Schönborn Park, 12 acres of sophistication (PHOTOS, + Video)

It took 12 acres and more than two years to make the dream come true in Perechyn district. It looks like a perfect park in the tract of Voyevodino, less than fifty kilometers from Uzhgorod.

In a picturesque place they arranged a space which takes visitors to the romance of the nineteenth century. The park combines several styles with the Baroque prevailing. But most importantly, it not only tries to create an atmosphere of gentility, elegance and relaxation, but also to take visitors to the the past by telling the history of Transcarpathia in an interesting way. The goal is to prove that we really are a part of Europe.

The carefully made lake (they almost achieved the impression that it is the work of nature itself) and the working water mill (dedicated to St. Jan Nepomuk) give the park a special, lively, atmosphere. The building was recreated by old models. But millstones are authentic. The other elements of the park and landscape design are rather symbolic.

"Our goal is to preserve it.And to show that we are not periphery of Europe or Ukraine, but we are in the center. Here we restored what was in Transcarpathia in the historical and cultural context. It has been restored and presented in high-quality manner" – Fedir Sandor – tourim expert, Vice Rector of UzhNU, and the guide of the park tells about the mission of the project.

The island on the lake is lined with stones, the number of which coincides with the number of days in the year – 365. In the lake in the middle of the park, there is an island in the shape of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fedir Sandor says, "Astronomy and numerology were very popular in th nineteenth century.Here in the park, there is a calendar of Druids, 12 trees are planted round a runic circle. The zodiac calendar is also used: 12 spiers representing months, 4 spiers representing four seasons, and so on. 12 bridges have images of zodiac signs…".

And the bridge (although it looks old, it was built recently) is devoted to four Saints: it is decorated with the figures of the Evangelists. One of the sculptures was reproduced from the fragments discovered there, the rest were made in the same style.

Sculptor Mykhailo Kolodko, co-author of the park, said: "We had only fragments of sculptures and had to deduct their height and style.We had part of the forearm, part of the face, part of the symbol of the evangelist Luke… We have reconstructed approximately the size of the figure, and thus came to the size of the bridge, which shape it would have had that would represent the Shenborn era in Transcarpathia. And that our idea of that time, that era of the Austro-Hungarian empire inspired this result that you can see now, this Evangelists bridge. The next figures were made already in the style of the first one which had been found. We just reflected, changed the movement, plasticity, but left this psuedo-Baroque style of the figures, which we had seen in those fragments. The figures are four Evangelists: Luke, John, Matthew and Mark. Mark’s symbol is lion, the next symbols are angel, bird and bull. And the bridge highlights the era in question. This is not just something that allows you to cross the river. The bridge is made high up, there is a large space underneath it that is illuminated at night and light of the lantern is reflected in the river. There are two hanging crosses, symbols of the Old and New Testament and they will sanctify the water… Actually, the bridge is a monument, a monument to that era." Also, Mykhailo Kolodko says, the bridge as if separates the secular part of the park from the religious one – after crossing it, one gets on the cross road that leads to the temple.

The park which is now open to the public is called Schönborn park. The noble family owned Transcarpathia for longer than one century and it is believed that this family give the region a European charm. They do not specify which one of Shenborns the recreation area is dedicated to. They say, it is more about the legend rather than a specific person.

Professor of History Serhiy Fedaka says, "Schoenborn is the name that characterizes a great period in the history of Transcarpathia from 1728. Shenborn period comprises more than two centuries, which were very productive. Austrians Schönborns spent them creating a certain industry in the region, so that there was a tourism product here. And they did it. And some of those achievements we can see here – the restored park, a beautiful territory in the Voyevodino tract. And in general, in Chynadiyevo, in the village of Schönborn, in the sanatorium "Karpaty", in Mukachevo, Uzhgord, Svalyava districts, there are reasons to mention this family. They were managers by nature and tried to develop the region in social, economic and cultural senses."

It should be noted that this is a common history with the Europeans – in our region, they do not forget about close relationships. Therefore, diplomats from Hungary and Austria at the opening of the Schönborn park planted symbolic pines at the entrance. They said that such a project is a truly European.

"We see how we could return our common legacy left by ancestors.It’s very nice. We all know that the people of Transcarpathia have always lived peacefully. We in Hungary with great joy follow the restoration of this piece of history and we are glad that tourists from around the world can enjoy the beauty and charge with positive energy here" – József Bochkayi, the Consul General of the Republic of Hungary in Uzhgorod said.

Today, the work on the park is not yet complete. They plan to arrange several additional attractions, and the plants used in landscaping still have to grow. But, the picturesque area is already open for walks, during which you can feel like you are in the nineteenth century, or just in a dream.