Luhansk Things to Do

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Mikhail Matussovsky was born in Luhansk on July 23, 1915 and spent his childhood there.
He began his working career at a local factory. Young Mikhail started publishing his poems in local newspapers and magazines and took part in literature parties. In 1934 he came to Moscow to study at the Literature Institute. After graduating from that institute in 1939 he began writing his thesis on ancient Russian literature, but he did not manage to defend his thesis for the Great Patriotic war began. He was sent to the front as a war correspondent. His scientific advisor insisted on accepting Matussovsky’s thesis in his absence. While working at the front Mikhail Matussovsky received a telegram saying that he had been promoted to the doctor of sciences.
During the war Matussovsky published collections of his poems and songs.
"Moscow Suburbs Nights" was one of his famous poem that became a song. Wikipedia called this song "one of the most famous Russian songs outside Russia".
Another one is "Where Does the Motherland Begin?"
Mikhail Matussovsky is known as the author of many lyrics for famous Soviet songs.
His relatives decided to send Matussovsky’s personal study with all the authentic furniture and belongings including the poet’s piano to the city history museum in Luhansk.
Here's a world famous song "Moscow Suburb Nights". Its lyrics were written by Mikhail Matussivsky. Two last lines of each verse are sung twice:
Moscow Suburb Nights
(Music by Vassily Soloviov-Sedoy)

Not a rustling leaf, not a bird in flight
In the sleepy grove until dawn.
How I love these nights, Moscow suburb nights,
The caress of the waking sun.

The calm rolling stream seems to ebb and flow
Like a silver web of moonlight.
In my heart I hear singing come and go
On this wonderful summer night.

Why this downcast look? Does the rising day
Bring us near the hour when we part?
It's as hard to keep as to give away
All that presses upon my heart.

Dawn is nigh, and pale grow the amber lights.
Let me hope, my dear, that you too
Will remember these Moscow suburb nights
And our love that has been so true.

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Why not visit the museum of local lore?
In front of it you can see the monument to Charles Gascoigne, a Scottish engineer, the first director of the first town factory, who is considered to be the founder of the city.
You can see several exhibitions on the floors of the museum, among them is the region's nature exhibition, city history exhibition and others.
You can also take pictures of the museum exhibits, if you pay $1 for taking one picture or 1 UAH for each picture of you with the exhibit in the background.
Local lore museum
2 Shevchenko Street
Tel. +38 0642 55 17 43
It's is the main museum of the entire Luhansk region.
It is open from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.,
closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
You can see traveling exhibitions such as “The Romanovs” from the Wax Figures museum in from St.Petersburg;
Everyday exhibitions:
- Nature of Luhansk region;
- Our region in ancient times;
- Traditional households and occupations of people in Luhansk region;
- Luhansk region in the twenties, thirties and forties;
- Our region in the years of the Great Patriotic War (WWII);
- Luhansk region in the fifties, sixties and seventies;
- Luhansk region at the turn of the 21st century;
- Oceanographic stuff displays;
- The 19th century life in Luhansk;
- Our place in Ukraine;
- “Nature of Luhansk region” (photo exhibition of a local professional photographer).Pictures from the local lore museum

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Luhansk Zoo is located in May Day Park opposite the Ferris wheel and is open from 9.30 a.m. till 8 p.m. (in summer) and till 3 or 4 p.m. in winter time. The entrance fee is 10 UAH ($2) for adults.
You can see different animals and birds there: brown bears, a Canadian wolf, ordinary steppe wolves, raccoons, raccoon dogs, polar foxes, steppe marmots, moufflons, Cameroon goats, squirrels, Scottish ponies, monkeys; pheasants (golden, silver and ordinary ones), mountain geese, falcons, black ravens, parrots and singing birds.

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Revolution Square is the main square in the Old Town.
It was completely renovated in 2008.
Before 1917 it was called Holy Assumption Park.
After the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 it was used as a place of rallies and as a burial place of outstanding Bolsheviks and heroes of the revolution.
There is a common grave of sixteen Bolsheviks who fell during the battles of the revolution. You can see the tomb of Alexander Parkhomenko, a legendary hero of the Bolshevik revolution.
Alexander Parkhomenko (December 24, 1886 - January 3, 1921) was the Commander-in-Chief of the14th Cavalry Division of the Red Army. He died in a battle near Yekaterinoslav and was buried there.
In 1935 on the request of his fellow countrymen and comrade-in-arms his body was transferred to Luhansk where he was reburied in Revolution Square.
There is another tomb opposite Parkhomenko tomb: the tomb of Ivan Yakovenko, (1915-1943), the leader of Luhansk partisan detachment during the Nazi occupation of the city.
There are two other graves in this square: the mass grave of the Soviet officers who fell in the battles for liberation of Luhansk in February 1943 and tombs of three other Bolsheviks: P.Boginya, A.Alexeyev and I.Oreshko who were buried there in 1944-1947.
The monument to Lenin located in this square is the oldest in the city. It was built in 1930 and renovated in 2008. During the Nazi occupation it was carefully hidden from the occupation forces and restored at its place after the liberation of the city in 1943.
The square is located opposite the main entrance to the Philharmonic Society, another completely refurbished building. It adjoins Lenin Street and is not far from Dahl Street (formerly English Street – the first street of the old Luhansk).

