700 years Zaporozhye oak

700 hundred year old oak in Zaporizhzhia is one of the most popular sightseeings of this city and the representer of primeval oak forests of Prydniprovia region. Since 1972 it calls reserved and from 2010 has the name of National tree of Ukraine. People, who saw that tree themselves in most cases get the great impression with its sizes. The trunk can be grasped minimum with 6 adults, as its circumference equals 6 meters, and the high is over 35 meters.

Besides, there are lots of legends about this oak. One of them says that in 1648 this oak was the resting place for Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, motivational shelter for Taras Shevchenko in 1843- there are some proofs that legendary poet wrote “Kateryna” sitting under oak’s crown. Some people say that Ivan Sirko wrote the letter to Turkish sultan also being near the oak and also one more legend says that this oak was nearly truncated by Adolf Hitler. So this tree has a deep history and is really attractive for Zaporizhzhia visitors.

Since 2001 there is historical and cultural center near the oak, that was initiated to be opened by “Zaporizhzhia reliquaries” charity fund. But from time to time this oak becomes the object of worries of nature protectors. For example, in 1996 it was struck by the lightning and in 1990 was flooded. So to keep it in good conditions for existence, workers of environmental authorities strengthen the soil and set metal masts to support dry branches. In 2012 because of emergency state of the oak some eco activists and interested in this sightseeing scientists created the special committee that since that time cares about this tree.

 

Translated by: Yelyzaveta Kravchenko