Horodnia is a town on the banks of the Chybryzh River in northern Chernihiv region, the centre of the Horodnia hromada, home to about 11.5 thousand people. It lies near the tripoint of three countries — Ukraine, Belarus and Russia — so for centuries it was a border town. In 2022, this quiet Polissian town with wooden buildings and a green park survived occupation.
Where the name comes from
Some derive the name from the river of the same name, others from the Old Rus word "gorodnya", which referred to a wooden log crib in defensive walls.
History
A settlement existed back in Kyiv Rus; it declined in the 14th century, then belonged to Lithuania, and from 1503 to Muscovy. In 1618, Horodnia returned to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, rebuilt by the Khvoshch nobles, and from 1635 it became a market town and district centre. From 1649, Horodnia was part of the Hetmanate, in the Sedniv sotnia of the Chernihiv Regiment. In 1764, 125 Cossack families, 185 families of burghers and peasants, and over 300 Jews — mostly artisans and merchants — lived here. In 1782, Horodnia became a county centre, and in 1785 it received Magdeburg rights.
In 1732, financed by the merchant Pavlo Pysarev, the Trinity Church was built in the centre, later destroyed by the Soviet authorities. In 1814, a noble school was established in the town.
2022
On 24 February 2022, Russian troops entered Horodnia, and columns stretched through the town towards Chernihiv. On 26 February, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a column of Russian military equipment in the southwest of the town. On 1 April, the occupiers finally left Horodnia, leaving their equipment behind. Local residents recall stopping tanks and giving the occupiers Ukrainian history books.
Advice: keep safety in mind
Horodnia lies near the border with Russia and Belarus and still suffers drone attacks. Before travelling, be sure to check the security situation with the local hromada and the regional military administration, and do not approach the border.
Coat of arms
On the red coat of arms of Horodnia is a black anchor and three silver eight-pointed stars. The anchor was present on the seal of the sotnia office, but its exact origins remain unclear.
Getting there
Horodnia lies north of Chernihiv, and a railway line runs through it. Nearby is Snovsk.
