On Blahovishchenska Street in the centre of Trostianets stands a two-storey brick building built in 1908 for the merchant Fedir Kurylo. This is one of the most interesting commercial structures of the early 20th century in the Sumy region and a local architectural landmark. In the spring of 2022, during the Russian occupation of the town, a shell hit the building, and since then it has also become a witness to the war.
The Kurylo Merchants from Okhtyrka
The building was commissioned by Fedir Kurylo, a representative of the well-known Kurylo (Kurylov) merchant dynasty from Okhtyrka. The ground floor housed shops and commodity warehouses, while the first floor contained the office and living rooms. Even at the beginning of the 21st century, the building retained its purpose: shops operated downstairs and offices upstairs.
The building was discovered, surveyed and registered as a heritage site in 1990 by architectural researcher Viktor Vecherskyi, who described it in the "Compendium of Monuments of History and Culture of Ukraine".
The 2022 Occupation
From 24 February to 26 March 2022, Trostianets was under Russian occupation. During this time, a shell hit Kurylo's building, destroying the roof and part of the walls, and shattering the windows. Heritage preservationists led by Ihor Poshivailo, coordinator of the "Heritage Rescue Headquarters" initiative, conducted an inspection and expertise of the building, which had sustained critical damage.
The Centre of Trostianets
Near Kurylo's building are other town landmarks: the Round Yard, built in 1749 as an amphitheatre, the Koenig estate, the Golitsyn palace and the Blahovishchenska Church of 1744–1750. In 2025, Trostianets was awarded the title of Hero City.
How to Get There
Address: 26 Blahovishchenska Street (formerly Horkoho), Trostianets. Trostianets is 55 km south of Sumy; there is the Trostianets-Smorodynne railway station. From here it is not far to the Neskuchne Park and the Grotto of Nymphs.
What to Consider
The building is damaged, so view it only from the outside and do not go behind the fence. Trostianets is 35 km from the border with Russia: check the security situation before your trip.
