Vilkovo: “Ukrainian Venice. Ukrainian Venice – Vilkovo: reviews and tips Ukrainian Venice

29.12.2023

To the Black Sea. A wonderful, mysterious place where the beauty of nature and the creations of human hands merge together is Vilkovo. Ukrainian Venice - this is what residents and guests call this place. The old part of the city is located in the water, so you can only get here by boat, and instead of streets, we have canals. Let's find out how it happened that people founded this town on the river, and what kind of vacation in Vilkovo, judging by the reviews, can await us.

Nikon's church reform. Its consequences

Three centuries ago, Old Believers fled here from church reform. As a result of Russia's victory in the Russian-Turkish war, its position strengthened. They united and became a single center of Rus'. There was a need to create a centralized church, because the Orthodox faith was the single core of the state. It was decided to come to a single prayer, the same forms of worship and rituals. For this purpose, the Nikon reform was carried out, the basis of which was the church practice of Byzantium.

It turned out that in the years that have passed since the baptism of Rus', a lot has changed in the rituals. decided to eradicate this disunity, enlisting the support of the king. But in reality, everything turned out to be more complicated - not everyone accepted the changes with enthusiasm. There were many who disagreed: a significant part of the boyars, merchants, representatives of the clergy and peasants. Thus began the split. The confrontation intensified, there were many casualties, and the Old Believers realized that they had no chance to survive and win. Some considered the solution to the problem to go on the run, others staged self-immolations in protest, and still others went underground. It was these Lipovan Old Believers who fled and came to the swampy banks of the Danube.

The foundation of Vilkovo and the feat of Lipovan

The founders of Vilkovo in 1746 literally rebuilt and took out “the land from under the water,” namely, they extracted silt and laid it at the base of future houses and streets, fencing artificial islands with chopped reeds. The town was literally reclaimed from the river.

During the Russian-Turkish War, the Lipovans made their invaluable contribution to the victory. Their services were highly appreciated and noted in Kutuzov’s reports. Without the help of the Lipovans, it would have been impossible to achieve one of the most striking victories in history - the capture of the impregnable fortress of the Ottoman Empire, the city of Izmail. As Suvorov said, personally inspecting one of the most powerful fortifications in Europe before the assault, “this fortress has no weak points.” The Lipovans themselves did not participate in hostilities for religious reasons, but agreed to help Suvorov in organizing the transfer of troops along the Danube. They provided their boats with excellent performance, maneuverability and spaciousness. Still, over the years of living on the river, the settlers took into account all the nuances of navigation. Their long, narrow boats had bows on both sides, which saved time on turns.

The victorious commander, as a reward, gave the Lipovans the right to own the waters of the Danube, which was recorded on paper and sealed with the appropriate seal. In the 20th century, Romania tried to deprive them of this right, but the Hague International Court of Justice retained the right received from Russia for the rulers of the Danube. The act of lipovan is not only a military feat, but also a Christian step of good will. These people have shown that they do not remember old grievances, put the common cause above their own interests and know how to help without hoping for bribes.

Population

The majority of the population of Vilkovo is Russian. There are 70% of them in the town, and most of them still profess the ancient Old Believer faith. 25% are Ukrainians, as well as Romanians, Moldovans, Bulgarians and representatives of other nationalities. The population of the city of Vilkovo, according to the 2001 census, was 9.4 thousand people. Also, according to the same census, Russian is the native language for 84% of the population.

Religion

There are three churches in the city - one Orthodox and two Old Believers. There are also three Baptist churches located here.

Geographical features of the region

The Vilkovo map gives an idea of the location of the town.

The Danube flows into the sea through several divided channels, “sleeves” that resemble a fork, which explains the name of the city. The parts of this fork were connected manually by numerous canals - “eriks”, and now it is a town on 72 islands. Together with river channels, man-made canals created a single water system in Vilkovo. Photos of the settlement clearly demonstrate canals alternating with small islands. And if you look at a map of the city from the air during the Danube flood, we will see neat rectangular islands of land among the endless water.

