Zhmerynka

Zhmerynka Жмеринка Żmerynka • זשמערינקאַ‎ • Șmerinca
City of regional significance
Flag Coat of arms
Zhmerynka Zhmerynka
Coordinates: 49°03′N 28°06′E
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Vinnytsia Oblast
Raion	Zhmerynka Raion
Magdeburg rights	1591
Area
• Total	18.26 km2 (7.05 sq mi)
Elevation	362 m (1,188 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Total	34,353
Website	www.zhmerinka-adm.gov.ua

Zhmerynka (Ukrainian: Жмеринка [ˈʒmɛrɪnkɐ]; Russian: Жмеринка, romanized: Zhmerinka; Polish: Żmerynka; Yiddish: זשמערינקאַ, romanized: Zhmerinka; Romanian: Șmerinca) is a city in Vinnytsia Oblast (province) of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Zhmerynka Raion (district), the town itself is not a part of the district and is separately incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Population: 34,353 (2020 est.).

Name

There are many propositions as far as the origin of name of Zhmerynka is concerned. One of the ideas is that it may be derived from the Polish words, describing the handshake.

History

Ancient time

Zhmerynka was established as a city in agreement with the Magdeburg rights in 1591. Before that moment, the two villages: Big Zhmerynka village and Small Zhmerynka village, were known to exist at the same place in 16th century.

Some time later, Zmerynka was shortly described in a book titled: "Geographic Dictionary of Polish Kingdom and other Slavic places," published in Warsaw in Poland.

World War II period

Zhmerynka was occupied by the Romanian Army during the Second World War from 17 July 1941 until 20 March 1944 and incorporated into the Transnistria Governorate.

Geography

Location

Zhmerynka is situated in a South-Eastern part of the Vinnytsia region. Zmerynka has an area of 18,2 square kilometers. The average altitude above the sea level is 326m.

Climate

Zhmerynka has the continental European climate.

City governance

The Mayor of Zhmerynka is elected by the people of Zhmerynka during the direct election process.

The City Assembly may approve or reject the urban development decrees, initiated by the local people, social groups and organizations.

Religion

St. Oleksandr Nevs'ky Orthodox Cathedral in Zhmerynka

Orthodox religion

The old Orthodox Cathedral was built in 1893, however it was destroyed in 1928.

There is the newly built St. Oleksandr Nevs'ky Orthodox Cathedral, which was made of the red bricks in 2005, in a central part of the city of Zhmerynka.

Catholic religion

There is the St. Oleksiy Catholic Cathedral, which was built in 1910, in Zhmerynka (see the picture in the Gallery).

Jewish religion

Many Jewish people were in Zhmerynka before World War II. However, the Synagogue was destroyed during the World War II. Presently, the Jewish people initiated an effort to collect the financial funds to build a new Synagogue in Zhmerynka.

Economy

Railway industry

The railway company, which is a part of railway transportation industry, is a biggest business and employer in Zhmerynka.

Agriculture industry

There are many companies, which belong to the agricultural industry in Zhmerynka.

Food industry

There is a well developed food processing industry with a number of big, medium and small companies.

Education industry

There are many secondary schools in Zhmerynka, which employ a big number of teachers.

Tourism industry

There is a number of comfortable hotels with a variety of services, which operate in Zhmerynka.

Transportation

Railway transportation

Railway Station

Zhmation hub in Ukraine at present time.

The initial project of the Zmerynka railway transportation hub was made by Carl von Mekk, engineer in 1865.

The building of the Zmerynka big railway station was designed by Zhuravs'ky, architect and it was built in 1899–1904.

Zmerynka railway station was fully renovated in 2012.

Automobile transportation

There is a bus station near the railway station. The distance to Bar, Ukraine is 30 kilometres (19 miles). The distance to Vinnytsia is 35 kilometres (22 miles). The distance to Shargorod is 37 kilometres (23 miles). The distance to Kyiv is 317 kilometres (197 miles).

Media

Printing media

Zhmerins'ky Meridian newspaper is published in Zhmerynka. The head office is located at Bohdan Khmelnits'ky Street 19, Zhmerynka 23100, Ukraine.

Electronic media

There is an FM radio-station: "Obriy", which transmits the local news and the music in Zhmerynka at 67.34 MHz.

Internet media

There is a number of Internet resources, which monitor the cultural, business, politics news in Zhmerynka.

Notable people

• Jan Brzechwa, Polish poet and writer.
• Valery Brezdenyuk, painter.
• Denis Forov, wrestler.
• Izrail Gelman, Math Teacher, Holocaust Survivor

Gallery

• 
  Zhmerinka Gymnasium
• 
  Zhmerinka City Council
• 
  Havryliuk dentistry
• 
  Church of St. Nicholas, Zhmerinka
• 
  St Alexius Cathedral, Zhmerinka
• 
  Orthodox cathedral, Zhmerynka
• 
  Zhmerinka Railway station, Zhmerynka, 2006
• 
  Zhmerinka Railway station, Zhmerynka, 1913
• 
  Historic post office building, Zhmerinka
• 
  Gorky park, Zhmerinka

Twin towns – brother cities

Zhmerynka is twinned with:

• Shaki, Azerbaijan
• Skarżysko-Kamienna, Poland

External links

• (in Ukrainian) Site about Zhmerynka
• (in Ukrainian) Unofficial site