Kremenets Hill

On the right bank of the Siverskyi Donets River stands not only the healing spring of the Mother of God, but also the highest point in Kharkiv Oblast — Mount Kremenets. The first mention of it appears in historical records from 1843. The geologist Murchison studied it in his works. The mountain rises to an elevation of 218 m above sea level. At the very top of the hill in the 14th century there was a Tatar fortress called “kremen”. According to one version, the mountain’s name comes from this word. However, the final name took shape only after the territory was annexed to the Russian Empire. It was in those times that renaming began in earnest, making names sound more Slavic. Thus, kremen turned into Kremenets.

Photo from uk.wikipedia.org

After climbing the mountain, a composition of stone babas immediately catches the eye — ancient monuments that appeared here during the time of nomadic tribes. In addition to them, there are also several sights here: memorial plaques engraved with the names of fallen soldiers, an obelisk on the grave of an unknown soldier, and a monument to the victims of the Holodomor. A TV tower was installed here in 1969. The mountain is a source of pride for the city, as it is valued not only for its history, but also for the beautiful view it offers.

Interesting facts:

• According to legend, the stone figures are the bodies of people who lived on the mountain and worshipped the sun god. In anger at the people, he turned them into stone statues that still stand on the mountain today.
• Competitions for model aircraft enthusiasts are held on the mountain every year.
• One version of the origin of the mountain’s name is linked to the quarry nearby. Silicon was extracted from this quarry.