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Built for the enjoyment of the young wife of the wealthy magnate
Felix Potocki - the beautiful Grecian Sophia, work on the park was
begun in the fall of 1796. It was directed by Ludwig Metzel, a Polish
military engineer. He worked out a unique architectural ensemble that
would harmonize with the landscape style of the park. The site was well
chosen-the rising hills cut by ravines, the great masses of granite boulders
along the banks of a swampy river and the presence of many different varieties
of trees and bushes made it possible to create a waterway system with cascades,
fountains and pools, to erect beautiful architectural compositions and sculptures
in exquisite settings of exotic flora. Thus the ordinary pasture lands on the
outskirts of Uman within six years were transformed into a place of romance
and charm. The skill of the workers employed cannot fail to impress.
The complicated ornamental work was all done by simple folk craftsmen-serfs.
And the architect did not use a finished plan for composition of the park,
but mainly relied upon personal intuition.
Thus, outstanding skill and
imagination were demanded of the self-trained masters in working out the fine
details. We regret that the names of the many highly talented masters are unknown
to us. Documents in the archives merely slate that among the workers were a few
peasants who lived in present-day Rodnikovka near Uman - Ivan and Ilya Vdovichenko,
and Korniy Kuzmenko. On the average, the daily number of workers employed came
to more than 800. And it was back-breaking work. We do not know how many lives
it cost to build the park or how many were crippled while moving the granite
boulders from place to place or while digging out the grottos and so on.
Naturally, Sofievka Park did not always look as it does today. Its landscaped
composition was improved upon after the demise of the Potockis when the park
fell into the hands of other owners. For almost a quarter of a century (1836-1859)
it was turned over to the military command for their quarters. During that time
the Flora and Rose pavilions were built, the Great Cascade was reconstructed
and the planting area greatly expanded. The park was enriched with new varieties
of trees and bushes after it became the property of the Central College of
Horticulture (1859-1917).
Go for a stroll now through the picturesque places of the park. The best time is
in the early morning when the sun turns the dew into sparkling diamonds in the
clearings among the groves and in the Gribok Glade-the most beautiful nook in
the park.
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