You want to talk about Odesa. Fine. Let's talk about a city that's spent a couple of centuries being told what it is, usually by people who only ever saw the reflection of their own myth-making.
The city of Odesa itself is very young, founded only in 1794, but the area itself has a much older history.
Odesa is a city young by the standards of the world—230 years old as of this writing. But her story stretches far beyond the day Catherine the Great decided to plant a port on these shores.
Before Odesa was ever more than a thought, the ground beneath it held stories as old as time.
If you find yourself wandering the streets of Kyiv, Lviv, or even far-off Toronto or Chicago on the third Thursday in May, don't be surprised if you spot hundreds of people—young and old—wearing beautifully embroidered shirts. This is Vyshyvanka Day, and in Ukraine, it's not just fashion. It's identity.
Dozens of perfectly preserved ancient shipwrecks have been found at the bottom of the Black Sea, a total of 60 wrecks dating back as far as 2,500 years, including galleys from the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires.
Odesa. What is it about this city that draws the adventurous soul? As cities go, it's a younger one, but getting older; in 2026, Odesa will celebrate its 232nd anniversary!
Thinking of investing in Odesa? Real estate investments can earn you an income or a secure place to park your money.
Standing at the southern gateway to Odesa's sprawling Peremoha Park, April 10 Square marks a turning point in the city's World War II story.