Taras Shevchenko (Тарас Шевченко) was a Ukrainian writer and artist.  His most famous literary work is a collection of poems entitled ” Kobzar “.  His works are considered to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, in a large part, the modern Ukrainian language. Wikipedia has a wonderful and detailed look at his life and history. I highly recommend it as a brief introduction to the life of this famous Ukrainian writer / artist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taras_Shevchenko

I wanted to tell you about Shevchenko because we are going to take a stroll up the street that bears his name – Taras Shevchenko Boulevard.

It seems a little strange to me that Shevchenko Blvd begins with the city’s largest monument to Vladimir Lenin.

Monument to Lenin

Shevchenko Blvd Pedestrian Path

This is a wide street with a sidewalk in the center.  It is lined with trees and has plenty of benches to sit and people-watch or just relax and enjoy the weather.

After a very enjoyable 10 minute walk,  you will find yourself at the intersection of Volodymyrska Street  and on the corner of Taras Shevchenko Park.  In this park you can see the most prominent statue of Shevchenko where it stands facing the huge red building that also bears his name –  Taras Shevchenko University.

Monument to Taras Shevchenko

As you can see, when I said red, I mean red.  The walls , columns, and facades are a rich earthy red in color. It is easily, one of the most recognizable buildings found anywhere in Ukraine.  Although the ” Red Building ” is the main building of the university, there are actually 15 academic departments and 5 institutes spread throughout the city.  The university also includes an astronomical observatory and the

Red Building – Taras Shevchenko University

A.V. Fomin Botanical Garden located behind the main building adjacent to the Universitet metro station.