Amazing South: Myhia - the land of Herodotus in Mykolaiv region

Myhia is a picturesque village in Pervomaiskyi district of Mykolaiv region. It is located on the left bank of the Southern Bug River and is considered one of the oldest settlements in the region.

The territory of the village and its surroundings is an integral part of the Granite-Steppe Pobuzhzhia Regional Landscape Park and the Buzky Gard National Nature Park, which is a geological natural monument of national importance and is under protection.

A separate issue of the Amazing South series was devoted to the Buzky Gard natural complex. This time, Intent continues the series with a story about the village of Myhia and interesting locations near it.

History of the ancient village

The village of Myhia has a long history dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages (VI-II millennia BC). Settlements of the Scythian era (V-II centuries BC) and Cherniakhivska culture (II-VI centuries AD) were discovered near Myhia and Kuripchyne.

The ancient history of the village is evidenced by the fragments of stucco pottery, stone tools, flint spearheads, and a bronze needle found here. In the yard of one of the local residents, archaeologists also discovered the burial of an Olviopolite, a resident of ancient Olbia. This discovery confirms the area's long-standing ties with the ancient world and testifies to the area's long history of settlement.

The name of the village comes from the ancient Greek word "emigeia", which means "my land". There is a legend that the Greeks, having visited this hospitable land, saw a rocky land that reminded them of their native Greece. There is an assumption that the famous historian Herodotus was among them, who allegedly came up with the name.

According to another version, the modern name of the village comes from the name of the rapids of the Bug River - Myhia. The place name itself is most likely of Moldovan origin. In the XVI - XVII centuries, residents of Bessarabia and Wallachia settled in this area, trying to escape Turkish oppression.

The history of Myhia is also closely linked to the era of the Zaporizhzhia Cossacks. Already in the sixteenth century, Cossacks settled the vast lands of the Wild Field (the traditional name for the Black Sea steppes in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries).

According to historian A. Skalkovskyi, Myhia is the birthplace of the legendary Cossack Mamai, who terrified the enemies of Pobuzhzhia, Podillia, and Kyiv region. His image in folklore is the personification of the entire Ukrainian Cossacks, a symbol of freedom-loving, wisdom, and indomitability. There is a version that the historical prototype could have been the real-life commander of the Golden Horde Mamai (XIV century). However, according to historical research, the name Mamai was quite common in Ukraine in ancient times, so national heroes could have served as prototypes of the famous Cossack Mamai. His name became a common name for travelers-warriors and wise men-characters.

On the island, at the confluence of the Great Tashlyk and the Southern Bug, there was Bugskyi Gard, the administrative center of the Bugo-Gardovska palanka, the largest territorial unit of the Zaporizhzhia Sich.

There is another legend about the name of the village. Opposite the village, across the river, was the territory of the Turks. And at night, when the Cossacks were lighting fires, flashing lights could be seen from afar.

In addition to horticulture and transportation, the Cossacks built farms in Myhia - winter quarters. They were organized by several wealthy Cossacks. In the winter quarters, men were engaged in fishing, farming, beekeeping, hunting, cattle breeding, horse breeding, and sheep breeding. The names of a number of Zaporizhzhia Cossacks are associated with these places: Yakiv Soloma, Herasym Koval, Fedir Shvydkyi, and Semen Mliavyi.

Protich tract and Myhia rapids

Myhia is a real mountainous country in the middle of the Ukrainian steppe. One of the most picturesque areas here is the Protich tract, which is washed by the waters of the Southern Bug. Steep granite cliffs up to 40 meters high rise above the river, among which the Protichanska rock is particularly prominent.

The Protich tract. PHOTO: s.0512.com.ua

The river rapids, known as Myhia rapids, brought Myhia the greatest glory. They form a unique canyon on the Southern Buh - a chain of rocky ledges and rifts through which water rapidly breaks through. The canyon was formed due to the outcrops of ancient granite rocks of the Ukrainian Crystal Shield that blocked the riverbed. These rocks are over two billion years old. They belong to the oldest geological foundation of Ukraine, which began to form at the dawn of our planet's existence.

For millions of years, the Southern Bug River has been eroding softer rocks, creating a narrow, deep canyon with steep cliffs reaching heights of up to 40-50 meters. The Ukrainian crystalline shield was constantly moving, slowly rising and falling. This forced the river to adapt and gradually cut deeper into the crystalline rock.

The Myhia Rapids are an incredible natural attraction with a total length of 9.5 km. The rapids are divided into upper and lower ones. Above the village of Myhia, there are the Hrushevskyi Rapids, which stretch along the right bank of the river, and the Mlynovyi Rapids, which stretch along the left bank of the river. Below is Zaporizhzhia Rapids or Velykyi Myhii Rapids.

