Odesa
City of Ukraine
Odesa is a large city, the administrative, economic, and cultural center of the Odesa Oblast, located on the northwestern coast of the Black Sea, near the mouth of the Dniester River and several estuaries. It is the third-largest city in Ukraine, known for its unique geographical location and multicultural population, numbering about 1 million people.
The modern founding of Odesa as a port city dates back to 1794, which spurred rapid development of trade and economy. The city gained the status of a free port in 1819, contributing to its rapid growth and transforming it into a significant trade, industrial, and scientific hub of the Black Sea region.
1794
Construction of the port and city began
1810
The first city theater opened
1819
The city received free port status
1865
The Imperial Novorossiysk University was founded
1887
A new building of the Odesa Opera House opened, becoming an architectural masterpiece
1919
The Odesa Film Studio was established
1965
The city was awarded the honorary title of Hero City
2017
A new passenger terminal of the international airport opened
2019
Odesa joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature
2023
The historic city center was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List