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If you are in Red Square, don't miss the Alexander Molodchiy bust.


Alexander Molodchiy
(1920-2002) -
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union
According to the Soviet rules, a bronze bust was erected to each Twice Hero in his/her hometown to commemorate his/her heroic deeds.
Alexander Molodchiy was a military pilot and became famous after his daring bombing of Berlin in August - September 1942.
His aircraft was called "Oleg Koshevoy" after the leader of an underground young people's organization in Luhansk region. From August 29 till September 10, 1942 his aircraft made three daring and successful air raids to bomb the German capital.
All in all his aircraft made 145 air raids to bomb the biggest German cities: Königsberg, Danzig, Tilzit, Berlin.
It was a big tragedy for the civil population of those cities, but the pilots always remembered the words ascribed to St.Alexander of the Neva,He who comes to us with the sword, from the sword shall he perish!On December 31, 1942 Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Alexander Molodchiy received another Golden Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
He became a twice Hero of the Soviet Union at the age of 22!
During the years of the Second World War he made 311 combat flights and dropped over 4,000 bombs of the totals weight of more than 500 tons over German cities.
After the war Alexander Molodchiy remained in the Air Force and served to be a Lieutenant General (a two-star general).
He spent the last years of his life in Chernihiv where he died on June 9, 2002.
There is a monument over his tomb and a memorial plaque at the building where he lived.
There is a web site about his life (in Russian).

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There are several newly dedicated monuments in Luhansk, among them the monument to the victims of the Ukrainian nationalists.
This monument stands in what I call Artists’ Alley. This is where the local artists display their works for sale.
It is not far from Heroes Square, on the alley leading to Magnitogorsk Street and the central market.
The statue depicts two young people being executed and a child leaning towards his young mom who has just died.
The monument is aimed at commemorating hundreds of local young and nt-so-young people – Communists and Young Communists – who were sent to Western Ukraine to work there, but were savagely murdered by local “patriots” who belonged to the underground Organization of the Ukrainian Nationalists and fought against everything Communist in afterwar years…
The inscription on the short pedestal reads, Truth shall not be buried in oblivion You can also see the names of those people who did not return from their business trip to Western Ukraine in the forties and fifties of the last century.Picture 2: the memorial complex in Ostraya Mogila (“Sharp Mould”) has been refurbished. Meetings and rallies are often held here, especially on Victory Day – May 9 – every year.Pictures 3,4,5 – Ukraine leisure center in Defense Street has been completely reconstructed and expanded and looks quite modern now. It became one of the new city landmarks.

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The city concert hall is called Lenin Palace of Culture.
It is in Rosa Luxemburg Square.
The concert hall was built in 1929 and can seat over 1,000 spectators.
Different concerts and parties take place either in this center or in the circus.
Different exhibitions are held at the arts museum and lots of concerts are usually held at our city conference center in Luxemburg Square, including guest performances of Russian and other foreign singers and groups.
In September 2003 even the famous "Uriah Heep" came to Luhansk and gave a concert in this building.We also have several movie theaters in the city:
“Mriya”
(western blocks) located at 18 Zarechnyi Block, tel. +38 0642 35 05 38: lots of modern movies

“Mir”
(eastern blocks) located at 33a Komarov Block, tel. 056: the latest films (“Matrix-3” and others)

“Illusion”
located in the building of the local lore museum in Shevchenko Street

“Musik Box”
Club located at 1a Oboronnaya Street (opposite “Rossiya” supermarket), tel. +38 0642 55 33 62: shows start at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

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They say Ukrainian is the second most melodical language in the world after Italian.
If you'd like to hear the melodical Ukrainian language spoken from the stage, then I would recommend you visit the Ukrainian Drama Theater located in Oboronnaya Street on the way from Sovetskaya Street to the bus terminal.
The theater was founded in 1941.
Its hall can seat 600 people. It stages different plays and musicals of Ukrainian and foreign playwrights.
On the opening night of the new performance the theater is usually full.
The theater has a ballet group that often accompanies performances.
So you can always ask what is playing if you call our theaters and concert halls:
Lenin Palace of Culture
2 Luxemburg Square, tel. +38 0642 52 60 26 (booking office, open from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m.)
Puppet Theater
7b 16th Line , tel. +38 0642 58 52 33, +38 0642 58 52 44
Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater
11 Oboronnaya Street, tel. +38 0642 54 65 47
and
Creative Center of Luhansk Institute of Culture and Arts
7 Red Square; at the Big Hall you can attend holiday performances;
Tel. +38 0642 59 02 67