wizard. About his lost dream and how the little student strove to learn how to give people sweet happiness... This dream came true!
Puppet Theater "Bavka": a fabulous holiday
Transcarpathian Regional Puppet Theater “Bavka” is located on Teatralnaya Square, 8. Original name: once upon a time “Bavka” in Verkhovyna was a theatrical performance staged by guest actors or the Hutsuls themselves. Dolls were also called “bavki”. Now puppet theater combines play, fairy tales and dramatic art, as well as high technical capabilities. Thanks to the latter, “bavki” come to life in the hands of modern “bavels”. The theater's repertoire is varied - for the youngest children and for adult spectators. Here you can see “The Thrice Glorious Robber Pintyu”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aeneid”, “Circus of Ivan the Force”, etc. And kids and older children are captivated by the adventures of “The Sorcerer Marabou” and “Cinderella” and watch with interest topics, “How the Hedgehog and the kids saved the Gosling,” etc.
Photo source: bavka.com.
Where to go with a girl in Mukachevo
This city seems to be specially created for romantic meetings. Colorful streets, cozy nooks and crannies, magical landscapes along the embankment... And, of course, dozens of small cafes where you can relax and sweeten your conversation.
From coffee to romantic dinner: a delicious date
Guys are often interested in where they can go with a girl in Mukachevo for coffee or where it is better to invite their beloved for a romantic dinner. The center is perfect for a sincere conversation over a cup of coffee. Please note that there is an additional cozy room if you go down the stairs. And delicious cuisine is offered on the territory of the Grafsky Dvor entertainment complex. The establishment is located right at the foot of Castle Hill. Active recreation (billiards, bowling) with dinner at a restaurant can be combined at the “Ezhedevno” shopping center on the street. Resurrection, 20. By the way, here is the highest restaurant terrace in Mukachevo with a magnificent view of the city.
Photo source: uaresto.com.
"Celtic Court": an exotic date
What to do in Mukachevo for exotic lovers? Invite your loved one to the Celtic Court! According to the owners, this is so far the only green tourism estate in Transcarpathia. The history, life, customs, dishes and drinks of the Celts are recreated here. These are the people who lived here more than two thousand years ago. The Celts created an ancient “proto-city-oppidum” in Transcarpathia on the slopes of the Galish and Lovachka mountains, the territory of which coincided with the modern environs of Mukachevo. There is a tasting cellar, an exotic vegetable garden, bread baking ovens, and the production of Gallic cheeses. You can even have a real Celtic feast at the estate.
Photo source: keltic-yard.com.
Embankment and evening city: romantic walk
If your interests include a date-walk, then in good weather during the day it is best to go to the Latoritsa embankment. Picturesque landscapes, parks and squares, flowering trees and a soft green carpet of grass await you there. In the evening, after enjoying the sunset, head towards the city center. The shining, warm and welcoming streets will definitely win your hearts.
Photo source: mapio.net.
Drama Theatre: meeting near the stage
They are often also called “Russian,” although the year before last the team decided to abandon this word in the name. The reasons are not only political - during the times of independence, the theater’s repertoire has expanded significantly, so the drama theater, in fact, has become multi-cultural. High-quality performances of the European level (“Forest Song” by Lesya Ukrainka, “The Catcher in the Rye” by Jerome Salinger, “The House of Bernarda Alba” by Frederico Garcia Lorca, etc.), as well as the International Theater Festival of National Minorities “Ethno-Dia-Sphere” confirm this formulation. The productions regularly fascinate not only the Ukrainian, but also the international theater elite.
Today I will tell and show you probably the most unusual city in Ukraine, which we discovered last year. The name of this city is Mukachevo.
The entire Ukrainian Transcarpathia region consists of places incomparable in its beauty and charm. Another highlight is that this region is inhabited by a large number of peoples. Sometimes two neighboring villages can speak different languages, and when their dialects and dialects are intertwined, Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Russian, Hungarian, Romanian and further down the list are interspersed in them, then the result is something that makes both eyes and ears widen at once . =) In the course of history, these lands constantly passed from hand to hand to different powers, and different peoples tried to settle on these fertile and picturesque lands. Multicultural trends are clearly felt there today, and that is why Mukachevo is a “must see” in Ukraine.
