Last updated on December 18, 2023.

Detinets Park is the oldest part of Chernihiv. It was the location of ancient Chernihiv, founded around 700. The park is part of the Ancient Chernihiv National Architectural and Historical Reserve, and contains several historic buildings and monuments. It’s also a nice place to relax and have an ice cream while sitting under the shade of the trees.

 

Collegium

In the center of the park, there are two religious buildings that have been converted into museums. The first building I came to is the Collegium. Once the residence of the Archbishop of Chernihiv, it now houses a museum of Ukrainian iconography. Admission is ₴40 (as of April 2022).

Collegium at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Collegium
Collegium at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Collegium
Collegium at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Exhibits inside the Collegium
Collegium at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Exhibits inside the Collegium

In front of the Collegium is a monument to Ivan Mazepa, the Hetman of Zaporizhian Host from 1689 to 1708. A hetmanate was equivalent to the head of state.

Ivan Mazepa monument at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Ivan Mazepa monument

 

Saints Boris and Gleb Cathedral

Next is Saints Boris and Gleb Cathedral. It was built in 1120 and also houses a small museum. The church was founded by Prince David, a grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. A statue of Igor II, a Grand Prince of Kyiv and saint in the Orthodox Church, sits behind the cathedral. Admission is ₴30 or ₴50 with a local guide (as of April 2022).

Saints Boris and Gleb Cathedral at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Saints Boris and Gleb Cathedral
Igor Chernigov statue at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Igor Chernigov statue

The two museums are not worth the price of admission. It’s better to admire the buildings from the outside and save your money. I also found one of the old ladies at the door to be very rude when she realized I didn’t understand Ukrainian or Russian.

 

Transfiguration Cathedral

Transfiguration Cathedral, a functioning church built in 1033, sits in the center of the park near the first two buildings. It’s apparently the oldest church in the Ukraine. Prince Mstislav of Chernihiv (d. 1035) is buried inside.

Transfiguration Cathedral at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Transfiguration Cathedral
Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Transfiguration Cathedral

 

Other Buildings

Other buildings in the park include the Chernihiv State Archives, the Tarnovsky Chernihiv Regional History Museum, and the Chernihiv Regional Art Museum. I didn’t visit either of the museums.

Chernihiv State Archives at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Chernihiv State Archives

 

Promenade

The southern end of the park features a promenade lined with cannons and some great views of the countryside and the Desna River. There’s also a monument to Ukrainian writer Taras Shevchenko.

Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Detinets Park
Desna River at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Desna River
Taras Shevchenko monument at Detinets Park in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Taras Shevchenko monument

 

St. Catherine’s Church

Across from the park is St. Catherine’s Church, which was built in 1715. It was constructed in honor of the bravery of the Chernihiv regiment of Cossacks during the storming of the Ottoman fortress of Azov. The Soviets used the building as a museum.

St. Catherine's Church in Chernihiv, Ukraine
St. Catherine’s Church
St. Catherine's Church in Chernihiv, Ukraine
St. Catherine’s Church

 

Monument to the Fighters for Freedom and Independence of the Ukraine

Near the church is the Monument to the Fighters for Freedom and Independence of the Ukraine. The flowered Heroes’ Alley leads from the church into central Chernihiv.

Monument to the Fighters for Freedom and Independence of the Ukraine in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Monument to the Fighters for Freedom and Independence of the Ukraine
Heroes' Alley in Chernihiv, Ukraine
Heroes’ Alley

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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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