Vynogradivshchyna (the territory of the former Vynogradivskyi, and now the eastern part of the Berehiv district) is located in the south-central part of the Transcarpathian region, near the borders with Romania and Hungary. The state border in Vynohradiv Oblast is equipped with international road (Vylok) and railway (Dyakovo) crossings. The area of this picturesque corner of Transcarpathia is 700 square kilometers, there are 51 settlements (1 city, 2 villages, 29 large villages) and has a population of 120,000. Vynohradiv region is mostly flat, its highest point is Mount Frasyn (826 meters). This region is very multi-ethnic, in addition to Ukrainians, Hungarians, Roma, Romanians, Jews and Germans live here. However, the overwhelming majority of the population of Vynohradiv Oblast is Ukrainians.

Briefly about Vynohradiv Oblast

This region has long attracted people. The first settlements of primitive people appeared here as much as 1 million years ago in the area of the present village. The queen, which is confirmed by archaeological finds. This is the oldest settlement of people in Central-Eastern Europe.

Another well-known archaeological site is the Dacian settlement found near the village of Mala Kopanya (1st century AD). More than 100 structures of various purposes have been excavated here on an area of 7,000 square meters. Household items and work tools were found, which are exhibited in the Vynogradiv Museum of Local Lore.

Vynogradiv region is visited by many tourists every year, who find a great variety of entertainment and leisure in this hospitable region. Here you can get acquainted with a large number of architectural monuments, the oldest of which are the ruins of Kankov Castle. For tourists on the territory of the Vynohrady region, regular rafting on the Tisza River in kayaks, rafts (rafts) is organized. There is an opportunity to take advantage of various cultural and excursion programs.

In addition, there is a unique opportunity to heal with local mineral waters. There are three types of them in Vynohradiv region: “Greenhouse”, which is bitter-salty highly mineralized thermal water; “Olegivska”, which is silicon-hydrocarbonate-calcium-sodium weakly mineralized; “Kushnytska”, which is a low-mineralized boron hydrogen carbonate sodium treatment table. All these types of mineral waters treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular and peripheral nervous systems, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, as well as the endocrine system, metabolism, and gastrointestinal tract.

Vinohradischyna – the region of wine and winemaking

Vynogradiv region has long been famous for its vineyards, which have been known since the 3rd century. Unique types of wild grapes still grow on Black Mountain in the town of Vynohradiv. A large number of grape varieties are grown in the Vynogradivsk region – Isabella, Lydia pink, Wilder, Noah, Delaware pink, Othello, Koberu, Teleki, Riparia (Portalis), Aurora, Sasorosh and many others. It is noteworthy that the medieval coat of arms of the Ugochan County (now Vynohradivshchyna) is decorated with a bunch of grapes, a fish, an oak twig and the legendary black crab from the Bator River.

The vineyards on Black Mountain were cared for by the town elder himself, who appointed watchmen during the ripening period. The Starost also announced the beginning and end of the grape harvest (from the end of September to the end of October). The local vineyards suffered catastrophic damage from the phylloxera epidemic at the end of the 18th century, after which they had to be restored practically all over again.

Until the end of the 19th century, the traditional festive procession from the city to the mountain was preserved on the day when the grape harvest began. It was headed by the oldest of the guards, who bore the coat of arms of Sevlyush (now Vynogradov). The procession was accompanied by Roma musicians, and the procession ended with grape pickers. Up until the time of the Soviet dictatorship, a luxurious ball was arranged on the occasion of the completion of the grape harvest.

Wine-making traditions live on in Vynohradov even today. The length of the underground wine cellars of the Vyrodivsk winery alone reaches 350 meters. They were carved into a shape that resembles a horseshoe. The temperature here is kept at +11…+14ºС. The wine is stored in huge oak vats, which can simultaneously hold up to 700,000 liters of wine! Ancient tubs are decorated with unparalleled relief carvings, which turn them into real masterpieces. Vynohradiv is the venue for the traditional festival of winegrowers, in which not only Transcarpathian winemakers, but also ministers of Bacchus from all over Europe take part.

History of Vynogradiv

Vynohradiv, which until 1946 was called Sevlyush, is one of the oldest cities in Transcarpathia. Since the end of the 1st millennium AD, a Slavic settlement has appeared here. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Vynohradiv was the property of the Hungarian king and its inhabitants were dominated by Flemish and Saxon colonists. In the 12th century, the Hungarian king Geiza II introduced the administrative-territorial division of the kingdom into counties, and Sevlyush (Vynohradiv) became the central place of the smallest Ugochan County in the kingdom. In 1262, the Hungarian king István V granted Sevljuš the status of a crown city, which was the first such case in Transcarpathia. The inhabitants of the city enjoyed the right to their own court, could elect a headman and a priest, had the right to build mills, produce and sell wine, cross the Tisza, and engage in hunting and fishing. In addition, noble barons were forbidden to settle on the territory of the city.

