This wonderful city by the sea has been called many things: the Southern Palmyra, the Black Sea Babylon, Little Paris, the Capital of the South. Yes, you’re absolutely right — its name is Odesa. It’s a fascinating city where almost everything exists: where the incompatible meets, where the Ukrainian steppe touches the Black Sea, where the air is fresh and clean, and where cheerful and witty people live. Odesa’s landmarks truly enchant with their unique beauty.
In historical terms, the hero city of Odesa is still quite young, but its history is rich with significant events that have left their mark on the city’s architectural image (as evidenced by Odesa’s main landmarks), as well as on the character of its residents and their attitude toward their homeland — this colorful southern city.
The site of present-day Odesa was once home to the settlement of Ginestra. In the late 14th to early 15th centuries, Ginestra was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was known as Kachibey, Hadzhibey, or Kotsyubeyiv. From 1475, Kachibey became part of the Ottoman Empire, and the Turks called it Khadzhibey or Adzhibey.
On September 2, 1794, the city of Odesa was officially founded, named after the ancient Greek settlement of Odessos or Odissos, which was located 45 versts east of Khadzhibey, on the left bank of the Tiligul Estuary.
The growth of this remarkable Ukrainian city was greatly influenced by prominent city leaders — Admiral de Ribas and Duke de Richelieu. Each of them contributed significantly to the welfare of Odesa and its citizens. During their time, the main architectural landmarks of Odesa were built — landmarks without which one cannot imagine the city’s history or that of the entire northern Black Sea region. The main streets of the city are named in their honor.
Odesa’s favorable geographic location allowed it to rapidly transform from a small settlement into a major trade, industrial, scientific, and cultural center of European importance.
Despite historical upheavals, the city’s population has tripled over the last century.
Today, Odesa continues to grow as a major industrial and resort center of Ukraine. Its mild climate, many sandy beaches, and warm sea offer ideal conditions for an unforgettable holiday, attracting millions of tourists each year to this city that proudly bears the title of “Southern Palmyra.”
Odesa is not only something to be seen — it must be heard, inhaled, and even tasted. Odesa is not just a train station or an airport, and not even its most famous attractions like Deribasivska Street, the Potemkin Stairs, Primorsky Boulevard, or the Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater — it’s far more than that.
Odesa is about unbelievable stories, idiomatic expressions, cheeky songs, brilliant poems, unique humor, funny jokes, and so much more.
Odesa is not only a city with a rich historical heritage but also a wonderful place to relax. Everyone who visits Odesa at least once carries a piece of it in their heart, always hoping to return to the shores of the bluest sea in the world — the Black Sea.