"Cold with Pride" Top 5 Page for this destination Donets'k by traveloturc

Donets'k Travel Guide: 91 reviews and 358 photos

Donets'k

Donetsk is the administrative centre of the Donetsk region. It was founded in 1689 by English technician-metallurgist J.J.Hughes who built the smithy that became the first production line of future metallurgical plant. Donetsk was known as Hughsofka till 1924 and Stalino till 1961. It was given the status of city in 1917 and became the capital of the Donetsk region in 1932. Donetsk is a major industrial, scientific and cultural centre with a population of 1132700 today. There are 3 theatres, a Philharmonic Hall, a planetarium, 29 museums and 500 libraries in the city. Donetsk has become one of the most beautiful Ukrainian cities

A little History

symbol of the city

Donetsk was known as Hughsofka till 1924 and Stalino till 1961. It was given the status of city in 1917 and became the capital of the Donetsk region in 1932.The history of Donetsk is eventful and full of contrasts. Started from small mine settlement, Donetsk has grown into a major administrative centre and a city of advanced industry, science and culture. The city has 1,131,700 inhabitants (2005); the metropolitan area has 1,566,000 inhabitants (2004). It is the fourth-largest city in Ukraine.
By 1874 Yuzofka metallurgic works ranked first in iron-casting among Russian metallurgical enterprises, thus transforming the South of the country into a major industrial region. Apart from iron- and steel-production, machine-building and coal-mining were significantly boosted. By the beginning of the XX c. Yuzovka had approximately 50,000 inhabitants and it attained the status of a city in 1917. After the October revolution (1917), in 1924 Yuzovka the city's name was changed to Stalino after Joseph Stalin. The Nazi invasion during WWII almost completely destroyed the city, which was mostly rebuilt on a large scale in 1950-1960-ies. During Nikita Khrushchev’s second wave of destalinization immediately after the 22-nd Communist Party Congress in November 1961, all Soviet cities named after Stalin were renamed.

Industry and culture

Donetsk is a major industrial, scientific and cultural centre with a population of 1132700 today. There are 3 theatres, a Philharmonic Hall, a planetarium, 29 museums and 500 libraries in the city. Donetsk has become one of the most beautiful Ukrainian cities.
According to the statistics Donetsk has one of the highest standards of living in the region. When one visits Donetsk he must keep in mind that the city was born anew after the devastating years of WWII. One of the characteristic features of the architectural outlook of Donetsk is the abundance of monuments constructed in typical socialist style: symbolic monument to a miner that is called “Glory to the miners’ labour”; classic monument to Shevchenko; monument to the state and Bolshevik party leader Artyom that was a “must” to be unveiled everywhere in this area during the Soviet time.

Last visit to Donets'k: Feb 2009
Intro Updated Feb 19, 2009
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Reviews (16)

Municipality Garden Things to Do (5)

In the back of the Municipality there is a garden full of "fer forge" works of local artists Do not miss to vist this... more travel advice

St. Transfiguration Cathedral - Donets'k

St. Transfiguration Cathedral Things to Do (5)

At St. Transfiguration Cathedral you will find the union of spirit and flesh. The cathedral is named after the Christian... more travel advice

Donetsk Airport Transportation (1)

At Donetsk International Airport is located 5 miles from the city, the comfort level is too low ..departude lodge is... more travel advice

New way of consuming Shopping (1)

Donetsk-Citi is a regional shopping mall. It was opened in 2006. The shopping centre will be a pleasant surprise for... more travel advice

Nightlife (1)
Something Special
Restaurants (6)
See All Victorian

Hotels (2)
See All Hommage to a Lady
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Comments (6)

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KiKitC Mar 12, 2009 at 3:03 AM

Fantastic tips. I sure hope that replica cannon isn't life-size. Could you imagine trying to load those cannonballs? Yikes! Have a marvelous birthday.
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Hilde_K Feb 27, 2009 at 5:35 AM

All restaurants are expensive in price... Please do not forget the budget travellers.. ;-)
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Redang Feb 24, 2009 at 9:48 AM

Great page!
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Kuznetsov_Sergey Feb 20, 2009 at 11:16 AM

Excellent page about this great city in the Russian-speaking part of Ukraine! I've never been there, thank you for showing it. The before yesterday I watched on TV the Shahtar-Tottenhem match from that new stadium. Yes, Rinat Akhmetov has enough money!
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Rumi-fan Feb 20, 2009 at 2:42 AM

Macit, Your information on UKR is interesting. I hope the building of the stadium gave much employment to many. My brother has been there several times and reports the country is in a bad way....sadly. Well i dont know really. Well done on yr pages.
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hunterV Feb 19, 2009 at 9:03 AM

Yes, the stadium is going to be SUPERB!