Mukachevo amazes immediately not only and not so much with its speech and multinationality, but with the symbiosis of medieval architecture with neon signs, Palanok Castle, the impeccable cleanliness and tidiness of the ancient streets, as well as its picturesque embankment. Perhaps I'll start with the castle...
Sunset with a view of Palanok Castle Mukachevo Mukachevo Castle
Palanok Castle is, of course, the number 1 attraction and the calling card of the city. The settlement of Mukachevo has been known in chronicles since at least 896 AD, making it one of the oldest cities in modern Ukraine. The castle appeared in the 11th century, but it was greatly modernized during the reign of Prince Fyodor Koryatovich (14th century). In Hungarian, palanok is a palisade. It was the palisade and the impressive moat with water that made the Mukachevo castle an even more impregnable fortress for enemies. In that era, the city on the banks of the beautiful Latoritsa River experienced real prosperity, being at the crossroads of the most important trade routes in Europe and Asia... Of course, this is still relevant today. The city is located at the intersection of the most important roads from Vienna to Kyiv, and from the Baltic countries, Belarus and to Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and southern Europe. From Ukrainian regions, Mukachevo is easily accessible by rail or by bus along one of the best highways in Ukraine (Kyiv-Chop). But let's get back to the historical background...
Over the thousand-year history of its existence, Mukachevo castle and city have changed their flags and coats of arms many times. Several times the city itself was practically erased from the ground by successive conquerors, and only the majestic castle always remained in its original place. The fortress was alternately owned by Transylvanians, Austrians, Hungarians, Czechs, Austro-Hungarians, Czechoslovaks... In the 18th and 19th centuries, the castle housed an Austrian prison for political prisoners. In 1945, Transcarpathia became part of the Ukrainian SSR, and a vocational school was opened in Palanok Castle. Since 2009, active work has been underway to reconstruct, recreate and popularize the castle. And yes, it's worth it!
Parking near Palanok Castle in the moonlight 23:17 
Mukachevo Castle inside the fortifications 
Palanok Castle photo of centuries-old walls... 
Observation deck overlooking the city of Mukachevo 
Castle in Mukachevo, photo of the clock On the territory of the Mukachevo Castle there is an art gallery and a large historical museum with an area of 2500 sq.m. Since we had two kids with us, and exploring the castle already took a lot of time, we went through the gallery and museum very quickly... We didn’t get any special impressions from the museum, but we remembered the recreated torture rooms with dummies of political prisoners. Such prison cells were located in the castle just a couple of centuries ago, so the corner there is quite sinister. The photos in those dark rooms turned out bad, but we managed to capture something else better...
Other attractions of Mukachevo
If you really want to, you can explore all the main beauties of the city in one day. But I would recommend dedicating a separate day to Mukachevo Castle, and spending another one or two days or more on leisurely walks around the city. Among the main tourist places of the city are the following objects:
- Mukachevo Town Hall and the beautiful pedestrian Pushkin Street, on which the town hall is located.
- Palace of the Transylvanian Princes Rakoczi (White House).
- Peace Square, where there is a monument to Cyril and Methodius, a monument to a chimney sweep, a fountain, restaurants, benches, etc.
- St. Nicholas Mukachevo Monastery, Cathedral of the Pochaev Icon of Our Lady, Church of St. Martin and numerous churches.
- Park named after Andrei Kuzmenko and the embankment of the Latoritsa River, running along the park.
You can see photos of most of them below. If possible, you should reserve time for the trip. If you suddenly get tired of this town, then in the vicinity of Mukachevo you will also find many historical, cultural and natural monuments. You will also be pleasantly surprised by the surrounding mountains, mineral water resorts and hot springs. If your base is in Mukachevo, then you can go to many places in one day, and you can spend wonderful evenings on the magical embankment of this city. By the way, in the summer it gets dark very late - after 10 pm, which is perfect for evening walks around an unfamiliar city. But other times of the year also have their advantages for visiting this picturesque and mysterious town.
One of the churches in Mukachevo 
Embankment of the Latoritsa River in Mukachevo. Do you see at least one piece of paper in this city? 
