Basilian Monastery

Thanks to Kyiv voivode Frantsišek Selezii Pototskyi, the Basilian Monastery appeared in Uman in 1765 — a substantial building constructed in the classical style. It was not only a place for Basilian monks and missionaries to live, but also one of the city’s educational institutions. About 400 students studied here. At the height of its prosperity, the Uman monastery was liquidated by the Russian government, which confiscated all of Count Pototskyi’s property. Since then, the building served as premises for the city administration, a hospital and even an Orthodox church.

Photo from the website risu.ua

From 1858, the monastery was turned into a barracks, and part of its premises was used for court hearings. With the arrival of Soviet power, the monastery was turned into a “proletarian theatre”, and later the military began using it.

Since 2006, the Basilian Monastery has been part of the historical and architectural reserve “Stara Uman”. Today it is a well-known tourist site, beneath which stretches a mysterious underground route.