__Mykola Datsenko

__Mayor

__Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi is situated on the right bank of Dnistro estuary within 20 kilometres from the Black Sea. It is situated in Odesa region and has over 2500-year history. The city was founded in 502 B.C. by ancient Greek people on the crossroad of trade ways. It first names were Ofiusa and Tira. In general the city had about twenty different names. Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi suffered a lot during the period of its existence: it was under Rome supremacy, was included to the structure of Kyivan Rus, was conquered by Tatar-Mongols, its masters were Venetians, Genoese people, Hungarians, Polish and Moldavians. For three hundred years the city was under Turkish yoke, it was a part of Russian imperia, from 1918 to 1940 it belonged to Romania, and finally in 1944 it entered the structure of Ukraine.

__One of the main pages of the history of the city belongs to the history of Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi fortress - notorious note of medieval defence architecture and one of the largest and most powerful constructions of the 13-15th centuries on the territory of Ukraine. The fortress was erected on remains of ancient Tira, and the history of its construction is connected with necessity to defend the city from assaults of numerous enemies. For centuries the fortress played important role in the history of our state and not once defended the city. It kept its original structure and is one of the most well-saved medieval notes. People are surprised at its originality when have a deal with its history.

__The city itself is very interesting and unique. It has no rivals in number of interpenetrating cultures, and in dramatic character and importance of its history. Temples of significant municipal communities (Armenian, Moldavian, Greek) belong to the same period of erection as the fortress. A perfect model of cultural construction in Ukraine - church of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin (Armenian) of the 13-14th centuries, underground Ioann Suchavskyi church of the 14-15th centuries and very archaic in construction Saint Ioann Predtechya church (Greek) of the 13-14th centuries. Underground Ioann Suchavskyi church is erected over the well on the place where I. Suchavskyi died. The church that got the name of the saint, protector of Bessarabia, always occupied important place in orthodox life of the region.

__The 19th century added another three cult constructions to architectural content of the city. They are grand Svyato-Voznesenskyi temple in Akkerman, Bulgarian Svyato-Georgievska church and Svyato-Mykolaivska church.

__The city was visited by Herodotus and Mitridat, Nogay khan and sultan Bayazid, ancient Russian princes Kyi, Igor, Oleg, Svyatoslav, commander Kutuzov, writers Pushkin, Gorkiy, Mitskevych, Katayev and L. Ukrainka.

__Tourist development is a priority direction of economic development of the city. Peculiarities of its geographic position, advantageous climate conditions, rich historical past, and presence of architectural notes create opportunity of development of highly remunerative tourist- recreation sphere. Annually about 200 thousand tourists visit the city.

__The main note is medieval fortress. Annually it is visited by thousands tourists who want to see knight tournaments "Steel League", theatrical performance "Assault of Akkerman fortress". Annually youth festival "Fortress" is held in Akkerman fortress under the guidance of Prime Minister of Ukraine. Perfect sound, laser show, large professional stage, popular collectives of Ukrainian music, beautiful fireworks are accompanied by a view at Dnistro estuary and sea edge on horizon.

__Rest areas of resorts Zatoka and Sergiyivka with unique natural conditions for curing and rest of people are administratively subordinated to the city.

__Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi is a special city not only for Ukrainian history, it is a world history. There are not many objects of that level, that is why municipal authority does its best to save historical note and popularize information about ancient Akkerman.

__Black Sea resort Zatoka is situated in ecologically clean area on a spit between Dnistro estuary and the Black Sea within 18 kilometres from Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi. There are over 250 different sanitary establishments. Sergiyivka is a Black Sea climate and mud-bath resort that enters the zone of Odesa resorts. There are no industrial enterprises within 60 kilometres from the resort, that is why Sergiyivka is ecologically clean area. Warm season lasts from April to October. Number of sunny days counts over 290 days a year or 2030 sunny hours. Resort sanatoriums successfully cure diseases of support-motor apparatus, central and peripheral nervous systems, respiratory and digestive apparatus, gynaecological and urological inflammatory diseases; they realize curing of children and teenagers that live in Ukrainian regions with increased radiation, and also rehabilitation of participants of liquidation of Chornobyl catastrophe.

__From one point of view Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi is an ancient city that has its age-old history, from another point of view, it is a perspective and dynamically developing city with great economic potential. It is a city that unites all of us by love to our past and present and makes us think about our future.

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__56 Lenin Street, 67700 Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi,

__Odesa region, Ukraine

__tel.: +38 (04849) 3-17-94

__fax: +38 (04849) 3-17-94

__e-mail: b_d_turizm@mail.ru

__http: bilgorod-d.org.ua