Sumy was founded in 1655 on the site of the Sumyne hillfort, and as early as 1658 the town became the center of the Sumy Sloboda Cossack Regiment, headed by Herasym Kondratiev. From those times, the Resurrection Church has survived in the center, and at the turn of the 20th century, when the city was patronized by the Kharytonenko philanthropists and the population grew fivefold, the present cathedral and the Altanka gazebo appeared. There is no marked route, but the main sights of the center lie close together: it is about 2.3 km from the Altanka to the Holy Prophet Elijah Church, taking an hour and a half to two hours with sightseeing.
The Altanka Gazebo and Pokrovska Square
The start is near the Altanka gazebo on Pokrovska Square, the symbol of the city. It was built around 1900–1905 according to a "standard" design; the author was Matviy Shchavelyov, a draftsman at the Zemstvo administration. The gazebo stands on the spot where oil was once prospected.
Nearby are the Regional Museum of Local Lore and the Onatsky Art Museum. The art museum building was damaged by shelling of the city center on April 13, 2025, so it should be viewed from the outside.
Transfiguration Cathedral and Soborna Street
Next, the route leads to the Transfiguration Cathedral. It was rebuilt in 1882–1892 under the direction of Academician of Architecture Mykhailo Lovtsov. Four three-meter statues of the apostles stand on the drum of the cathedral. The pedestrian Soborna Street — the main street of old Sumy — begins near the cathedral.
Resurrection Church
Along Soborna Street, the route goes north to the Resurrection Church with its bell tower. Completed in 1702, it is the oldest surviving building in Sumy.
Strilka Embankment and Holy Prophet Elijah Church
From the Resurrection Church, the route descends to the embankment of the Strilka River. This river is a former trench dug in 1658 between the Psel and Sumka rivers. The finish is at the Holy Prophet Elijah Church on the western edge of the old center.
Tips
The route is short and suitable for a walk with children. Those who want to extend it can go to the Chekhov House-Museum in Luka, located about 3.5 km north of the center.
How to get there
Intercity bus timetables can be found on the page of the Sumy Bus Station.
Note. The route is described for a time when restrictions are lifted. The Sumy hromada is an area of possible hostilities, the city suffers shelling almost daily, and the forests of Sumy Oblast are closed to civilians in 2026. Do not plan a walk at this time without checking the situation with the hromada and the military administration.