Amazing nature of Vilkovo

Ukrainian Venice has every right to be called a paradise. All nature lives here at the junction of sea and river. The region is characterized by rare species of plants, birds, and animals. There are also lakes nearby. As in Ancient Egypt, silt gives plants strength, being the best fertilizer. Standing in the water, residents take out the silt, lay it out to dry, and then transport it in wheelbarrows to the desired location. The land created with your own hands always turns into a wonderful, neat vegetable garden with beds of vegetables or a garden with fragrant flowers. The small reed houses of the inhabitants are surrounded by fragrant gardens and vineyards. Basically all vegetable gardens are located on the islands. Just imagine - to get to visit your neighbor, you will have to walk across a bridge or sail a boat! Indeed, Vilkovo is the Ukrainian Venice. A photo of an ordinary street, along which traffic is carried out by boat, makes it possible to imagine the ordinary everyday life of Vilkovo residents.

Local business

In addition to farming, local residents also engage in fishing. Moreover, this town is rightly called the capital of the Danube fishermen. Fish farming in the sea and river is the main occupation of the population here. Also recently, reeds have been in good demand for export. Vilkovites sell fish, local strawberries, grapes, homemade wine and other products to tourists.

Attractions

What can you see on vacation in Vilkovo? Ukrainian Venice is the only city in Europe that is located on the territory of the Danube Plavni Biosphere Reserve. This is a state-protected area where natural complexes unique to the area are located and is carried out in conjunction with scientific research. Nature here is full of life, many species of plants, animals, birds, waterfowl and even aquatic invertebrates are listed in the Red Book.

At the place where the Danube flows into the Black Sea there is a symbolic sign “0 km”. They say that visiting here and walking under it is considered a good omen - it will bring good luck and health. Just think - more than 2.5 thousand kilometers is the path of the Danube, which flows into the sea right here, in the small man-made town of Vilkovo.

Ukrainian Venice. Rest

There are several recreation centers, a hotel and mini-hotels. Judging by the reviews, this is an ideal place for a couple, a large group or a family with children. By the way, in many courtyards there are children's playgrounds with swings and slides. During the day you can take a boat ride along the picturesque river delta, go fishing, or visit the best fish market in the region. Among the national dishes, it is worth trying, as experienced travelers say, real fish soup, the famous Danube herring, smoked bream, Salamur sauce, Lipovan herbal tea and, of course, a glass of local Novak wine. Vilkovo is the Ukrainian Venice, it’s definitely worth a visit!

Vilkovo is the confluence of the waters of the Danube and the Black Sea, the pearl of the Danube lower reaches, the “Ukrainian Venice”, located right by the sea on the border with Romania. The unusual thing about the city is that the old part of the city is located on the water. Instead of streets, there are canals along which people travel mainly on peculiar Ukrainian “gondolas” (made here) and motor boats. In the city, people swim through the canals standing on the stern of the boat and pushing off with a pole. How about, for example, the address: Belgorodsky Canal, 24. This is something like a central avenue for them. You float, and all around you are whitewashed clean houses, small vegetable gardens fertilized with silt, wooden masonry on the sides of canals 1-2 meters wide. The channels are called eriks. There are simple wooden bridges across the eriki. The top of the walkway is not secured. If the boat is carrying oversized cargo, then the top of the bridge is removed, and when the boat passes, it is put back in place. It turns out that the bridges are drawable.

The area of Vilkov is about 460 hectares. No authorities know how many islands there are, although in fact this city with a population of 10 thousand people is Ukrainian territory. But people here still speak the Russian language of pre-Petrine times and do not know what country they live in: some still think that they are “under Russia”, others – “under Romania”. But Vilkovo still remains quiet and hidden, hidden in the Danube floodplains - reed thickets. The town is small, it’s difficult to get lost here, and there are very friendly and welcoming people around.

Getting acquainted with this amazing region, we cannot help but talk about the history of its origin. In the mid-17th century, fugitive Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks, persecuted for religious and political reasons, settled in the lower Danube Delta. The location was chosen on the mainland on low sedimentary banks, which were flooded with water during strong winds and floods. There was a need to strengthen areas for housing, outbuildings and vegetable gardens. The soil was taken here, digging canals and eriks around the captured areas. They served as a boundary between the owners' land plots and good passages and shelter for boats.

Together with the natural channels of the delta, man-made canals formed a single water system of canals and eriks in the city of Vilkovo. It occupies up to 45% of the city’s territory and you can get to any part of it via canals by boat.