Olive and Timka on the river bank in Mukachevo 
Gypsies on horseback are a common sight in this magical city 
Mysterious evening in Mukachevo A few more words about the weather and other things...
The Carpathians from the north protect the city of Mukachevo from severe frosts and winds. This provides the city with an excellent climate - long autumn, warm winter, early spring and moderately hot summer. What I wrote about above is that whenever you arrive, you will have something to see and do, and the weather is unlikely to be a problem.
As of January 1, 2016, 86,061 people live in Mukachevo (versus 81,600 according to the 2001 census). In terms of population in the Transcarpathian region, this city is second only to the regional center, and the city is developing and constantly growing. Thus, Mukachevo is the second city of Ukrainian Transcarpathia. Although I personally like it even more than Uzhgorod, perhaps I just haven’t “tasted” the latter. =)
Walk around Mukachevo 
In a word, the city of Mukachevo, Transcarpathian region, became a real discovery for us. This is such a charming and extraordinary place that we really want to visit it again. Maybe we'll do that in the spring. According to reviews, it is best to come to Mukachevo at the end of April, when magnolias, sakura and daffodils bloom there... But we would not want to live in Mukachevo. It seems to me that we would feel like foreign bodies there, in contrast to the mentally closer ones or where we live now.
Mukachevo, town hall at night 
Results of the year 2015
2015 passed unnoticed. Oddly enough, during the whole year we never went abroad, although we did, and at one point we almost bought tickets to this country, but then we realized that it was not time yet... Frankly speaking, we didn’t want to fly with our last money, but prices in the States are high for an ordinary Ukrainian tourist. I’m almost sure that in 2016 this time will come, and I will be able to see America again, which I missed for 11.5 years, and Lena and Olivia will discover a new country. I hope this will happen, and we will learn a lot of new things there. I don’t know what will happen next, but trips like this always help us get better and move forward.
It’s a little funny how we live like this - everything seems to be going as usual, but we don’t know where we will celebrate the next New Year. This is the umpteenth time in a row, but it doesn’t bother us—on the contrary, we find the taste of life in this. =)
In 2015, we matured as parents. This year, our daughter Olivia learned to walk, run, draw, dance, play with children, charm older guys and consciously speak many words in three languages, despite her young age - she turned 1 year 10 months today. The three of us saw a lot of new things in our country, and we had new favorite places. Now our experience is richer, and that's wonderful. I think the main result of this year is that we have become better able to understand many things that are happening around us; we became stronger, wiser, and we found new friends, not forgetting the old ones.
And I also wanted to write a little about. It happens that someone asks: “When are you going to Thailand again?” or “Don’t you miss Thailand?” Perhaps Lena will answer somehow differently. But when I tried to sort out my feelings for Thailand into shelves in my head, there was some kind of confusion due to the fact that we had a good time in Thailand, but we also had a good time in Ukraine, where we live now. Objectively, it is now easier and cheaper for us to live in Ukraine. But it was like that before. But before, many things infuriated us in Zaporozhye, such as daily new garbage under the window of a high-rise building, the acrid smoke of factories and the endless “Groundhog Day” in which most people live, who do not strive to change anything in their lives and are afraid of responsibility like fire... Now we We visited other cities, moved twice, and we are happy with the place we ended up in. I won’t say that there are no shortcomings - they are everywhere. But at this stage we see that this is a movement forward, and Thailand has become a catalyst for this movement. I have no doubt at all that one day we will go to Thailand again. I just feel and know it. And because of this, my soul is calm, and there is no longer that itch in one place as before the first and second winterings, in order to leave there as quickly as possible.
Recently I realized why we are no longer drawn there with such an invincible force - Thailand is right in us. He lives in our hearts and souls, he lives in our memories and photographs, in our worldview and attitude towards people... Probably we have become a little Thai and a little Buddhist. Every morning we look at our Olivia, and we know that she was born in Thailand, and we understand that this is our most important “Thailand” in the world. In general, Thailand has moved from the category of countries to the category of something that is always with us, and the main thing is that it cannot be taken away from us. Now it’s not a matter of “when are we back in Tai.” Answer: “Sooner or later.” But the point is what global plans we will have. And we don’t know this yet. (“Who knows? Only time.”) “Who knows? Only time."
