Okhtyrka

Coordinates: 50°45′N 33°28′E / 50.75°N 33.467°E / 50.75; 33.467

Okhtyrka Охтирка
—  Town  —
Seal
Coordinates: 50°45′N 33°28′E / 50.75°N 33.467°E / 50.75; 33.467
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Sumy
Founded	1641
Area
- Total	30 km2 (11.6 sq mi)
Elevation	110 m (361 ft)
Population (January 1, 2004)
- Total	50,100
Website	http://www.okhtyrka.net/

Okhtyrka (Ukrainian: Охтирка, Russian: Ахтырка, Akhtyrka) is a city in Ukraine, a raion centre within Sumy Oblast. It is situated near the Vorskla River, on an eleven-mile spur of the Kiev–Kharkiv railway line. It is home to Akhtyrka air base. Population 50,400 (as of 2001^[update]), 25,965 (1900), 17,411 (1867).

The villages of Velyke Osero (274 inhabitants), Saluschany (28 inhabitants), Prystan (7 inhabitants) and Kosyatyn (6 inhabitants) belong to the Okhtyrka city administration.

History and architecture

Okhtyrka was founded as a Polish outpost in 1641 and was an important centre of Sloboda Ukraine in the 17th and 18th centuries, when it rivalled Kharkov itself. The town's coat of arms was introduced by Catherine II on September 21, 1781 and reinstated in 1991 by the city council. Okhtyrka was the first city in Ukraine to acquire tobacco factory. The city has a beautiful cathedral (1753–62), formerly attributed to Bartolomeo Rastrelli and Dmitry Ukhtomsky. Its singular architecture is the complex medley of traditional Sloboda Ukraine Baroque with fashionable elements derived from the imperial capital. Near at hand stands the Nativity Church (1825), which resembles a palace rather than a church. The cathedral belltower was built in three tiers and adorned with statuary in 1783.

Economy

Okhtyrka region produces the most oil in Ukraine.There are manufacturers of light woolen stuffs and a trade in corn, cattle and the produce of domestic industries. The environs are fertile, the orchards producing excellent fruit. Obolon CJSC has a brewery in Okhtyrka. The current city mayor is Iryna Demchenko.

Sports

Okhtyra is home to the Ukrainian First League team FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka.

External links

• (Russian) Youth Portal of Okhtyrka
• (Russian)/(Ukrainian) Official portal of Okhtyrka
• (Russian) Map of Okhtyrka
• Okhtyrka at the Association of Cities of Ukraine
• (Ukrainian) Okhtyrka raion