“Sofiyivka” is situated on the picturesque banks of the river Kamianka and is known as “park of love”. It was built by Polish magnate Stanislaw Szczenny Potocki as a present for his wife Sophia Witt. The park which stretches upon an area of about 180 hectares, and today impresses visitors with its unique beauty and mysterious romance.
The author of “Sofiyivka” project, as well as the director of all construction works, was a talented Polish artillery officer, Captain Ludwig Christian Metzel (1764–1848). The reason for choosing the valley of the Kamianka River for the construction of the park was the natural beauty of the area, granite deposits as a building material and the availability of water. Successfully having used the natural terrain, Ludwig Metzel used his experience as a military engineer to build artificial rocks, creating landscape areas. This masterpiece was created in a short time, which has amazed visitors with its beauty for 225 years. Strange landscapes, exotic plants, antique sculptures, ponds, cascades, fountains, stone grottoes – all this can be seen by visiting the park.
“Sofiyivka” is situated on the picturesque banks of the river Kamianka and is known as “park of love”. It was built by Polish magnate Stanislaw Szczenny Potocki as a present for his wife Sophia Witt. The park which stretches upon an area of about 180 hectares, and today impresses visitors with its unique beauty and mysterious romance.
The author of “Sofiyivka” project, as well as the director of all construction works, was a talented Polish artillery officer, Captain Ludwig Christian Metzel (1764–1848). The reason for choosing the valley of the Kamianka River for the construction of the park was the natural beauty of the area, granite deposits as a building material and the availability of water. Successfully having used the natural terrain, Ludwig Metzel used his experience as a military engineer to build artificial rocks, creating landscape areas. This masterpiece was created in a short time, which has amazed visitors with its beauty for 225 years. Strange landscapes, exotic plants, antique sculptures, ponds, cascades, fountains, stone grottoes – all this can be seen by visiting the park.
Any composition or small architectural form is not only beautiful in form, but also contains a certain idea, expresses the idea of a myth or an event. All this is so well done and thought out and interconnected that it merges into a single symphony of beauty.
The park is built in the English (landscape) style. The new parts of the park, which are being actively reconstructed, have been created in accordance with the requirements of the Florentine Charter in order to preserve the historic part of the park. In 2007, “Sofiyivka” was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.
Nowadays “Sofiyivka” is the largest center for introduction and acclimatization of plants of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, where there are 3500 taxons of various plants. Modern “Sofiyivka” combines the functions of a tourist site, a museum of landscape art and a center for the protection and flora investigation.
Any composition or small architectural form is not only beautiful in form, but also contains a certain idea, expresses the idea of a myth or an event. All this is so well done and thought out and interconnected that it merges into a single symphony of beauty.
The park is built in the English (landscape) style. The new parts of the park, which are being actively reconstructed, have been created in accordance with the requirements of the Florentine Charter in order to preserve the historic part of the park. In 2007, “Sofiyivka” was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.
Nowadays “Sofiyivka” is the largest center for introduction and acclimatization of plants of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, where there are 3500 taxons of various plants. Modern “Sofiyivka” combines the functions of a tourist site, a museum of landscape art and a center for the protection and flora investigation.