Hora offers two distinct cultural points of interest: the life story of the sculptor Petro Petrovych Verna, who was born here, and the memorial in the town centre. Together, they raise questions of art and remembrance, but by different means. Verna’s work points to Ukrainian sculpture devoted to Taras Shevchenko; the memorial commemorates villagers who fell in the Second World War, as well as veterans who died in peacetime. When choosing a destination based on cultural interests, visitors can weigh whether an artist’s biography or the design of a place of remembrance appeals more to them.

Petro Verna: Sculpture and Shevchenko

Petro Petrovych Verna (1877–1966) was a woodcarver and one of the first creators of Ukrainian sculpture devoted to Taras Shevchenko. He was born in Hora. Over the course of his artistic life, he created more than 100 figures, bas-reliefs and sculptural compositions. These include more than 30 portraits of Taras Shevchenko, as well as compositions based on themes from his works. Thus, a wide range of forms in a single body of work is linked by a recurring connection to Shevchenko. A bas-relief is a sculptural representation that projects from a flat surface; the term describes a different type of work from a figure or a sculptural composition. Theatre also features in Verna’s biography: he performed for many years with Hora’s village amateur theatre group. This adds a historical involvement in local amateur theatre to his sculpture and reveals another aspect of his cultural life.

The memorial in the town centre

In the centre of Hora stands a memorial to villagers who fell in the Second World War, as well as to veterans who died in peacetime. It consists of a four-sided obelisk and a stele. The stele features two bas-reliefs depicting the scenes “Attack” and “Victory”, along with plaques bearing the names of villagers who fell. The memorial’s overall dedication and the plaques differ in their scope: the commemoration also includes veterans who died in peacetime, while the plaques record the names of villagers who fell. A depiction of the Order of the Patriotic War was once mounted on the obelisk; it was missing on 29 January 2019. Overall, the memorial combines architectural elements with pictorial scenes and remembrance by name.

Cultural perspectives on Hora

When planning a trip, these themes can be weighed according to personal interests: Verna’s biography, sculpture and connection to Shevchenko are at the heart of one; the memorial’s dedication, reliefs and commemoration are the focus of the other. Verna’s many years with the amateur theatre group add a historical facet of local cultural life to the art-historical perspective. Hora can thus be viewed from different cultural angles without conflating the sculptor’s life story with the place of remembrance.

Discover more destinations: Hostomel, Kodaky, Mysailivka, Baryshivka, Zhukyn, Ruda, Slavutych, Stoyanka.

For the broader travel overview: Kyiv Oblast.