The Myhii rapids. PHOTO: upload.wikimedia.org

One of the most beautiful places in these parts is the Red Gate Rapids, or Integral. It got its name because of its unusual bizarre shape. The water flow here has a characteristic S-shaped bend in the riverbed and resembles a mathematical symbol. The "Red Gate", another name for this rapids, was given to it because the water makes its way through a narrow passage between red granite rocks. This is one of the most famous and most difficult rapids on the Southern Bug for rafting enthusiasts. Due to its curved shape, it is ideal for dynamic rafting and sport slalom.

Rafting on the Myhia rapids. PHOTO: www.gorgany.com

In different parts of the river, the Myhia Rapids are more or less tortuous. Thanks to this, active recreation on the Southern Bug can be accessible to tourists with different levels of training - both for beginners and professionals in this field.

Radon Lake

Near the village of Myhia and not far from the Myhia rapids is the Radon Lake. This reservoir is of man-made origin. It was formed in the second half of the twentieth century on the site of a former granite quarry. In Soviet times, granite was actively mined here. Some time after the work stopped, the empty pit was filled with groundwater. According to various sources, the depth of the lake is about 24-40 meters, and the water has a characteristic sky-blue hue due to the presence of minerals and radon impurities. This is why the reservoir is called the Radon Lake.

Radon Lake. PHOTO: www.gorgany.com

Thelake is small in size, with an area of more than 6 hectares. The rocky shores surrounding the artificial reservoir cascade down to the water and give the landscape a special beauty and attractiveness. Together with the village of Myhia and the rapids of the Southern Bug, the lake is part of a unique natural complex - the Granite-Step Pobuzhzhia Regional Landscape Park, which is part of the Buzky Gard National Park.

Local legends add to the mystery of this place. One of them says that the quarry was filled with water literally overnight and swallowed up the equipment left behind. It is believed that excavators, tractors and various equipment can still be found at the bottom.

Nowadays, Radonove Lake is a popular vacation spot for both active and family recreation. The area around the lake has been landscaped, and there is an observation deck near the lake that offers stunning views of the lake and the Myhia Rapids. There are information boards, a photo zone, gazebos, benches, and even a parking lot.

Another local attraction is the zip line, which stretches 457 meters over the lake. The descent speed reaches 120 km/h. Half a minute of high-speed flight at an altitude of 72 meters is a gift of unforgettable emotions for extreme sports fans.

During your vacation, it is important to remember that the water in the lake is saturated with radon, a colorless radioactive inert gas that can pose a danger to human health. Although locals and tourists bathe in the lake and spend time on the shore talking about the benefits of radon baths, staying in such water can have an adverse effect on the human body.

Ancient steam mill in Skarzhynske

The Scarzhynskyi dynasty (1776-1917) made a significant contribution to the economic and cultural development of Myhia village. In 1776, Petro Mykhailovych Skarzhynskyi (a Polish emigrant) bought Myhia with the adjacent lands together with the serfs from the general-anshef Petro Kurakin-Tekeli. After the death of P. M. Skarzhynskyi, the village became the property of his wife Ulyana and son Viktor, who organized an advanced farm at that time on the estate he received from his father. He built a new church in the village, the Peter and Paul Cathedral. He also ran a brick factory and a granite quarry. Later, Viktor Petrovych's descendant, Yosyp, opened an agricultural school.

To this day, architectural monuments built by the Skarzhynskys still exist that have historical and artistic value. They are made in the Gothic style with elements of classical and baroque. The most prominent of the monuments is the Skarzhynskyi Steam Mill, a massive multi-storey neo-Gothic building made of granite from the Myhiyivka quarry and red brick that looks like an old castle. The heir to the Scarzynski family, Joseph, commissioned the construction of the facility from the architect Władysław Jaskulski. The mill was powered by a 225-horsepower outboard turbine. In its heyday, the enterprise was very advanced and processed up to 3 thousand poods (about 45-50 tons) of grain per day.

The Skarzhynskyi mill. PHOTO: www.nikpravda.com.ua

Over time, the mill made Myhia and its owner famous in local and foreign markets. Traders learned about four types of high-quality flour and a large number of cereals produced by the mill. After some time, Skarzhynskyi's products were shipped to the international market in Constantinople through the port of Odesa.

In the early twentieth century, instead of millstones, the mill was equipped with simple turbines with electric generators. The building was transformed into a hydroelectric power plant, and until 2011 it was operating, providing electricity to Migia and several neighboring villages. Nowadays, the building of the Skarzhynskyi water mill is one of the most important tourist attractions in Mykolaiv region.

Getting there.

By public transportation. Take trains, buses, or minibuses to Pervomaisk, then take buses or minibuses to the village of Myhia.

By your own vehicle: Take the Ulianivka - Mykolaiv highway to the village of Myhia.

The nearest railway stations are located in Pervomaisk, which is 10 km away, and in Yuzhnoukrainsk, which is 35 km from Myhia. Pervomaisk and Yuzhnoukrainsk can be reached by buses that run regularly between the settlements. Most often, the buses take you almost to the campsites.

If you want to get there by bus, there is a regular bus from Mykolaiv to Yuzhnoukrainsk. And from there you can take a shuttle bus to Myhia.

Юлія Сичова