Historical Background

In the middle of the 17th century in the northeast of present day Ukraine a town-fortress came into being. It sprang in incredibly picturesque parts with numerous marks of ancient Slav settlements, completely uninhabited at that time. Voivode K.Arsenyev who guided the construction of the fortress reported to the Russian tsar Alexei Mikhailovich that on the river Psyol in the mouth of the Suma River the town had been built. The town-fortress was built by Russian military men and Ukrainian migrants from over the Dnieper who later became the dwellers of the town and neighboring settlements. It was thanks to them that there appeared a legend about hunting bags (bag - «suma»). It says that three hunting bags full of gold were found in an oak-tree wood. It was like a blessing sign for the people to start the town at that place. It became an insurmountable barrier for tatars’ forays in the southern boundary of Moscow Rus. In the autumn of 1708 the town-fortress was preparing for its last defense. The Russian tsar Peter the Great spent two months in the town devoting all his time to the fortification work to protect Sumy from the Europe’s strongest army of Sweeds.

Bravery and valor of the citizens was highly appreciated by the Government. It gave Sumy significant privileges that had made the town an important center of trades and handicrafts by the end of 18th century. Annual fairs held Sumy gathers merchants from Russia, Ukraine, Western Europe and Asia. The worthy place among the items of production was occupied by those made by Sumy potters, curriers, blacksmiths, weavers and jewelers. In 1786 the town's center was reconstructed into new housing estates by the famous architect P.Yaroslavsky. The old center has been preserved up to our days. In 1869 in Sumy was built the Pavlovsky sugar refinery which soon became the most important one in Europe. The railway connected Sumy with the major industrial and commercial centers. The town was flourishing: new brick houses, large shops, educational institutions, banks, public gardens sprang one after another. And all that could happen thanks to the owners of local enterprises, above all to the owner of the sugar refineries Ivan Kharitonenko. He wrote in his last will: "Love Sumy as much as I did". In 1899 on the people's donations a monument to this man was placed in the center of Sumy (by the famous sculptor A. Opekushin). By 1914 Sumy had changed into the best-built chief town of the district with all amenities in the whole of the Kharkov province. There appeared cobbled streets and urban water supply, electricity and telephone communications. 2 theatres and several cinemas were functioning in the town. 50000 people lived in Sumy.

The cataclysms of history did not pass by Sumy. In 1918-1919 the town lost most of its industry, in 20s-30s - a number of outstanding architectural memorials. In 1939 Sumy became an administrative center of the Sumy oblast (area). During World War II the citizens experienced the 2 years of fascist occupation. After the war chemical, machine-building and instrument-making industries began to develop. Sumy has changed greatly by now. Its population is over 300000 people who have gone through lots of different events. We should render the residents their due - they managed to preserve their dignity and they did not become hardened no matter how much they had to suffer. Those who happen to come to Sumy enjoy its' fascinating sites, unforgettable historical environment and hospitality of the Sumy folk.

Museums

1. The Sumy Fine Arts Museum. Opened in 1920. Started from nationalized private collections of the town and district, among them O.Gansen's collection. Today the museum is one of the most outstanding arts centers in Ukraine which contains unique paintings and works of applied arts. The building made in the early 20th century.
2. The Museum of Local Lore. Founded in 1920. In the years of fascist occupation the most important items of its collections were lost. Today it contains unique collections covering archaeology and natural history of the Sumy Area. Located in the building of the 19th century that originally was the seat of the district government. In different years the building was visited by A.Kuprin and V.Korolenko, the famous writers.
3. The Chekhov Museum-reserve in Sumy. A unique architectural complex representing a nobleman's country estate of the 18th - 19th centuries in Luka that belonged to the Lintvaryovs. In 1888-1889 a great writer and dramatist Anton Chekhov lived in the western outbuilding of the main estate. For many years A.Chekhov was dreaming to settle down in Luka forever but his dream did not come true. "Abbacia and the Adriatic Sea are superb, but Luka and the Psyol are better", - he wrote in his letter from Italy to his friends in Sumy in 1894.

The most important industries

1. Joint-stock company "Frunze Production Association". It goes back to machine-building workshops, founded by Belgium joint-stock company in 1896. The main work is to design and produce pumps, compressors for gas pipelines, chemical equipment, and consumer goods.
2. Sumy Industrial Association of Power Plant Pump Manufacture - PO "Nasosenergomash". It was founded in 1949. It produces centrifugal, vacuum and torque-flow pumps, used almost in all fields of national economy.
3. Production Amalgamation "Khimprom". It is one of the biggest chemical enterprises in Ukraine. The 2 first workshops came into operation more than 40 years ago; they were to produce sulphuric acid and super phosphate. Today it produces mineral fertilizers, acids, paints, and pigments.

Welcome to Sumy!