The main articles for the year, and how we celebrated previous new years:
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The city is located in the Transcarpathian region and is the second in population, behind the regional center - Uzhgorod. Mukachevo has about 86 thousand inhabitants. It is located at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, at their junction with the Tiso-Danube Plain. The Latoritsa River flows through the city. The first documentary memories of the city of Mukachevo date back to the distant 10th century in the chronicle of an unknown author about the “Acts of the Hungarians”. It talks about the conquest of the city of Mukachevo by the Hungarian leader Almos.
Over its centuries-old history, the city has been part of many states: Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria-Hungary and the USSR. Its rich and varied history has given the city beautiful architecture and varied traditions. The only Russian drama theater in western Ukraine is located in Mukachevo. At the beginning of the last century, more than 50% of the population of Mukachevo were Jews. However, during World War II, the Nazis created Jewish ghettos in the city, later sending most of the prisoners to Auschwitz.
Geographically, Mukachevo is located on the route of several international highways (Kyiv-Belgrade, Kyiv-Vienna, Kyiv-Prague). This is not surprising, because even at the beginning of its history this city was at the crossroads of the most important trade routes.
The city is famous for its wine festival, which is held annually in winter, in mid-January. 
Town Hall in Mukachevo
Built in 1904 on the central square of the city according to the design of a Budapest architect
Peace Square in Mukachevo
The heart of the city is a triangular square with many interesting sights.
Church of St. Martin
The cathedral is named after the saint and patron of the city of Mukachevo - St. Martin.
Palanok Castle
An outstanding historical and architectural monument, erected on a high volcanic mountain.
St. Nicholas Monastery
The monastery was founded in the 10th century by the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise Anastasia and the monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
Cathedral of the Pochaev Icon of Our Lady
A very unusual temple with three pear-shaped domes was erected in 1993.
Greek Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The church was built in the 19th century thanks to the initiative of the famous Transcarpathian scientist V. Dovgovich.
Transcarpathian State Russian Drama Theater
In 1884, the “Theater Construction Community” appeared in Mukchevo. However, the necessary funds were collected in the city only after 12 years. The foundation of the theater was laid on the site of the shopping malls and salt department. The theater, built in the Secession style, opened three years later, in the fall of 1899. 
Palace of Princes Rakoczi in Mukachevo
or the White House, as it is popularly called. This is an architectural monument of the 17th-18th centuries, which for a long time was the family residence of Rakoczi, the Transylvanian princes who left a big mark on the history of the city. 
Honey house
The Honey Museum, where you can not only learn the intricacies of beekeeping, but also try different varieties of honey.
Mukachevo is an extraordinarily beautiful and distinctive city located on the banks of the Latoritsa River. The city is famous primarily for its castles and winemaking. My trip to Mukachevo and getting to know its sights left me with unforgettable memories and a lot of positive photos.
Sights of Mukachevo and its surroundings
The first written mention of the city dates back to 1393, but according to archaeological data, the first settlements existed here back in the Paleolithic era. According to legend, a foreign prince who captured Mukachevo forced the local residents to manually build a mountain in the middle of the plain and build a castle on it. Having experienced a lot of torment and grief during the construction of the castle, people named this place Mukachevo. Modern Mukachevo is replete with attractions; there really is something to see.
Architecture
The architecture of Mukachevo is varied, but first of all, the calling card of the city are, of course, the castles. Among them it is worth highlighting:
Palace of the Counts of Schönborn.
This hunting castle-palace is located not in Mukachevo itself, but in the neighboring village of Karpaty. The castle is a miracle of architectural thought, because it has exactly 365 windows (days of the year), 52 rooms (weeks) and 12 entrance doors (months). In addition to the magnificent architecture, it is also worth mentioning the beautiful park, in the heart of which there is a decorative lake in shape similar to the borders of the Austro-Ugric Empire.
Mukachevo Town Hall.
A bright green building in the very center of the city, giving the impression of a toy plasticine house. A great place for a photo as a souvenir of Mukachevo. By the way, in the backyard of the town hall there is a good canteen where you can have an inexpensive and tasty meal.
