Freedom Square
View of Freedom Square
Native namePlóshcha Svobódy (Ukrainian)
LocationKharkiv, Ukraine

Freedom Square (Ukrainian: Площа Свободи, romanized: Plóshcha Svobódy) in Kharkiv, Ukraine, is the 8th largest city-centre square in Europe.

On 1 March 2022, during the battle of Kharkiv in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the square and the surroundings were hit by Russian missiles.[1]

Names

1938 map of Kharkiv

Originally named Veterinarnaya square, its name was changed to Maidan Dzerzhynskoho (Ukrainian: майдан Дзержинського) in 1926, following the Soviet takeover of the city. This name refers to Felix Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police (the Cheka, precursor to the KGB). It is depicted on maps of Kharkiv of 1938.

During the brief German occupation the name of the square changed twice: in 1942 the square was named German Army Square, and in 1943 Leibstandarte SS Square.[2] After the independence of Ukraine it was renamed Freedom Square.

Location

The main part of the square is bordered to the west by the site of a removed statue of Lenin, to the east by Sumska Street, to the north by the Hotel Kharkiv and to the south by Shevchenko park. It is approximately 690–750 metres (2,260–2,460 feet) long and 96–125 metres (315–410 feet) wide. The area of the complete square is approximately 12 hectares (30 acres).

Landmarks

A notable landmark of the square is the Derzhprom building, a prime example of constructivist architecture.

The Kharkiv regional state administration is situated at one end of the square.[3]

A monumental statue of Lenin was erected in 1964 and was torn down by protesters on 28 September 2014.[4] In August 2016, pavers were laid on the site where the statue of Lenin stood.[5] A new fountain on the site of the former statue was opened on 23 August 2020.[6]

In 2019, the reconstruction of the Round Square, located in the northwestern part of the square, began. It is planned to reconstruct all the paths, install benches, upgrade lighting, plant trees, and install a dry fountain. The work is expected to be completed by the city's day on August 23, 2019.[7]

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine on March 1, 2022, the square was attacked by Russian Kalibr missiles. The explosion severely damaged the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building and nearby buildings.[8]

Usage

Protests and rallies

In 2014, the square was the site of demonstrations by pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists in Kharkiv. The issue was the statue of Lenin, which was fiercely defended by pro-Russian demonstrators against pro-Ukrainian activists' attempts to dismantle it.[9][10][11][12]

Other events and recreational activities

Queen + Paul Rodgers kicked off their Rock the Cosmos Tour at Freedom Square on 12 September 2008 & gathered 350,000 audience members, the show was recorded for a DVD release, entitled Live in Ukraine, which was released on 15 June 2009.[13]

Victory Parades

From 2010 to 2013,[14] it hosted an annual military parade in honor of Victory Day with the participation of the troops of the Kharkiv Garrison, military academies located in Kharkiv and troops from Russia.

References

  1. ↑ "Ukraine conflict: Russia bombs Kharkiv's Freedom Square and opera house". BBC News. 1 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Kharkiv through the eyes of Lyudmila Gurchenko". andersval.nl. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  3. ↑ Kharkiv an island of calm in Ukraine's turbulent east, The Irish Times (8 May 2014)
  4. ↑ "Ukrainians just pulled down a massive Lenin statue. What does that signal for Russia?". Washington Post. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  5. ↑ (in Russian) The reconstruction of the square in the square (photo), SQ (10 August 2016)
    (in Russian) Liberty Square returned to original form, SQ (8 August 2016)
  6. ↑ (in Russian) A new attraction has appeared in Kharkiv (photo, video, updated), Gorod.X (24 August 2020)
    (in Russian) Kernes showed what a "dry" fountain will look like in the square on Freedom Square, My Kharkiv (18 April 2020)
    (in Russian) Kernes showed what the fountain in the square on Freedom Square will look like (video), My Kharkiv (17 August 2020)
  7. ↑ Лариса Нарижна (18 April 2019). "У сквері на майдані Свободи встановлять "сухий фонтан"". MediaPort. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "Atak Rosji na Ukrainę. Ostrzelany główny plac Charkowa, rośnie liczba ofiar". TVN24 (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Pro-Russian rally draws 5,000 people in Ukraine's Kharkiv", Kyiv Post (6 March 2014)
    "Kharkiv demonstration demands broad autonomy for southeastern regions", Kyiv Post (22 March 2014)
    "A woman holds a placard reading 'Kharkiv loves Crimea' while Pro-Ukrainian activists sing the state anthem during a rally in the center of the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on March 6, 2014, as they protest against the Russian aggression in Crimea", Getty Images (6 March 2014)
    "Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine – based on information received up until 27 April 2014". Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
    "Latest from the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine based on information received until 18:00 hrs, 23 July" (Press release). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  10. ↑ Faiola, Anthony (17 May 2023). "Russia supporters in eastern Ukraine pose challenges to pro-Western government". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286.
  11. ↑ "Україна відзначила 200-річчя з дня народження Шевченка" [Ukraine celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Shevchenko]. BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). 9 March 2014.
  12. ↑ Hosken, Andrew (5 March 2014). "Tensions ease in Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv". BBC News.
  13. ↑ Zeidler, Thomas (27 August 2008). "The 12-SEP-08 Kharkov Concert will be televised live in the Ukraine and recorded for a DVD". Blog for queentour2005.wegotit.at.
  14. ↑ "В Харькове уже прошел парад Победы – не для всех | Вечерний Харьков".
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