Svitlovodsk - Overview
Svitlovodsk, also known as Svetlovodsk, is a city located in Kirovohrad Oblast of Ukraine. It stands on the coast of Kremenchuk water reservoir. The distance to Kropyvnytskyi, the capital city of the region, is about 131 km by roads.
In 1961-1962, this city was called Khrushchev, and, in 1962-1969 - Kremges, because of the Kremenchug hydroelectric station (“KremGES”) located in the city. The present name “Svitlovodsk” literally means “light waters” - a city in which water produces light (electricity).
The population of Svitlovodsk is about 43,000 (2021), the area - 45 sq. km.
The phone code - +380 5236, the postal codes - 27500-27507.
History of Svitlovodsk
This area was first mentioned in the Kiev Chronicle (1190), as a place for hunting.
The historical predecessor of the town, Krylov fortified settlement was founded in June 1615. Krylov had a strategic position, controlling the area where two rivers intersected.
In 1822, Krylov was renamed Novo-Georgievsk.
Kremenchug hydroelectric station
Construction works for the station began in April 1954. The town was moved from the area, because it was flooded after the construction of the water reservoir.
Simultaneously with the construction of the hydroelectric power station, the construction of the settlement for station builders began.
Basic blocks of the settlement were placed along the Kremenchug water reservoir, at the high Taburischansk cape covered with forests.
In 1956, the construction site of the Kremenchug hydroelectric station was visited by the famous Ukrainian movie director and writer Alexander Dovzhenko. In 1961, the village and Novo-Georgievsk town merged into one city.
The city was named Khrushchev - after Nikita Khrushchev, who, at that time, was the leader of the USSR.
It was done in spite of the fact that, according to Khrushchev’s initiative, it was forbidden to give cities names of Soviet leaders who were still alive.
In summer 1962, Khrushchev visited the new town. The next day newspapers came out with topics that the First Secretary of the CPSU Khrushchev visited KremGES town. It was the name of the town until 1969, when it was renamed Svetlovodsk (in Russian) or Svitlovodsk (in Ukrainian).
Svitlovodsk streets
Svitlovodsk main street
Author: Alex Baldy
Svitlovodsk street view
Author: Taras Kushnirenko
Svitlovodsk street scenery
Author: Alex Baldy
Svitlovodsk - Features and Attractions
Present day Svitlovodsk is a city of power generation with various enterprises, educational institutions. There are a lot of parks and forest plantations.
In the heart of the city, there is a recreation park named after T. Shevchenko with a monument to the poet.
The museum of Svitlovodsk is located in the house, where the Hero of Socialist Labor M.D. Karpov lived.
On the coast of the water reservoir, which locals call the sea, and below the hydro station, a lot of tourist centers can be found.
In the south and south-east, there are significant woodlands, and from the east - the Dnieper marshes with numerous fishing lakes and ponds.
In 1975, during the construction of Dnieper-Kirovograd water pipeline, an ancient tomb of Scythian culture dating back to the 4th-3rd centuries B.C. was discovered. Today, it is the archaeological monument of the region.
The cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko was born in this city in 1961.
The City Day is celebrated every first weekend in June.
Coat of arms of Svitlovodsk
The basis of the present coat of arms, approved in 2000, was taken from the ancient emblem of Krylov town.
The broken silver waves on the present emblem mean the creation of an artificial sea during the construction of the hydro station.