Vynohradiv has repeatedly changed its owners throughout its history. In the end, on August 29, 1399, King Zygmond presented the city to Peter Perena for his heroism in the war with the Turks in the Battle of Nikopol in 1396. Therefore, for four centuries the Vynohradys, and later the entire Ugochan county, became the property of the Pereni baron family. In 1427, the king allowed fairs to be held in Selyusha, which brought enormous income to the barons of Pereni and the townspeople.

Perena sheep should be thanked for the creation of most of the historical monuments in the city of Vynohradyv.

From the end of the 19th century, Vynohradiv actually became a local educational and cultural center. In those days, the city could be proud of the presence of two state primary schools and three church ones. In 1881, a city school was opened, and later an industrial one.

The great Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1881-1945), who lived here in 1889-1892, had his first concert in Sevlúša. A children’s art school was named in Bartók’s honor, and the city established a bust of the composer and a museum room.

Vynohradiv is also known for the fact that the outstanding Hungarian artist Imre Reves (1859-1945) lived here and was buried here. It was under Reves that the luminaries of Transcarpathian fine art, Josyp Bokshai and Adalbert Erdely, studied.

According to the Treaty of Saint-Germain in 1919, Vynohrady, like all Transcarpathia, was included in Czechoslovakia.

In the fall of 1938, the occupying troops of Hortist Hungary entered Sevlyush. And at the end of the Second World War, on October 24, 1944, soldiers of the 4th Ukrainian Front entered the city, bringing with them the new Soviet power.

In 1946, Sevlyush was renamed Vynohrady. And the city itself became the district center.

During Soviet times, the city underwent significant development. In the 1980s, there were 20 enterprises, a polytechnic, a medical and cooperative school in Vynohradov.

Briefly about Vynohradiv in our time

Nowadays, Vynohradiv has become a real tourist center. Today, more than 25,000 people live in it. Ukrainians make up more than 82% of the city’s population, followed by Hungarians, who make up more than 13%. The area of the city is 32 km2. It is located at an altitude of 117 meters above sea level. It was spread out on the right bank of the Tysa River at the foot of Black Mountain, 570 meters high. This peak was once an active volcano, as evidenced by its shape and large stones scattered around (volcanic bombs). Thanks to its volcanic past, Vynohradov has healing springs of mineral water, which tourists can use to improve their health in the Teplitsia sanatorium. The climate in Vynohradov is temperate maritime with short winters and warm summers. Thanks to this climate, the city has long been a center of winemaking and horticulture.

Sightseeing tour of Vynogradov

Vinogradov’s journey should be started from its center, where the 15th-16th century Voznesensky Church is located in the square near Myru and Shevchenko streets. In the 16th century, the church became a bone of contention between Protestants and Catholics. The shrine changed hands and was repeatedly destroyed until it was finally taken over by the Catholics in 1690. Later, the temple was again destroyed, this time by fire, when in August 1717, Vynohradiv was captured for two days by the Crimean Tatars. Subsequently, in 1748, with the financial help of Bishop Eger Barkotsi, the church was rebuilt and handed over to the Catholic community of the city. A bas-relief of the coat of arms of this bishop has been preserved on the facade of the church. The church underwent another reconstruction in 1889. The architecture of the church is characterized by elements of the Romanesque and Gothic styles, with the predominance of the latter.

On the square, in front of the central entrance to the church, there is a fountain composition. A sculpture of a girl pressing grapes is located in a bowl from which water pours out. In the park behind the church there is a composition by the sculptor Mykhailo Kolodko – a monument to the winemaker.

If you cross the road, at the intersection of Myru and Partizanska streets you will see a beautiful building of the monastery complex of 1516. On the opposite side of the monastery, on the wall of the building, there is a memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust. The synagogue building is located a few meters from the intersection. Its large size speaks of the influence of the city’s Jewish community before the Second World War.

Next, you should walk along the already mentioned square to the monument to Soviet soldiers. On the left is the former building of the district administration. Opposite it is the symbol of the Vynohrad region – a bronze figure of a guardian angel with the coat of arms of the Ugochanskyi Committee in his hands. The coat of arms of the county has the form of a Spanish-shaped shield, with a bunch of grapes and a fish on top, and an oak branch with an acorn and a crayfish below. In the center of the coat of arms is a lion, the image of which is the family coat of arms of the Pereni dynasty. If you continue to move in the same direction, you will see the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in 1815.

After five hundred meters on the right side, you can admire the palace-residence of the Pereni barons. The building was built at the end of the 16th century. The one-story building was built in the Renaissance style. It was a convenient place for managing large land holdings, holding evenings and sumptuous receptions called here, and in case of danger there was an opportunity to go to the nearby impregnable Kankov Castle. In the 17th century, the Pereni Palace was rebuilt in the Baroque style. The area of the palace has significantly increased due to the completion of the second floor. There is a legend that on August 16, 1849, after the defeat of the Hungarian revolution, Baron Zygmond Pereni was arrested and before leaving the palace he ordered the servants not to close the gate until his return. And although he was not destined to get here, his order is being carried out to this day. The baron himself was executed for treason against the king, because it was on his initiative that on April 14, 1849, the Hungarian National Assembly removed representatives of the Habsburg dynasty from power over Hungary.

Nowadays, the palace has been carefully restored. Funds for the restoration work were provided by a descendant of the Pereni family.

