""Little Vienna" between Russia and Turkey" Top 5 Page for this destination Chernivtsi by lotharlerch

Chernivtsi Travel Guide: 179 reviews and 434 photos

"Little Vienna" between Russia and Turkey - Chernivtsi

Chernivtsi is an under-rated place in under-rated Ukraine. It is a fascinating mix of all the different cultures meeting here. Although it is a rather young town it shows a rich cultural heritage. Bukovina, the region today divided between Ukraine and Romania, of which Chernivtsi is the capital, was brought up from a forgotten corner of the decaying Turkish empire by the colonization activities of the Habsburg empire. In the center it often reminds of a sorts Vienna in a nutshell. The dominant architecture in the center is - as in Vienna - from the late 19th century.
Although the both dominating groups from that time - the Jews and the Germans (who were culturally to a big extent one and the same) remain here only as small but still culturally active groups. Today's Chernivtsi is still multiethnic (Ukrainians, Romanians, Russians, Sinti and Roma, some Polish and the aready mentioned small sometimes still German speaking community (partly Jewish, partly Catholic)).
See also my travelogue on my Ukraine page!

Quite a surprise! The city is 600 years old!

One of the most glorious events of the city in recent time was the celebration of its 600th anniversary on the weekend 4 - 5 October 2008. We did not visit it that weekend (because hotel rates quadrupled for these days and the crowds and the noise of such an event are definitely not my cup of tea).

So we came the weekend after the celebrations. I know the city very well since 1996. The renovations of the city are really spectacular. It looks like that all these Austrian "belle epoque" buildings from late 19th century until beginning World War 1 have been built and inaugurated a few days ago. It shows at the same time that Chernivtsi wants to remember only about 10 % of the 600 years of its history - the 600 years old document of the foundation and the last 60 years of the Habsburg time. As an Austrian I feel now really very special here - all this renovation is a clear hommage to the last decades of the Austrian history of Chernivtsy.

The undisputed historical fact is that the city of Chernivtsi was close to nothing before the Habsburg colonization of the Bukovina started offering great opportunities for the indigenous people of the area (Romanians, Ukrainians, Jews and a small number of Russian, German, Polish, Slovak, Hungarian, Armenian and other people who settled here since a couple of generations before the territory became Austrian in 1775.

The opportunities turned out to be really great in particular for those who came to Chernivtsi sent by the Imperial government in Vienna from all the Habsburg Empire to develop the area. They attracted numerous entrepreneurs and business people and the fact that the Jews were given here equal citizens rights and opportunities attracted innumerables of them from all the wider areas around. They got the chance to fully develop their skills and opportunities which they never had before in Eastern Europe. The majority of them fully lived their religion but many changed from their Yiddish culture to the here leading and more prestigious German culture and language and became very active and important drivers and actors of it turning Chernivtsi into an island of progress in a sea of backwardness.

The picture - please enlarge it! - shows a poster for the 600 years celebration. You see on the left a view of a part of the Residence of the Metropolite of Bucovina and Dalmatia (today main building of the University) thus symbolizing the indigenous Bukovinites and at the right the Schillertheater symbolizing the Gerrman culture carried jointly by the Germans and the Jews.

Viribus Unitis! - the Imperial motto

Viribus Unitis (with united forces) was the motto of the Austrian Emperor (and Duke of Bucovina) Franz Josef I who ruled 68 years, 1848 - 1916. Here it is on the flag of a Students Corporation which I saw in the German House in Olga Kobylyanska Street (former Herrengasse). But this motto is also the motto of the city, brand new written in huge characters on the facade of the City Hall both in Ukrainain and in Latin.

Pros and Cons

Pros:To find such a city at this exotic location
In a nutshell:Vienna in a nutshell

Last visit to Chernivtsi: Oct 2008
Intro Updated Oct 23, 2008
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Reviews (26)

The Orthodox Cathedral Things to Do (14)

When coming down from Austriaplatz/pl. Soborna you first pass the Soviet Army memorial, then a small park and across... more travel advice

"THIS is our City" written here in Ukrainan - Chernivtsi

Austriaplatz (pl. Soborna), today and... Things to Do (14)

This is the highest point of the city. Before Chernivtsi and the Bukovina became Romanian in 1919 the square was... more travel advice

The old Christian Cemetry Things to Do (14)

this cemetry is just opposite the old Jewish one. I was here because a friend of mine was trying to find the graves of... more travel advice

"Austrian" Cafe in Deutsches Haus - Chernivtsi

"Austrian" Cafe in Deutsches Haus Restaurants (4)

It was only a question of time until a restaurant or cafe was opened on the ground floor of the German House. No wonder... more travel advice

Transportation (2)
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Favorites (2)
See All Visit Teatralna Ploshchad...
What to Pack (1)
Packing List

Off The Beaten Path (1)
The Kalina Market
Hotels (2)
See All Upmarket Soviet Hotel
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Travelogues (1)

Written Oct 18, 2008

7 photos

Old Postcards

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Comments (36)

globetrott Oct 28, 2008 at 1:37 PM Report Abuse

It is really interesting to see these great buildings built by Viennese K&K-architects there !Ach ja, als Behmen & auch Czernovitz noch bei Estrreich war, vor 100 jahr, da hat uns oft der Huat scho brennt, wir san schon manches g'wehnt...
HORSCHECK Apr 20, 2008 at 4:10 AM Report Abuse

Lothar, excellent and informative page about this Ukrainian gem. I will probably visit Chernivtsi nbext month and your fabulous page gave me a very good insight on what to expect.
om_212 Jan 2, 2008 at 10:32 AM Report Abuse

great updates on Chernivtsi. look forward to seeing this Bukovyna capital, this time very soon :)
nepalgoods Sep 1, 2007 at 10:01 PM Report Abuse

Thislovely page reminds me, that I would love to see Ukrain. Well, maybe next yera... Thanks for sharing.
yumyum Aug 3, 2007 at 6:00 AM Report Abuse

I hope to visit this city one day in the future. Thanks for the introduction.
Acirfa Dec 20, 2006 at 2:29 AM Report Abuse

Fascinating tips and a fascinating place. I have a friend travelling there in April '07 could you direct me to info on local holiday times there please, as she needs to know if there will be any hitches during her Easter break. Thank you.
OlenaKyiv Aug 11, 2005 at 5:52 AM Report Abuse

Reading your comments I could say that Chernivtsi are not so less know now :-) How old is that post card?
edvin_br Jul 16, 2005 at 4:55 AM Report Abuse

his town seems to have some beautidul architecture... really worth a visit! Nice page!
iandsmith Jan 12, 2005 at 2:51 AM Report Abuse

Never heard of the place. Fascinating.
yuke Nov 4, 2004 at 2:32 PM Report Abuse

Wow, would really like to vist the places mentioned by you!