Vinnitsa as a small settlement was founded on the picturesque banks of the Southern Bug river in 1363 by Lithuanian Prince Olgert.

But numerous archeological excavations have proved that Slavic tribes lived in this area as far back as deep antiquity. The history of this land is closely connected with the names of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Ivan Bogun, Maxim Krivonos, Yustim Karmalyuk and many other heroes of Ukrainian people. Since the Middle Ages and XVII-XLX centuries, pieces of a tall brick town wall, several churches and cathedrals, as well as many private residences have remained, which are used for different purposes.

If you are interested in history, it would be worthwhile to visit our museum of Local Lore which is situated in the center of Vinnitsa near the bridge across the Southern Bug. There are expositions devoted to various periods of the development of Vinnitsa - from the times of antique coins, vases and cutlery of the Slavs to the modern examples of products which Vinnitsa enterprises produce.

The citizens of Vinnitsa and our guests like to attend the estate-museum of famous doctor Pirogov (1810-1881), the founder of the battle-field surgery, a famous scientist and pedagogue.

He invented narcosis, gypseous cast and many other things. One of the main streets in our town, the Medical University and the regional hospital are named after him. On Pirogov street, you can see the monument to this outstanding doctor. The monument was unveiled in 1971 on the occasion of the centenary of the Red Cross Society in Russia. Every day many tourists from Ukrainian towns and villages, as well as from abroad, come to this estate- museum on excursions. They can look at the rooms where the professor wrote his scientific works, examined patients, rested, listened to music by P. Tchaikovsky, etc.

They will surely enjoy walking in the park that surrounds the house. Some old trees in the park were planted by Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov and the members of his family. Not far from this place, there is a church which the family attended, and the burial vault where the embalmed body of the scientist is kept.

Many of our guests enjoy visiting the museum of the classic of Ukrainian literature Michailo Kotsubinskiy (1864-1913). The small white washed house where he lived with his family is in the center of Vinnitsa.

It was Kotsubinskiy who first thought about creating of a public library in Vinnitsa. There is a monument to the writer near the house, and the street where it stands is named after Kotsubinskiy.

There is one more place in our town which is known all over the world – Hitler's Headquarters. It is situated between Vinnitsa and the village of Strizhavka.

During the Great Patriotic War, many soldiers and officers were captured and imprisoned in special camps. There were engineers, builders and good workers among them. They were picked out and taken to Vinnitsa to build a huge underground structure for Hitler and his staff. Many thousands of people were shot after the headquarters was built. All the entrances were concreted, mined and hidden. At the end of World War 2 this place was heavily bombarded, and still nobody really knows what is inside.

Many talented people lived and visited our region. For example, in the village of Tymanivka (Tulchin region) Suvorov's regiments practiced their military art. The house where the general lived is still kept as a museum. You can see the uniform, weapon and ammunition of the Russian army of that time.

Alexander Mozhaisky lived in the village of Voronovitsa, Vinnitsa region. He designed the first Russian aircraft and spent his own money for this invention. Now the village has an aviation museum in the house where the scientist lived.

In Kukavka, Mogiliv-Podilsky region, you can attend a church. It was painted by young Vasiliy Tropinin, famous Russian artist whose canvases are exhibited in the best art galleries of the world. Our museum of Local Lore also has the honour of keeping some of his paintings.

The town of Nemirov was the birth place of great Russian poet Nikolai Nekrasov. There is a monument to him there. The former palace of Princess Shcherbatova is the monument itself. It was visited by outstanding Ukrainian composer M. Lysenko, Ukrainian writer M.Vovchock, Russian composer P.Tchaikovsky and other well-known people. P.Tchaikovsky was a frequent guest to the estate of countess Fon Mekk.

Now Vinnitsa is one of the 25 regions of Ukraine. It is situated in the central part of Ukraine. The total area of Vinnitsa region is about 16 thousand sq. miles, the population of city is about half a million people.

The main rivers are the Southern Bug and the Dniester. We also have nearly 50 small rivers and 2300 lakes. The natural resources are the following: deposits of granite, lime stone, clay, sand and mineral spring water in several places. Our rivers and lakes are full of fish: carps, pikes, perches, catfishes.

There are insects: bees, butterflies, ladybirds, grasshoppers, different bags and gadflies.

Forests and green meadows are stores of berries and mushrooms. There, one can meet animals such as field mice, hedgehogs, hares, wild goats, boars.

The climate of Vinnitsa region is moderately humid. The usual temperature in summer is +22°C, in winter - 6°C. The bathing season lasts from June to August and many citizens go picnicking in open air on weekends. Sometimes, you can come across a wolf or an elk.

The most frequent birds in our region are robins, sparrows, crooks, storks, starlings, magpies, blackbirds.

Oaks, birches, maples, pines, elms and asps are usual forest trees. In the streets and parks there are limes, poplars, ash-trees, snow-balls trees, lilac and jasmine. You can see as many chestnut trees as in Kyiv.

As an administrative center of Ukraine, Vinnitsa is the seat of the local legislative, executive and judicial branches of the power in the region.

It is quite obvious that Vinnitsa is the main industrial, transport, agricultural, cultural, and educational center of the region. The enterprises of Vinnitsa and industrial centres such as Kalynivka, Zhmerinka, Gaisin, Bershad etc can produce chemicals, motors and instruments, radio and TV lamps, building details, furniture, food products.

Vinnitsa is known as agricultural center because the fertile soil of the region is favorable for vegetables in and fruit trees. The main crop is sugar beet. Sugar beets raising and sugar industry are widely spread.

Although Vinnitsa region has a great economical and agricultural potential but still most of the enterprises do not work and unemployment is constantly increasing.

The Agricultural Academy, the Technical University, the University of Trade and Economy and the Medical University train the specialists almost for every branch of economy.

Vinnitsa is the cultural center not only for its historical places, museums and monuments but also because of two theaters, several dancing ensembles an choirs. Drama theater named after well-known Ukrainian actor Sadovsky is situated in the center of Vinnitsa. Theater visitors can enjoy dramas, comedies, musicals performed by local actor company.