Vilkovo is an original and colorful region: Lipovan settlements, amazing dialects, a city of fishermen and winemakers. The city is located on water, so all the land here is alluvial. Most of the vegetable gardens are located on the islands, where people go by boat. Standing in the water, they take out the silt here, then lay it on the shore, and the dried silt is taken to the right place by wheelbarrows or stretchers. Fertilizers are almost never used. Silt, as in ancient Egypt, gives strength to any plant. Perhaps that’s why there are strawberries here almost all year round, but in addition to strawberries, Novak grapes are grown here, which is completely unique - nowhere else is there a variety that grows on silt and water. The grapes are used to make wonderful red wine and sell it, as indicated by chalk signs next to the gates. Wine costs 5-6 hryvnia 1.5 liters. There is a joke here: a Vilkov resident who wet his throat with Novak wine can be easily recognized. It only wobbles back and forth and in no case left or right. In Vilkovo this is impossible, because you will immediately fall into the water - there are such narrow masonry walls along the houses. Also here you can drink wonderful herbal teas from a wood-burning samovar, which are comparable only to those from the Carpathians.

According to local legend, the people of Vilkovo can walk on the sea as if on land. In Vilkovo, almost every family has fishermen, so there is plenty of fresh fish here. Men go fishing on the Danube or on the islands. Fishing lovers will appreciate the quiet banks of the Danube and its channels, overgrown with willows and reeds bending towards the water. You will see many exotic birds that live in abundance in the floodplains: pink pelicans, geese, striped hawks, and the famous white-tailed eagles.

You can go on a tour of the Danube on a boat, where they will show you the “0” kilometer - the place where the Danube flows into the Black Sea, the nature of the Danube Biosphere Reserve, feed you fish soup and drink wine, and in the evening you will be brought back to the pier. You can spend the night in a city hotel or rent a room by making arrangements with the grandmothers at the bus station.

So, for those who have not yet saved up money for Italy, we offer you to admire our “Ukrainian Venice” for now. Believe me, if you visit the Ukrainian Danube region at least once, you will forever remain in love with this region. It is here that nature and people live very close together, and in the evening you can take a bottle of wine, sit on the banks of the Danube and just relax. Well, by God, the feeling is simply incomparable when, sitting near a house in a small green garden and drinking delicious homemade wine, you hear the noise of a passing motor boat behind the fence, and not a motorcycle or a car. And what seems absolutely funny for a city person is to see how cows are taken on boats to graze on protected land, and returned to the islands to spend the night. On little boats, which even a man would be afraid to sit in and where the rower, like a gondolier, stands in the Venetian style, pushing off with a four-meter oar, cows ride proudly, touching the reeds with their horns. In Vilkovo they are teased as “sea cows”. This is exotic!

You need to get to Vilkovo from Odessa. The bus station is located next to the station on Privoz. Departure to Vilkovo at 6.20 and around 10 am you will already be there.

Photo preview citypics.ru

History of the city of Vilkovo

The city of Vilkovo in the Odessa region, also known as "Ukrainian Venice", was founded in the first half of the 18th century Old Believers who fled religious persecution after the split of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Photo infokava.com

First inhabitants Vilkovo They began to develop the floodplains, but in order to build a house and set up a garden, they first had to build an artificial island. Construction material was taken right there, digging a canal around the island.

And today the population old town continues to live on the same islands. Roads from house to house are laid along masonry and bridges.

Each family has its own boat - the main means of transport for Vilkovo residents.

Is it possible to go boating in Vilkovo now?

Previously, a boat was a more common way of transportation here than a car. However, recently many channels have become shallow, some are completely filled up, which is why all connecting channels become shallow.

Swim around the city Now you can only in the “old” part of the city.

By the way, they still live here Old Believers who do not recognize any benefits of civilization. You can visit them and find out exactly where they live Old Believers, we recommend it from the locals.

Danube Biosphere Reserve

The Danube Nature Reserve is a unique ecosystem where you can find 563 species of various plants and more than 200 species of birds.

The territory covers the delta islands up and down the Danube, delta lakes and a two-kilometer strip of marine waters along the coast.

The flora of the reserve includes 563 species of various plants. The high biological productivity of vegetation is explained by the large amount of fertile silt that is deposited by the river. Mainly grow: common reed, narrow-leaved cattail.