Acquaintance with Vynogradov should be completed by visiting the ruins of Kankov Castle. For this purpose, you should turn left at the intersection, and after walking about a hundred meters, turn right, exiting to Kotsyubynskoho street, which you can use to reach the remains of the Vynogradov fortress. From the fortress, which hangs over the city, you can admire a magical view of the Tisza river valley. You can read more about this castle in the article “Ruins of the Vinograd castle of Kankov”.

In general, one hour is enough for a sightseeing tour of Vynogradov, but the impressions from it will last a lifetime.

The most interesting locations

Excursions to interesting locations of Transcarpathia

Near Vynogradovo, you can find many options for excursions to the surrounding villages and towns for every taste. These tours to the Carpathians will be unforgettable for you.

First of all, you should visit the village of Korolevo with its archaeological antiquities, tastings in the wine cellars of Zakarpatskyi Sad LLC, Romany flavor, temples and the mysterious ruins of Nyalab Castle. You can read more about Korolevo and Nyalab in the articles “The village of Korolevo – the pearl of the Vynohrad region” and “Ruins of Njalab Castle” .

It will also be interesting to visit the village of Novoselytsia with its Gothic wooden Dormition Church of 1669 with a 25-meter-high bell tower, an ethnographic museum and a folklore festival “Woman dishes”. You can also learn more about this village in the article “The village of Novoselitsa and green tourism”.

It is also worth making a separate excursion to the village of Shalanky, which is famous for its ancient Reformed church of the 14th century, the wine cellar of Ferenc II Rakocza (Cabodere Cellar) with a length of more than 40 meters and the annual international youth tent camp a camp where young people from Transcarpathia and Hungary rest, studying the traditions of the Huns. More information about the village of Shalanki can be found in the article “Journey to the village of Shalanky”.

At the end of your visit to the Vynohradiv region, you should visit the village of Tysobiken, where the stone temple of the end of the 13th – beginning of the 14th century attracts the attention of tourists and the Zatisyan Museum of Local History with an open-air museum in his yard. More information about this village can be obtained from the article “The unique village of Tysobiken”.

What else to do in Vynohradov

Vynogradiv region can offer tourists a lot of diverse and exciting entertainment to make your vacation in the Carpathians unforgettable. For extreme lovers, it can be kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, quad biking, cable cars, and even rope jumping from a 40-meter height. Those who like a peaceful vacation can enjoy water procedures in the rivers and lakes of this region, visit local baths or swimming pools, take a walk through the charming local forests, picking berries and mushrooms along the way, etc.

Where to stay in Vynohradov

There are no problems with finding accommodation for tourists in the city of Vynohradiv. In the city itself and in nearby villages, you can use the services of a large number of private estates, mini-hotels, hotel complexes that offer European-level service. Inexpensive private hostels are suitable for tourists with a modest budget.

• Entertainment and hotel complex “Black Mountain” offers vacationers comfortable rooms, as well as direct access to the picturesque lake “Sea Eye” with clear water 8 meters deep.
• An excellent option for a family vacation will be the Black Rock Hotel. It will offer you excellent rooms, a swimming pool, a garden and a playground.
• Polychko Winehouse Guest House offers cozy accommodation. This option is especially attractive to couples in love.

• In the entertainment and hotel complex “Chorna Gora”, accommodation prices start from UAH 2,000. for a double junior suite.
• Hotel “Black Rock” offers rest at a cost of UAH 2,000. per day for a double room.
• Guest house Polychko Winehouse is a more budget-friendly option, although not a bad option. Here, rooms are rented at a price of UAH 830/day.

The most interesting housing options

Where you can eat deliciously

There is a wonderful restaurant and bar on the territory of the entertainment and hotel complex “Chorna Gora”. It can accommodate 120 visitors at the same time. The cuisine of the establishment is Ukrainian and European. The dishes here are extremely tasty and exquisitely decorated, and the prices are moderate.

The wonderful restaurant “Tysa” is distinguished by a beautiful interior and a presentable presentation of delicious dishes.

The restaurant-cafe “Impresso” is a nice cozy establishment. Salads “White Dacha” and “Barcelona” are in high demand among visitors.

Prices in restaurants and cafes of Vynogradov are moderate and adequate.

Where it is and how to get there

Vynohradiv is located at a distance of 98 kilometers from the regional center of the city of Uzhhorod. The city has its own railway station, which serves both suburban trains and one long-distance train. But it will not be possible to get to Vynogradov without transfers. Only residents of Lviv Oblast can do this. Therefore, you have three options for getting to Vynogradov:

• By train to Lviv – transfer to the Lviv-Solotvyne train
• By train Mukachevo – transfer to minibuses or buses
• By train to Uzhhorod – transfer to the suburban train Uzhhorod-Tyachiv

Since Vynogradiv is located on the road from Uzhhorod, Mukachevo to Rahov, Yasin, many transit buses run through the city, so getting to Vynogradiv on the accompanying minibus will not be so difficult.

For more demanding tourists, there are many transfer options. You can also get here by your own car from Uzhgorod on the H09 and E50/M06 highways.