In Sviati Hory National Nature Park, its riverside setting and chalk landscape define the natural scenery. The park lies in the Sviatohirsk community along the Siverskyi Donets River; excursion and tourist routes run through the chalk hills, also known as the Holy Mountains. The park also has two ecological educational trails: “Zustrich” and “Dubovyi hai.”
Chalk trails, ancient trees, and landforms
The “Dubovyi hai” educational trail passes a patriarch oak described as 600 years old. The tree is 29 m tall, has a diameter of 2 m, and a trunk circumference of 6.3 m. For those interested in ancient trees, this provides not only an age estimate but also the height and two trunk measurements for context.
Another chalk feature is the cliffs near Bilokuzmynivka: they are a geological natural monument of local significance, located 500 m from the center of Bilokuzmynivka in Kostiantynivka Raion, Donetsk Oblast. Unlike the routes through the chalk hills, the focus here is on the geological classification of the cliffs. This makes it possible to view the trails in the nature park and the individual natural monument as distinct nature themes.
Meotyda National Nature Park presents a different landscape. It brings together sea spits, salt lakes, small rivers, warm sea waves, reed beds, saline soils, steppe slopes, and granite rock. This variety places coastal, aquatic, plant, soil, and rock formations side by side, broadening the view beyond the chalk landscapes.
Kleban-Byk Regional Landscape Park is described as one of the places in Donetsk Oblast with especially beautiful nature and good recreational opportunities. Thus, alongside the specifically named landforms, recreational opportunities are another distinct nature-focused option.
Monastic heritage and architecture
The Sviatohirsk Dormition Monastery is a complex of religious, architectural, and natural heritage, and is one of the oldest spiritual and cultural centers in eastern Ukraine. Its designation brings together architectural and religious history with an appreciation of natural heritage.
St. Nicholas Church in Druzhkivka was included in the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine as a cultural monument of national significance. The 17th-century church is a brick building with an altar made of chalk; its architecture draws on the traditions of Ukrainian folk wooden architecture, rendered in stone. The contrast between brick and chalk complements the distinctive combination of wooden-architecture traditions and stone construction.
For choosing your focus, this offers a clear comparison: nature themes range from chalk and rivers to coastal and steppe landscapes; cultural heritage centers on the monastery complex and the church’s architectural history. If you plan to visit nature park trails, check the current trail and access conditions before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Donetsk, Makiivka, Amvrosiivka, Yenakiieve, Mariupol, Kostiantynivka, Amvrosiivskyi Raion, Kostiantynivka, Horlivka, Shchurove, Prymorske, Sviatohirsk, Melekyne, Yatskivka, Bilosaraiska Kosa, Nyzhnia Krynka, Kramatorsk, Yasynuvata, Pokrovka, Sedove, Sloviansk, Prokhorivka, Pokrovsk, Vodyane, Stepanivka.
For the broader travel overview: Ukraine.
