On the territory of modern Ukraine, cities began to appear in the princely period. Each prince considered it his duty to lay a city in the new lands, thereby strengthening the borders of Russia and the state itself.
From the very beginning, a large number of residents concentrated in urban settlements. For example, in Kiev, the mother of Russian cities, by the beginning of the XI century more than 50 thousand inhabitants lived, while the population of Paris or London did not exceed 25 thousand people at that time.
But back in our time and consider the largest cities of Ukraine, based on the population.
The largest cities of Ukraine:
12
Vinnitsa (370,000 people)
The name comes from the Old Slavonic word “vno”, which means “gift”, although there are other versions. Interestingly, over time, the name of the place, consonant with wine, really became the center of distillation.
On the site of modern Vinnitsa during archaeological excavations, evidence of the presence of Scythians and ancient Russian tribes of Uglich and Tiberts was found here. A relatively small and cozy town today has 370 thousand inhabitants and is the center of the Vinnitsa region.
Among the attractions, it is worth noting the museum-estate of the famous Russian surgeon Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov.
11
Lugansk (409,000 people)
Now it’s hard to know exactly how many residents live in this easternmost city of Ukraine. But, before the outbreak of hostilities, the population of the city on the shore of Lugani totaled more than 400 thousand people.
The first settlements on the territory of the modern city arose in the Paleolithic era, as evidenced by archaeological research on its territory. On July 14, 1795, a decree was issued by Catherine II on the creation of the Lugansk Iron Foundry, which was the beginning of the history of the city.
Twice Lugansk was renamed in honor of Marshal Clement Voroshilov, and was called Voroshilovgrad.
10
Mariupol (450,000 people)
The first information about the existence of a settlement on the shores of the Sea of Azov dates back to the beginning of the 16th century, when a Cossack fortress existed between Kalchik and Kalmius rivers. In 1779, the settlement was named Mariupol.
Catherine resettled the Greeks here, who were taken out of the power of the Crimean Khanate. Today, a large engineering and metallurgical center of Ukraine has 450 thousand inhabitants.
In the Soviet period of history, it was called Zhdanov, in honor of the Soviet politician and member of the government Andrei Zhdanov.
9
Nikolaev (486,000 people)
One of the most beautiful and picturesque cities in the south of Ukraine, Nikolaev stands at the confluence of the Bug and Ingul, merging, they form an estuary and flow into the Black Sea.
And the city of the Russian Empire was founded in 1788 by Prince Grigory Potemkin. It was by his decree that the shipyard was laid at the mouth of Ingul.
And today, Nikolaev, with a population of 486 thousand people, is considered the city of shipbuilders, although ships are almost never produced here.
8
Kryvyi Rih (628,000 people)
Photo by Andrew J.Kurbiko / CC BY-SA
The longest city not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe. According to official figures, its length is 126 kilometers, while on Google maps you can measure the length of the city, which is equal to 67 km, but this is a lot. And if you look at it from a bird's eye view, it really resembles a curved horn, located on a curve in the bend of the Dnieper.
The first written mention of Krivoy Rog dates back to 1775, although the settlement here existed much earlier. According to testimonies in 1765 a church was already standing here.
Today, almost 630 thousand people live in the largest center of the metallurgical industry.
7
Lviv (724,700 people)
Today's regional center of western Ukraine was founded by Prince Daniil of Galicia and named after his eldest son Leo, and at one time was the capital of the Galician-Volyn principality.
For the first time in chronicles it is mentioned under 1256 as a fortified settlement of the Principality of Galicia. Throughout its history, it was part of different states, and finally returned to Ukraine (then USSR) in 1939.
In Lviv, many monuments of architecture and history of different eras have been preserved, and today it is a large cultural center with a population of 724 thousand.
6
Zaporozhye (738,700 people)
More recently, namely in the summer of 2014, the history of the regional center of Ukraine has changed dramatically. For a long time, the date of its foundation was considered to be 1770, when the Alexander Fortress was laid.
But the city council decided to postpone the date to 952, when there was no settlement on the site of Zaporozhye, but simply in the Byzantine treatise mentions the crossing of Krariya near the island of Khortitsa.
Of course, Cossack settlements appeared here before the foundation of the fortress, and today Zaporozhye (until 1921 - Alexandrovsk) is a large industrial center with a population of 738 thousand.
5
Donetsk (913,200 people)
The population of the capital of Donbass in Soviet times exceeded 1 million. And, as you know, in the USSR, metro was built in million-plus cities. Donetsk did not have time, the Union collapsed, and the subway has not been built so far.
It was here that the largest coal deposits in Europe were discovered. For a long time it was called Stalin and was the center of the Stalin region, and in 1961 it was renamed to Donetsk.
Now it’s hard to say how many residents remained in Donetsk, because many left their homes as a result of hostilities. But Donetsk, despite the destruction, remains one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, in which roses still bloom, and residents hope for a speedy peace and revival. Thebiggest editorial office hopes that soon the difficult military-political situation in the city will be resolved.
4
Dnipro (966,400 people)
Until 2016, it was called Dnepropetrovsk, and in the Russian Empire it was the center of the Yekaterinoslav province, because it was built by decree of Catherine II and named after her - Yekaterinoslav.
At the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries, it bore the name Novorossiysk, and now falling under the Ukrainian law on decommunization, it lost part of the name.
Today, about 1 million people live in the city, and the Dnieper itself, as it sounds strange, is spread on two banks of the Dnieper. It is the center of the Dnipropetrovsk region and one of the largest regional centers of Ukraine in terms of area.
3
Odessa (993,100 people)
Odessa was founded by decree of Empress Catherine II in 1791 on the site of an ancient settlement near the Black Sea. Over time, it became a real gem with a cheerful and cheerful people, the center of humor throughout Europe.
It was designed by French engineers and architects, and has a unique development. All the streets of old Odessa overlook the sea.
Today, about 1 million people live in Odessa, and in the summer, thousands of tourists come to see the sights, walk along Deribasovskaya and swim in the warm sea.
2
Kharkov (1,419,000 people)
For a long time, Kharkov was the scientific center of Ukraine, and after the formation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1922, until 1936 it was the capital of Ukraine.
Archaeological excavations confirmed that there was a Scythian settlement on the site of modern Kharkov, then the Polovtsy chose this place, and in 1656, at the direction of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, a Russian fortress was erected.
The history of Kharkov begins with this fortress, whose population today is 1.42 million people.
1
Kiev (2 884 000 people)
This city was founded, according to legend, by three brothers and a sister, and named the settlement by the name of Kiy's older brother. In 882, it became the capital of the Russian Principality.
There is something to see in Kiev. Ancient temples and cathedrals, magnificent parks and squares, embankments. Situated on the banks of the Dnieper, it has become a truly cultural and educational center.
In light of recent events, Kiev has slightly lost its position as a safe city, so the flow of tourists has significantly decreased. But its population is growing, and today it is somewhere around 2.9 million people.
Did you know that Kiev is on the list of cities with the most beautiful women on the planet?
Conclusion
Here, perhaps, are all the major cities of Ukraine. But no matter how large the urban settlement is, it is primarily famous for people who create beauty and create the history of their native land. Only through love can it be possible to breathe beauty, life and splendor into urban buildings, streets and parks.