12 June 2026
(Photo: Intent/Natalia Dovbysh)
Igor Koval, Acting Mayor of Odessa, has ordered the allocation of funds for the maintenance and renovation of "Dyukivsky Garden," a park designated as a local landmark of landscape architecture.
The relevant order was published by the mayor’s office press service.
The funds in question come from the Odessa City Environmental Protection Fund and amount to 522,000 hryvnias. The Department of Finance has been tasked with ensuring that these funds are transferred to the Department of Ecology.
Dyukivsky Garden is located at the junction of two quite colorful historical districts of Odessa: Moldavanka and Slobidka. Many stories are associated with this area. In 1789, it was here, in Vodyanaya Balka, that Ribas and his Cossack regiments spent the night before the assault on Khadzhibey on September 14. Historical sources also mention a spring with fresh water that the Cossacks used to quench their thirst on the eve of the Battle of Khadzhibey. These springs still exist in the park today. They fill the ponds created within its grounds.
The park is situated on three levels: the lower level—along Balkivska Street; the middle level—on the slope of the ravine itself (not very steep, with artificial terraces in some places); and the upper level—a flat area. An alley leads from the main entrance, transforming into a staircase with landings from which side alleys branch off. Down below, to the left of the entrance, there is a fairly large, elongated pond (200 by 50 meters) with an island, fed by a freshwater spring that flows from the slope. The main path leads to the central square with a large stone pavilion and several other buildings.
It was established in 1810 by order of the Duke de Richelieu (and named in his honor) as the garden of his residence. At the beginning of its existence, it was called the Richelieu Villa, the Richelieu Garden, and later—the Duke’s Garden.
In November 2024, the Odessa City Council sought through the courts to terminate a lease agreement with the private company “Center Katyusha.” The case concerned the lease of a land plot in Dyukivsky Park covering nearly 25 hectares.
In 2021, the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography, and Cadastre created a “Natural Reserve Fund” on the public cadastral map, containing information on 7,108 objects of the natural reserve fund with a total area of over 4.28 million hectares. Among the objects was “Dyukivsky Garden.”
Кирило Бойко