Along the currents, in strips ranging from 5 m to 200 m wide, there are thickets formed by willows (white, loshka, three-stamen), and in the coastal part - sea buckthorn, bush amorpha, and tamorizum galusia. Among the tall grass there are areas of aquatic vegetation formed by white water lilies, shield-leaved swimmers, as well as rare species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine - floating salvinia and floating nut.

The wildlife of the reserve has specific features. Significant food resources of the floodplains contribute to the concentration of many birds here (more than 200 species). Gray goose, mute swan, tern, coot, various species of ducks, herons, and gulls nest. Rare species include the Dalmatian pelican, the white-tailed eagle, the pink pelican, the red-breasted goose, the spoonbill, the sorrel, and the common curlew. The water area of the reserve is a wintering place for waterfowl (about 120 species), as well as a resting place during migration.

What else to see in Vilkovo

Moreover, having arrived in "Ukrainian Venice" costs take a boat ride along the canals, come visit Old Believers, of course, not empty-handed, you still need to go by boat to "0" kilometers.

Danube- the only river in Europe, the measurement of which is carried out in the opposite direction: not with the flow, but against it.

A memorial sign marks the stream from which the great river in the Black Forest mountains begins, and ends with a memorial sign. According to one of the versions (dominant) "0" sign located on the pier of the Romanian city of Sulina. However, young enthusiasts Danube Biosphere Reserve put up a sign indicating a different version of the place where exactly The Danube flows into the Black Sea: Kilometer Zero, which is in Ukrainian Ankudinov island.

Be sure to try it again Danube fish soup cooked over wood and local wine - “Novak”, and also book a boat or kayak excursion to water lily fields. You will really like it :)

Vilkovo from above

Read also:

There are many amazing places in Ukraine, both from an architectural and natural point of view. And there is also one where the natural beauty of the Danube estuary miraculously combines with simple human labor in almost inhuman conditions. In tourist brochures, the town of Vilkovo in the Kiliysky district of the Odessa region is called “Ukrainian Venice.” In fact, we will see a living illustration of the labor feat of thousands of fugitive Old Believers who managed to settle in the Polesie swamps and Danube floodplains. We have long wanted to see these places with our own eyes, because getting to those places is not easy even with a good crossover. And that's why!

Vilkovo is located in the very corner of our country, in the southwest of the Odessa region near the border with Romania. The E-95 route is known, perhaps, to every motorist - the road to Odessa leads like an arrow from Kyiv. And if anyone goes to Vilkovo from other regions, they will still have to pass through Odessa. It is best to make a pit stop here at the 21st kilometer (+400 m) of the ring road near the village of Usatovskoye at the OKKO gas station. The fact is that we had a small child with us who needed to change diapers. . This was another reason for choosing this gas station: there is a changing table in the restroom, which my wife found out about when planning our route.

Express information on the country

Ukraine- a state in Eastern Europe.

Capital- Kyiv

Largest cities: Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkov, Odessa, Dnepr, Zaporozhye, Krivoy Rog, Donetsk

Form of government– Parliamentary-presidential republic

Territory– 603,549 km2 (44th in the world)

Population– 42.6 million people. (32nd in the world)

Official language– Ukrainian

Religion– Orthodoxy, Catholicism

HDI– 0.747 (81st in the world)

GDP– $131.8 billion (59th in the world)

Currency– hryvnia

Borders with: Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Russia

For the rest of the crew (there were four of us), who were pretty hungry on the way, the main “bonus” was the presence here the already familiar cuisine of the A la minute restaurant chain, which we trust. By the way, a note to parents traveling with children: these restaurants even have dishes on the menu that are recommended for little guests (at the table next to us, the little one eagerly devoured children’s pasta).

The wife preferred the Caesar salad and Mille-feuille dessert, her sister preferred steamed buckwheat with goulash, and the male half each took borscht and a juicy pork steak. We didn’t have to wait long for our order, but while we were having lunch, we managed to get our car washed at a good discount using the points accumulated on our Fishka card – nice!