Palace of the Princes of Rakoczi.
Another attraction in the very center of Mukachevo. Unfortunately, the once magnificent palace is now in need of restoration. In the palace itself there is an art school and souvenir shops.
Among the architectural attractions it is also worth noting:
- The building of the former trade academy.
- Former trading exchange.
- Castle of Saint Miklos, located in the village of Chinadievo.
Palanok Castle in Mukachevo
This architectural monument of the 14th – 18th centuries deserves a separate history and rightfully serves as the calling card of Mukachevo. The castle building has been restored; many rooms house thematic exhibitions of the historical museum. You should definitely visit the top floor of the castle, because there is an unusual collection of stuffed animals with defects.
The castle is located on a hill and offers a wonderful view of Mukachevo. Also for wine lovers, there is a Chizai wine tasting room on the castle grounds.
Visiting hours of the castle are from 9.00 to 18.00, closed on Monday.
There is a legend that once Prince Fyodor Koryatovich ordered a well to be dug in the castle. But water did not appear in the well, which by that time was already 80 meters deep.
But one day the devil appeared to the prince, promising water in exchange for a bag of gold. The prince deceived the evil one and gave him not a bag, but a bag with two gold coins, after which the angry devil jumped into the well, and sometimes his evil howl can be heard from there.
This well, 85 meters deep, is still one of the highlights of the castle today.
Churches in Mukachevo
The territory of Transcarpathia is a place of residence of many peoples with different religions, and this, of course, was reflected in the abundance of churches of various denominations. Some of the churches are real architectural masterpieces, for example:
Nikolaevsky Monastery.
One of the must-see attractions in Mukachevo. The same age as the Mukachevo Castle, built by the legendary Prince Fyodor Koryatovich in 1360. The monastery in different years of its existence served as a monastery for Orthodox, Catholics and Uniates, and since 1946 it was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and became a women's monastery.
Cathedral of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God.
Despite the relative youth of the cathedral (late 20th century), it fits perfectly into the architectural ensemble of monasteries and churches in Mukachevo. The cathedral is one of the places of pilgrimage in Mukachevo to the miraculous icon of the Pochaev Mother of God kept there.
Among the churches of other faiths I would like to note:
- The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Greek Catholic church.
- St. Martin's Church is a Roman Catholic church. A striking example of Catholic church architecture of the early twentieth century.
City monuments
Mukachevo is one of the cultural centers of Transcarpathia. This was reflected in the number of monuments to Ukrainian, Russian, Hungarian writers and artists.
Among them are the following monuments:
- To the creators of Russian writing, Cyril and Methodius.
- Bust of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.
- Monument to the Ukrainian writer Alexander Dukhnovich.
- Monument to the Hungarian artist Migály Munkácsy.
Packing things in a suitcase is a very important part of packing. to avoid misunderstandings at the airport, which arise quite often? In fact, packing a suitcase in accordance with all airline rules and at the same time convenient for yourself is not at all difficult. It is enough to follow some simple recommendations: Among the monuments there are those describing the tragic events of Mukachevo and Transcarpathia:
- Ilona Zrinyi and Ferenc II, who is located in Mukachevo Castle.
- Monument to internationalist soldiers.
- Monument to flood victims.
But the most unusual monument in Mukachevo is definitelymonument to the happy chimney sweep. 
The prototype of the monument itself is still alive and working, so if you're lucky, you might get a photo with the two chimney sweeps.
What to see in Mukachevo in one day
If you only have one day left, it is undoubtedly worth using it wisely. For example, visit all the castles of Mukachevo and the surrounding area. The tour should be planned approximately in this order:
- The excursion should start in the village of Karpaty, from the castle of the Counts of Schönborn.
- Next, visit the Saint Miklos castle in the village of Chinadievo.
- After this, in Mukachevo itself, an excursion to the Palanok castle.
- And finally, a walk through the historical part of the city of Mukachevo, where you can admire the magnificent sculptures and architecture of the city hall, Rakoczi Palace and the Church of St. Martin.
