Kharkiv was the last city among Pole-Ukrainian cities which was given the status of the host city of championship. Till 2009 it was under discussion would it be given right of hosting or not. On May 13, 2009 executive committee of UEFA decided that until November 30, 2012 “Metalist” would not satisfy all UEFA requirements. On December 5, in that year was opened “Metalist” after reconstruction and on December 11 UEFA gave Kharkiv right of hosting Euro-2012. Finally, everything developed in such way that Kharkiv opens European championship and at “Metalist” stadium will be held the matches of the “group of death”: Hollabd-Denmark (On June 9), Holland- Germany (On June 13) and Holland-Portugal (On June 17).
So Kharkiv hosts one of the important groups. At “Metralist” arena world and European three times champion Germany, three times vice-champion of the world and 1988 European champion Holland, two times bronze winner champion of the world and vice-champion of Europe Portugal will hold the matches. Denmark does not have such starts at these mentioned countries but it is also a serious team.
Kharkiv is the second-biggest city in eastern Ukraine and only Kiev has more population than Kharkiv in the whole country. According to the local residences, there are 2 million citizens in Kharkiv, including people from provinces. It is one of the important science, industrial, transport and student cities in Ukraine. By the way after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, it was the biggest industrial, transport and student centre of the USSR. It used to produce the most tractors, tanks and turbines in Kharkiv. In the second half of the 20th century it was considered as the main transport junction in South-Eastern Europe.
If we look through the history of Kharkiv, it was founded in 1654 but took the status of the city in 1787. In 1918, in February-May Kharkiv was the capital of Donetsk-Kryvyi Rih republic in 1919-1934 Kharkiv was the capital of Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and local residences are proud that their city was the first capital of Ukraine.
A lot of facts prove that Kharkiv was one of the important educational centers of Russia and former the Soviet Union. Kharkiv University which was founded in 1805 and local Institute of Plitecnics which was founded in 1885 also prove it.
Kharkiv is quite enough “green” city, but in comparison with Tbilisi, it is impossible to see hills and mountains here. The highest place of the city is in 205 meters from the sea-floor and the lowest place is in 94-meter from the sea-floor. There is funicular in the city too.
Tabagari, special correspondence of ‘World Sport” from Kharkiv
Author’s photos
