Olha Kobylianska Street

Olgi Kobylianskoi Street — is not only a popular tourist spot Chernihiv, but also its pride and adornment. It is the city’s only pedestrian street, distinguished by its interesting 300-year history and unique architecture. According to local stories, the street was so important to the townspeople that they swept it with bouquets of roses. This is evidenced by the monument to the street cleaner, installed here in 2017. Historical records also state that peasants who came here to trade first cleaned the mud from their shoes before walking along this street.

The character of Kobylianska Street is felt in every detail: above the high arched passages, old lanterns have stood since the city was electrified; many comfortable benches have been installed for passers-by, the sidewalks are decorated with potted trees, the air carries the smell of roasted coffee, and music can be heard from local cafes and restaurants.

Kobylianska Street will be of interest not only as a place for walks, but also as an epicenter of important architectural landmarks. Almost every house has a unique history:

• For more than 100 years, banking institutions have been continuously housed in House No.1. On the first floor is Panska Huralnia, where you can enjoy dishes of Bukovynian cuisine.
• In the 19th century, House No.3 was a favorite leisure spot of the local elite. Wealthy young people played billiards here and held candlelit dance evenings.
• House No.12 is marked by a giant mirror (4 m high), which belonged to the luxurious photo studio that once occupied this building. Almost 100 years ago, there was a shop selling porcelain and blown glass here. Today, the main feature of this place is a cafe-museum founded by Austrian businessmen.
• The oldest building on the street is House No.22.
• House No.28 is home to the Chernivtsi Regional Museum of Local History.
• The local civil registry office is located in House No.29.
• House No.40 is a place that superstitious people avoid, since this building has 13 windows.
• House No.40, built in the Gothic style, is the German House, where the museum of Heorhii Drozdovskyi is located. He was an outstanding German poet born in Chernivtsi.

Not far from Kobylianska Street are some of the city’s main landmarks: the 19th-century Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, the Armenian church, and the town hall.