Excursions for children
If you are considering a holiday with children, you may want to avoid visiting castles in neighboring villages due to the complexity of such a route. In Mukachevo you can see many attractions during a regular city tour.
Video about Palanok Castle - the main attraction of Mukachevo
We have selected for you an excellent video about the main attraction of Mukachevo, Palanok Castle. Which has rightfully served as the calling card of Mukachevo for a long time.
But, for example, I was more struck by its logic in the palace of the Counts of Schönborn. What is your favorite place in Mukachevo?
We continue to explore Mukachevo - now we will take a walk around the Old Town, which is located somewhere in the middle between Palanok Castle and the St. Nicholas Monastery (about which). In integrity and beauty, Old Mukachevo is not much inferior to Old Uzhgorod (especially since it was larger - 14 thousand versus 12 thousand inhabitants at the beginning of the twentieth century), but in my opinion, there is incomparably more local, Transcarpathian flavor in Mukachevo.
At the end of the last part we reached the central square, which is marked by the tall Town Hall (1904). From the house on the left, two promenades diverge at an angle of almost 45 degrees (or, as they are called in Transcarpathia in the Italian manner - korzo): to the left is Peace Square, to the right is Pushkin Street, in the perspective of which the tower of the Assumption Greek Catholic Church can be seen:
The most impressive building here is, of course, the Town Hall. Its architecture is very indicative - not Austrian secession, but something closer to the modernism we are familiar with. This is the style that prevails in the architecture of the old towns of Transcarpathia:
The details are impressive - now I regret that I forgot to go into that gateway:
There is also a Soviet military obelisk here. However, the Victory memorials in Transcarpathia are quite simple and inconspicuous, I don’t even know if in Uzhgorod there is a Park of Glory that is supposed to be the regional center... but this is not surprising, because in 1941 it was the territory of one of the Axis countries.
I haven’t walked far along Pushkin Street, but I’ll show you its opposite end. And opposite this house, neither a remodel nor an example of “Czech Cubism,” I had breakfast, sitting on a bench. By the way, the square also set my personal record for beggars (of which there are many in Transcarpathia in any crowded place) - they came up three times: a gypsy, children and a woman with a plaintive voice.
Closing the fork in the two korzos is the Russian Drama Theatre, built in 1899 as simply a city theater for visiting guest performers, and only in 1947 received its own troupe:
In general, apparently, Mukachevo has been greatly improved in recent years. For example, this is how he was described pan_sapunov in his guide to Ukraine and Moldova (2008): However, already in the afternoon, the numerous lads and gopots who have gone to “work” quickly return to reality. In the evening, many expensive taverns are occupied by bandits - it’s not for nothing that Mukachevo is considered the criminal capital of Transcarpathia, and in principle I have heard similar reviews about Mukachevo more than once. Now the city looks brand new, I walked here mainly in the middle of the day, and did not notice any special differences from the same Uzhgorod, but in terms of cleanliness - now it is perhaps the cleanest city in Transcarpathia.
Peace Square is opened by Cyril and Methodius, next to which is an impressive Czechoslovak house. However, I still have to admit that the Czechoslovak interwar period disappointed me, except that everything was extremely unattractive. Apparently, the remoteness has an effect - after all, for Czechoslovakia it was a backwater.
There is also a monument to a chimney sweep - seemingly abstract, in contrast to the Uzhgorod lamplighter:
Nice details. It’s interesting - surely the wooden porch of the bookstore is also modern?
But two nice young people were holding an anti-tobacco campaign, the name of which I don’t remember, but its essence was that anyone could exchange a cigarette with them for candy. Since I don’t smoke anyway, they gave me candy just like that and allowed me to take a photo:
Another feature of Peace Square is the parallel streets extending from it, which are called “passages” here (again, hello to Uzhgorod!). The largest of them is Dostoevsky Street: I think you have already noticed the toponymy that is unusual for the Western region?
