| We live in Kiev, only 300 kilometres from Uman | | | | As we walked the parks roads, we came to a |
| and can easily get to Sofievka park by car, bus | | | | beautiful lake where there were many hungry |
| or train... As we heard a lot of exalted stories | | | | grey and reddish fish. When you throw a small |
| about Uman park, we decided to go there by car | | | | piece of bread into the lake, suddenly a large |
| early in the morning and see the park ourselves. | | | | mouth appears from underwater and grasps it |
| Uman is located on Kiev-Odessa road, which is a | | | | silently :). Then we saw the main entrance to the |
| good quality for Ukraine. The way to Uman took | | | | park which was decorated by two stone guard |
| us about 3,5 hours and then we parked near | | | | towers with a crown symbolizing ancient Roman |
| Sofievka park, bought tickets and passed the | | | | goddess of household and fire called Vesta. There |
| entrance which led to the rose-garden. I was | | | | is a legend that if newly weds pass under the |
| astonished by beautiful blossoming roses of many | | | | Vesta crown in Uman Park, they will live a happy |
| kinds and their bright colors. It was still morning, | | | | life together, that's why a lot of couples come to |
| there were not many people in the park and we | | | | this park :). We met several newly-wed couples |
| could walk among the roses almost alone, smell | | | | who took pictures with their friends and relatives. |
| them and enjoy their beauty. The photographer | | | | The we passed a few wonderful waterfalls, |
| would spend there much time taking pictures! | | | | Thunder grotto and Venus grotto and went to |
| I knew only that Uman park was built by Count | | | | the Upper lake with boats and artificial Island of |
| Stanislav Pototskiy as a romantic gift for his wife | | | | Love with Rose pavilion. Here you can make a trip |
| Sofia and bears her name. Then I also learned | | | | on a large boat in total silence and see |
| that Sofia told her future husband about some | | | | underwater river, leading to the Dead Sea. There |
| beautiful park she saw and thus inspired him to | | | | was a large queue to the boat, so we just bought |
| make a miracle for her. She was Greek by origin | | | | the apricots ice-cream and walked along the lake |
| and an outstanding beauty, when she went to the | | | | shore enjoying singing of birds and views. We also |
| Emperor's court, people climbed on chairs just to | | | | saw the map of Uman Park and were curious to |
| see her. Sofia somehow managed to have | | | | see Chinese pavilion. |
| friendly relations with kings, earls and emperors of | | | | On the way to pavilion we stopped to have some |
| powerful states. After marriage with Stanislav | | | | rest at a beautiful lane under large trees. We had |
| Pototskiy they lived in Uman since 1798. | | | | fun there climbing up the trees and lying on green |
| Soon Stanislav decided to make a fairy tale | | | | grass. Then suddenly it began raining and we run |
| Sofievka park in Uman to please his young wife. | | | | to small picturesque summerhouse, which turned |
| The parks trees, large stones, fantastic grottoes, | | | | out to be the Chinese pavilion. After the rain we |
| waterfalls, lakes, antique statues and picturesque | | | | continued our walk and got into a "garden of |
| cliffs were designed as a romantic gift of love. A | | | | dwarf plants" where I saw decorative wild |
| lot of trees were brought from exotic countries, | | | | strawberries, small yellow flowers, small plants |
| the park was decorated by amazing statues, | | | | with beautiful leaves... I had the impression that I |
| vases, obelisks. A real miraculous park appeared | | | | had seen that place before in my dreams |
| only in a few years. When Sofia's birthday came, | | | | It was time to go back and we went to our car... |
| her husband made enchanting celebrations with | | | | When we drove out of Uman, thunderstorm |
| fireworks and presented her the park. Sofia was | | | | began and on the road back to Kiev we saw an |
| greatly delighted with the gift. | | | | amazing rainbow over the field. |