After a hearty lunch, I really wanted to take the short road along the sea, which Google maps suggested. But after Belgorod-Dnestrovsky it became clear that it was simply terrible, it was difficult to drive above 40 km/h without damaging the suspension and riders, so we turned onto the notorious M-15 road (Odessa-Reni), which partially coincides with the European E- 87.

By the way, if you have time, then along the way you can stop by the fortress in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, this will take an hour and a half. The area there is quite large, there is where to climb and what to see.

While I was driving, my wife was reading the history of “Ukrainian Venice” from her phone. It turns out that Vilkovo was originally the village of Lipovanskoye, which was founded in 1746 (according to other sources in 1762) by the so-called Old Believers or Lipovans. They fled religious persecution after the Nikonian schism of the Russian Orthodox Church. These were the Don Cossacks who first settled in the Danube floodplains in the 40s of the 17th century. It was then that the settlement of Lipovanskoye appeared on Russian military maps.

Monument to the Old Believer pioneer - the founder of Vilkovo

At the same time, this territory was being populated by Zaporozhye Cossacks, who fled persecution after the destruction of the Zaporozhye Sich. To this day, Lipovans represent the majority of the city’s population. They have preserved many of their religious traditions. There are three churches in the city: Orthodox and two Old Believer Lipovan churches. Since 1812, after the signing of the Peace of Bucharest, Vilkovo has been a district town in the Besarabia province.

The first residents of Vilkovo began to develop the floodplains, but in order to build a house and set up a garden, they first had to build an artificial island. Construction material was taken right there, digging a canal around the island. And today the population of the old city continues to live on these same islands, each of which is surrounded by a canal or “erik”. Roads from house to house are laid along masonry and bridges. Each family has its own boat, and this is the main means of transport for Vilkovo residents. Actually, that’s why Vilkovo received the fame of “Ukrainian Venice”. Fortunately, in Vilkovo not only canals act as transport arteries, but there are also ordinary roads. Moreover, mainly in the form of concrete blocks, the asphalt is concentrated at the entrance.

In tourist brochures, the town of Vilkovo in the Kiliysky district of the Odessa region is called “Ukrainian Venice.”
In fact, we will see a living illustration of the labor feat of thousands of fugitive Old Believers who managed to settle in the Polesie swamps and Danube floodplains. We have long wanted to see these places with our own eyes, because getting to those places is not easy even with a good crossover. And that's why!

Vilkovo is located in the very corner of our country, in the southwest of the Odessa region near the border with Romania. The E-95 route is known, perhaps, to every motorist - the road to Odessa leads like an arrow from Kyiv. And if anyone goes to Vilkovo from other regions, they will still have to pass through Odessa. It is best to make a pit stop here at the 21st kilometer (+400 m) of the ring road near the village of Usatovskoye at the OKKO gas station. The fact is that we had a small child with us who needed to change diapers. . This was another reason for choosing this gas station, since there is a changing table in the restroom, which my wife found out about on , planning our route in advance.

For the rest of the crew (there were four of us), who were pretty hungry on the way, the main “bonus” was the presence here the already familiar cuisine of the restaurant of the A la minute chain, which we trust, because we have tested it more than once. By the way, a note to parents traveling with children - these restaurants even have dishes on the menu that are recommended for little guests (at the table next to us, the little one eagerly devoured children's pasta). The wife preferred the Caesar salad and Mille-feuille dessert, her sister preferred steamed buckwheat with goulash, and the male half each took borscht and a juicy pork steak. We didn’t have to wait long for our order, but while we were having lunch, we managed to get our car washed at a good discount using the points accumulated on our Fishka card - nice!

After a hearty lunch, I really wanted to take the short road along the sea, which Google maps suggested. But after Belgorod-Dnestrovsky it became clear that it was simply terrible, driving above 40 km/h without damaging the suspension and riders was difficult, so we turned onto the notorious M-15 road (Odessa-Reni), which partially coincides with the European E- 87.

Monument to the Old Believer pioneer - the founder of Vilkovo

At the same time, this territory was being populated by Zaporozhye Cossacks, who fled persecution after the destruction of the Zaporozhye Sich. To this day, Lipovans represent the majority of the city’s population. They have preserved many of their religious traditions.
There are three churches in the city: Orthodox and two Old Believer Lipovan churches. Since 1812, after the signing of the Peace of Bucharest, Vilkovo has been a district town in the Besarabia province.