Of course, this is not a shopping mall, but the idea of shopping streets is good, especially in the warm climate of Transcarpathia:
And Peace Square abuts the Church of St. Martin, behind which it continues with the completely passable Mira Street:
Here is the perpendicular Dukhnovicha Street, in the perspective of which looms the spire of the Trinity Reformed Church (1795):
Here, for some reason, I remember most of all the weather vanes:
Colorful gateway. The door taken off its hinges and put on looks very touching:
Temple was built in the Hungarian tradition that is recognizable at first glance - a basilica with one tower topped with five spiers - this is how Magyar churches were built back in the Middle Ages:
Near the temple, Reunion Street runs parallel to Peace Square, and it is clearly visible that both passages lead to the Central Market. But as you can see, even here it’s clean. Yes, apparently the Mukachevo people are very sick of their bad reputation:
But let's return to the Church of St. Martin - the compositional center of the Old Town. Its current building was built in 1906 on 15th century foundations:
And from the old Gothic cathedral, a chapel of the same age has survived:
Most likely, like around the Latin Cathedral in Lviv, there was a cemetery here in the Middle Ages:
Noble lancet windows with faded stained glass evoke associations with “flaming Gothic”:
The entrance to the chapel is closed with bars, but some things can be photographed:
And in the triangle between Peace Square and Pushkin Street lurked the “younger brother” of the Mukachevo Castle - the White House (1667), the city residence of local magnates - in pre-Austrian times the Rakoczi, then the Schönborns. The memorial plaque on the wall is dedicated to Ferenc II Rakoczi, who led the rebellion against the Habsburgs at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries - I will tell this story in a post about the castle.
On the reverse side, the White House is very reminiscent of ancient Russian chambers. However, the appearance of Magyar estates, usually small and laconic, is generally very recognizable.
On one side of the estate there is a memorial to victims of repression, on the other side there is Depeche Park with attractions and modern sculptures, which, judging by the name, even has some history, which I could not find. And the third side of the “triangle” is again formed by the pedestrian Fedorov Street, connecting the ends of Peace Square and Pushkin Street:
There are two churches next to each other here. The apse facing Depeche Park is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Pochaev, which was either built or rebuilt from an ancient customs house in 1993 by the Moscow Patriarchate.
Many agree that this is the most original “Moscow” new-building church, at least in Western Ukraine. And it’s simple, in Transcarpathia you somehow very quickly get used to the numerous new “XXC clones”, which, due to their large number, have already begun to look organic here:
The second church in the neighborhood is the Assumption Greek Catholic (1849), which is clearly visible from the Town Hall, the most simple in the center of Mukachevo, but with the tallest tower:
The pedestrian part of Pushkin Street ends here, and one of the busiest bus stops in the city is located. To the left is the Pushkinskaya roadway, and to the right is Ilona Zrini Street, leading to the castle. Here it is most convenient to take bus No. 3 going there:
The house with sculptures on the roof was built a hundred years ago as the Trade Exchange:
In general, that’s all with the “center of the center” and its official attractions. But in Mukachevo, it would be remiss not to walk for an hour or two along the streets surrounding it:
Let's say this is clearly a very old building behind the Church of St. Martin:
Almost opposite the church itself is the gateway from the introductory shot. Behind the gateway we found this strange structure with an external staircase:
Which I even climbed into - the yard itself looks best from there:
Then a man noticed me, asked who I was and what I was filming here, and jokingly remarked that “gypsies are also travelers” (and in the 35-degree heat, I probably really began to look like a gypsy). He told me that he is a former military man, from Khmelnitsky himself, and that they don’t have Galicia here in Podkarpattya, “we don’t have Banderaites!” I have already encountered similar statements in Lutsk before - they are about how complicated and ambiguous everything is in Western Ukraine.
It’s difficult to say under what government this house was built... In general, I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that in the interwar era Transcarpathia was ruled by Hungary, it’s really strange that this was not the case.
There is not a trace left of the noise and crowds of the central squares - silence, the clicking of heels half a block away, shabbyness... and again the cleanliness of the tiles and paving stones:
And here is another courtyard - an almost rural landscape in the very center of the city:
The bus station in Mukachevo is a couple of stops behind the Church of St. Martin, and it is really huge, much larger and busier than in Uzhgorod. Under the canopy there are dozens of kiosks, smoothly turning into a bazaar behind the bus station, the appearance of it all vividly reminded me of the 1990s. There is also a railway behind the bus station, but the railway station is much further away and is a typical type of "