{"id":3730,"date":"2021-02-05T09:36:13","date_gmt":"2021-02-05T09:36:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toonsarah-travels.blog\/staging\/?p=3730"},"modified":"2021-03-13T12:25:54","modified_gmt":"2021-03-13T12:25:54","slug":"where-lenin-once-pointed-the-way-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toonsarah-travels.blog\/staging\/where-lenin-once-pointed-the-way-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Lenin once pointed the way to \u2026?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Newcastle United reached the last 32 of the Europa League in 2013 we held our breath to see what team we would be drawn against, dreaming of a February trip to warmer climes, maybe Italy, Spain or Portugal. Instead we got Metalist Kharkiv, a team we had never heard of, in the eastern depths of chilly Ukraine. Would we go? You bet we would!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So we booked flights and hotel, applied for match tickets, and then started to do some research into where we were headed. I learned that we would be in Ukraine\u2019s second largest city, a major industrial centre (Metalist took their name from the metal-workers who founded the club); but one not without history and attractions for the visitor, including some stunning churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A goalless draw in the home leg meant that everything was to play for in the away game. We didn\u2019t expect to go through the round, but we knew we had a chance. So match-night saw us wrapped up against the cold and heading for the stadium in good spirits. Newcastle fans are always<\/strong> in good spirits away from home, even after a defeat!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end a 1-0 win, thanks to a Shola Ameobi penalty, was enough to see us through, and a good trip became an excellent one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Football
Our mate Pete with some local fans at the match<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the football match and plenty of socialising with fellow fans, we did, as we always did on such trips, make time for some sightseeing over our couple of days in the city. In this post I will focus on the very centre of the city, in and around Freedom Square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what\u2019s that about Lenin?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is sometimes mistakenly said that the impressive and autocratic statues of Lenin that were a feature of every major city in the Soviet Union were all pulled down, in 1991 or soon after, when the Union was dissolved. Not so. Many remained, especially in Russia, Belarus and here in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one in Kharkiv, which dominated Freedom Square, was erected in 1964. At the time of our visit it was the largest standing statue in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin stood on a red-granite pedestal carved with patriotic revolutionary scenes from where he gestured towards the former Communist headquarters, now Kharkiv Oblast Administration. Although as one local irreverently pointed out to us, he seemed rather to be pointing the way to the public conveniences! <\/p>\n\n\n