Nikolaev (Mykolaiv) is a city and administrative center of Nikolaev oblast (region), southern Ukraine, on the estuary of the Yuzhny Bug River, about 40 miles (65 km) from the Black Sea. City of Nikolaev is a big transportation junction (sea port, commercial port, river port, highway and railway junction, airport). City of Nikolaev population is about 539 000.

The specific natural conditions of the region refer it to the steppe zone. The climate is moderate and continental with a mild low snow winter and a hot dry summer. Natural and climatic conditions of the region are favorable for intensive high efficiency development of agriculture.

History

The town was founded in 1789 by the Russian Governor General of Novorossiya Knyaz Potemkin initially as a shipyard called simply a New Shipyard on the Ingul river. Knyaz Potemkin signed an order to construct a shipyard on August 27, 1789, which is considered to be a city birth date. The shipyard was to serve for the repair of the Russian Navy ships in the Russo-Turkish war. Later Potemkin ordered the shipyard to be named Nikolaev to commemorate the date of fall of Ochakov to the Russian troops under his command on December 6, 1788, close to the day of Saint Nicholas (Nikolay) December 19, in the Russian Orthodox Church.

The history of the city has always been closely connected to the ship building.

The only Russian Navy aircraft carrier currently in commission, Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov, was built in Mykolaiv.

Education

National Shipbuilding University; Pedagogical University; Agrarian University; Petro Mohyla Humanitarian University.

Economy

City of Nikolaev is now one of the most important Ukrainian Black Sea ports, serving the Krivoy Rog area and extensive steppe grain lands. Nikolaev is one of the biggest shipbuilding centers of the Ukraine. The city also has a wide range of other engineering and consumer-goods industries. An alumina-processing plant utilizing imported bauxite was built in the 1970s in the northern suburb of Zhovtnevoye in city of Nikolaev.

City of Nikolaev is now one of the most important Ukrainian Black Sea ports, serving the Krivoy Rog area and extensive steppe grain lands. Nikolaev is one of the biggest shipbuilding centers of the Ukraine. The city also has a wide range of other engineering and consumer-goods industries. An alumina-processing plant utilizing imported bauxite was built in the 1970s in the northern suburb of Zhovtnevoye in city of Nikolaev.

Main Attractions

Nikolaev is a modern city in appearance, laid out on a gridiron pattern of broad streets. City of Nikolaev is an important cultural center. Nikolaev has ship-building and teacher-training institutes.

See

Ukrainian theatre. Russian drama theatre. Zoo (one of the biggest in Ukraine). Museum of Shipbuilding and Fleet. Museum of Arts. Lutheran Church. Catholic Church. Russian Orthodox Church (1825). Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Synagogue. Astronomical observatory (1821, 31.58E,46.58N). Swimming pool 'Vodoley'. Radsad wineries. Old Greek settlement Olvio (30 km). Yacht-club. Sovietskaya (main pedestrian street in town) is the place to be any night of the week with several gorgeous parks and lots of shopping.

How to get to Nikolaev

By plane : There is no airport at Mykolayiv (Nikolaev). Nearest airport is Odessa. There are daily flights to odessa operated by "Ukraine International Aairlines",Austrian Airlines, Polish Airline "LOT", Czech Airline "CSA", Hungarian Airline "Malev".

By train: Direct trains to Moscow (26 hours), Kiev (10), Lviv (18), Odesa (5), the Crimea (8 hours) depart every day. All trains have coach cars.

By car: Main routes to Kherson (65 km), Odesa (120), Uman' (320), Chishinau (325), the Crimea (350), Kiev (500), Kharkiv (520), Lviv (950). Usually gas is cheaper than in W.Europe, approximately the same price as in N.America. Check if you can hire a driver with a car. Be careful if you travel alone and don't forget to carry a mobile phone. Hitchhiking is not recommended. The roads are terrible and dangereous.

By bus: Direct daily connections to Kyiv (10 hours), Kharkiv (12), Odesa (2), the Crimea (6), Cishinau (7), Khmelnytsky (11), Donetsk (12), Rostov-na-Donu (17), Minsk (23). Be prepared to sleep in the bus seat if you decide to take night coach. Bus to Hamburg, Germany (42-hour trip) departs twice a week.

By boat: Even though Mykolayiv has a major Ukrainian commercial sea port (5 mln.t in 2004), there are no regular passenger lines.