For a long time, since 1669, Baturin was the residence of many hetmans (leaders of cossacks) of the left-bank Ukraine. In 1708, there was a terrible tragedy in Baturin: Moscow army under the command of Alexander Menshikov captured the town, completely ruined it and killed from 10 to 15 thousand civilians and cossacks. The reason for this was quite clear - Hetman Ivan Mazepa switched the side and joined the Swedes. For several decades Baturin stood empty.
From 2003 to 2009 there was a large-scale renovation in Baturin. National historical and cultural preserve "Hetman's Capital" was created on the site of the ruins. It consists of three main parts: Kyrylo Rozumovsky Palace, judge Kochubey's house and fortifications on the banks of the Seim river. This became possible thanks to many people that gave either money or exhibits.
The central and most interesting object of the reserve is a palace with a park. It was built in 1799-1803 by the architect Charles Cameron by the order of the last Hetman of Ukraine Kyrylo Rozumovsky. In 1824 all interiors were destroyed in a fire. On these photos you can see how the palace looked before renovation.
At the moment almost all interior has been refurbished. Despite the fact that many of the rooms look very nice and the work was carried out according to the original drawings, interior decorations are far from the original.
The palace is an example of what can be done with ruins having proper funding and guidance. Unfortunately, thousands of objects in Ukraine still await renovation.
There are guided tours inside (not sure about English language). During the weekend there are many weddings here and therefore many people inside.
The second picturesque object is the reconstructed Baturin Citadel. The original citadel was completely destroyed in 1708. However, the current reconstruction has the same dimensions as the citadel of the cossacks. On the territory you can find the hetman's house and a monument to the victims of the Baturin tragedy of 1708.
Another object of the reserve is a house of General Court of Left-Bank Ukraine, built in XVII (house of Kochubey). This is the only building that has survived since the times of Ivan Mazepa. There is a museum in the house and a park around it. Having passed through the central alley of the park, you will find a memorial. This memorial is installed on the site of an oak that was used by Hetman Ivan Mazepa and Motrya Kochubey (daughter of the judge) for personal correspondence. Vasyl Kochubey didn't like these secret meetings, so he regularly reported to the Tsar about Ivan Mazepa. However, Tsar Peter I did not believe him and Kochubey was executed. In a year Mazepa betrayed the Tsar.
Map of Baturin
Getting there: There are no direct minibuses or trains from Kyiv. You need to go by train either to Bakhmach (23 km from Baturin) or to Konotop (28 km) and take a bus or a taxi from there. The best way is a guided tour or a car.