On August 23, Kharkiv residents celebrate the birthday of their city – Day of the city of Kharkiv. It is one of the largest cities in eastern Ukraine, and has been a city since 1654. Kharkiv is the scientific, industrial, medical, political and cultural center of the region. Almost half a million representatives of the younger generation live here. The number of educational institutions of various profiles attracts students to the city. In 2019, Kharkiv entered the top five Ukrainian cities as one of the most comfortable in the country according to the Numbeo quality of life index.

History of the city of Kharkiv

Historians still have not reached a consensus on the age of the city. Some scientists believe that Kharkiv is a little more than 350 years old, others insist on a longer age – as much as 1500 years. Archaeological findings indicate that there was a settlement on the site of modern Kharkiv as early as the Bronze Age in the second millennium BC. Documentary sources say that in 1654, at the confluence of the Kharkiv and Lopan rivers, the construction of a strong fortress for protection against the Tatars began.

It is known from the history of the city that already in 1724 Kharkiv had 61 streets and 1,300 courtyards. The number of citizens increased significantly from 1800 to 1917 and amounted to more than 297 thousand inhabitants. During the Second World War, Kharkiv was under German occupation for 22 months. It was on August 23, 1943 that the city was liberated from the invaders. Dozens of architectural landmarks were destroyed by the war, and rare artistic values ​​were exported to Germany.

Currently, the population of Kharkiv is 2.09 million. The industry of eastern Ukraine and a large number of educational institutions are concentrated here.