One of the most important historical stages in the formation of the culture of Ukraine was the adoption of the Christian religion in the 10th century. It is the preservation of folk traditions that modern Ukrainians owe, because it is largely thanks to them that literature, music, painting, and even cooking were successfully formed,
Traditions of Kievan Rus
The main creator of the culture of Ukraine is its people. Cossacks, artisans and peasants have been creating their own folklore for centuries and preserving folk and national traditions. Legends and songs, ballads and dances were given a special flavor. Popular people's dumas were of great importance, arts and crafts were developing. The foundations of Ukrainian culture were laid back in the days of Kievan Rus, and it received a special rise and development in the middle of the 19th century.
Literature and architecture
The adoption of Christianity gave impetus to the widespread development of writing. This is how the first monuments of ancient literature, written in the Church Slavonic language, began to appear. The traditions of the ancient authors of thoughts and legends were taken up by the writers Shevchenko and Gogol, who created real samples of the literary culture of Ukraine for many hundreds of years. Their works are included in the school curriculum, and the lines from them are learned by heart, as examples of a wonderful syllable.
The works of Ukrainian architects, who built temples and cathedrals, glorifying their creators for centuries, cause no less delight. The list of architectural structures on the territory of the country, worth a visit, is very impressive:
- Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
- Sophia Cathedral in the capital.
- Church of St. George in Drohobych.
- Wooden churches in the Carpathians.
- The historic center of old Lviv.
- Residence of the Metropolitans of the Orthodox Church of Bukovina and Dalmatia.
- Kamyanets-Podolsk fortress.
- Historical center of old Odessa.
All architectural structures are worthy of the closest attention both as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and as unique and amazing buildings, carefully preserved by the inhabitants of Ukraine.
Holidays and festivals
Numerous holidays play an important role in the cultural life of the country, most of which have roots going back centuries. All of them are somehow connected in the agricultural calendar and are timed to one or another agricultural achievement - the end of sowing, the beginning of the harvest, the end of the harvest. The Ukrainians celebrated both the change of seasons and the onset of the next season. Special festivities were organized on Shrovetide and Easter, Christmas and New Years. And today, many festivals and city days are associated with important dates in the folk calendar.
