Sofiyivsky Park, Scientific arboretum and botanical garden in Uman, Ukraine.
Sofiyivsky Park is an arboretum and botanical garden in Uman, located in central Ukraine. Spread across roughly 179 hectares, the site features native trees alongside species from other climates, while artificial water features follow the course of the Kamianka River and are connected by bridges, steps and viewpoints.
Count Stanisław Potocki commissioned the creation of the garden from 1796 onward as a gift for his wife Sofia, investing heavily in waterworks and plantings. Later owners and state administrations maintained the grounds with varying degrees of effort, until it gained recognition as a scientific institution during the 20th century.
The garden is named after Sofia Witt-Potocka, the wife of its founder Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki, and was given to her on her name day. Its grottoes, pavilions and sculptures carry names from Greek myth, such as the Grotto of Venus and the Temple of Poseidon, and serve as landmarks for visitors.
The garden is best explored on foot, and sturdy footwear is advisable because many paths involve steps and uneven terrain. Spring and summer bring out most of the blooms, while autumn colors the landscape with changing leaves.
The underground river Acheron runs 224 metres through a tunnel beneath the park, connecting the Lower Pond with the Upper Pond. In the 19th century visitors were rowed through it in a large boat; light and air reached the passage through openings in the ground above. The name comes from the river of the underworld in Greek myth.
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