My Native Town Kaniv

Kaniv is my native town. I have been living here since my birth. My hometown has got 24, 000 inhabitants. It is located in a region called Cherkasy Oblast in the central part of Ukraine. Kaniv my hometown is a small but beautiful town situated on a picturesque bank of the river Dnipro. Kaniv is a historic town. It is one of the oldest towns in Ukraine. According to the chronicles it was founded in the 11th century during the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Kaniv of Kievan Rus was a great financial centre.

How did it get its name? There are some versions about that. The first version is that the name of Kaniv is connected with the name of courageous warrior Kany. The next version is that Kaniv got its name from the Kanyuka eagle. Some people believe that it got its name from Tatar words which mean the place of blood.

Kaniv my hometown is best known as the place where Taras Shevchenko, the great Ukrainian poet, was buried on Tarasova Hill. Many people from Ukraine and all over the world come to Kaniv to pay homage to great Taras. There is Shevchenko Museum on Tarasova Hill. The halls of the museum tell about the great Ukrainian bard. From time to time different exhibitions of modern artists, craftsmen are organized in the halls of the museum. Shevchenko’s grave and the adjoining territory were declared a state reserve. The Kaniv State Museum-Reserve has become a monument of Ukrainian culture.

There are some other interesting places in Kaniv. Uspensky Cathedral is an architectural monument of the 12th century. It was founded by the Great Prince of Kievan Rus Vsevolod Olgovich in 1144. Gaidar library-museum is in the centre of the town. Arkadiy Gaidar, the well-known chidren’s writer died near our town in 1941 and was buried here. Of interest for any tourist is the museum of Kaniv history, the museum of Decorative Folk Art, the Monument to a Mother and a Child in the park of Glory.

There aren’t many industrial enterprises in our town. You can find the hydroelectric power station, which is one of a chain of such stations on the Dnipro River, the huge poultry farm, the creamery  ‘Cheese Club Corporation’, the food plant ‘Veres’ which produces canned fruit and vegetables, the plant “Magnit”, plant of domestic goods and some others.

The sister-cities of Kaniv are Viersen, Germany; Lambersart, France; Southborough, England; Sonoma, USA; Chluhiv, Poland. The twinning relationships were established and are being maintained.

You’re welcome to Kaniv my hometown, which is especially beautiful in spring and in summer. I love my native town.

Answer the questions

  1. Where do you come from?
  2. When was your native town founded?
  3. What are the places of interest in your native town?
  4. What are the historical landmarks of your native town?
  5. What is the population of your town?
  6. What is your town famous for?
  7. What would you like to do to make the life in your town better?

Here is a brief retelling of the text “Kaniv My Hometown”

Level B1

  1. Kaniv, my hometown, is a small and beautiful town in central Ukraine with 24,000 inhabitants.
  2. It is situated on a charming bank of the river Dnipro.
  3. Kaniv has a rich history and it is one of the oldest towns in Ukraine.
  4. It is more than 900 years old.
  5. It was founded in the eleventh century during the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.
  6. There are some versions how Kaniv got its name.
  7. They say that the town is named after a warrior Kany, or the Kanyuka eagle.
  8. Some people believe that it got its name from Tatar words which mean the ‘place of blood’.
  9. Kaniv is well known for being the final resting place of Taras Shevchenko, a great Ukrainian poet, on Tarasova Hill.
  10. Many people, both from Ukraine and around the world, visit Kaniv to pay their respects to Shevchenko.
  11. The halls of Shevchenko Museum on Tarasova Hill tell about the great Ukrainian poet.
  12. Tarasova Hill and the surrounding area are protected by the Shevchenko National Reserve.
  13. There is also the Kaniv Nature Reserve located near Kaniv on the right bank and the islands of the Dnipro River.
  14. There are some other interesting places in my hometown.
  15. You can visit Uspensky Cathedral, an architectural monument of the 12th century, on Soborna Square.
  16. There is the museum of Decorative Folk Art in front of the Cathedral where you can see lots of beautiful things.
  17. There isn’t much industry in our town.
  18. You can find the hydroelectric power station on the Dnipro River.
  19. Kaniv has sister-cities in Germany, France, England, the USA and Poland.
  20. I love my native town.
  21. You’re welcome to Kaniv, which is especially beautiful in spring and in summer.

Word List

  • inhabitant – мешканець
  • is situated – знаходиться
  • charming – чарівний
  • was founded – був заснований
  • century – століття
  • during the reign – під час правління
  • versions – версії
  • warrior – воїн
  • eagle – орел
  • believe – вважати
  • the final resting place – місце останнього спочинку
  • to pay respects – віддати шану
  • the surrounding area – навколишня територія
  • reserve – заповідник
  • architectural monument – пам’ятка архітектури
  • the museum of Decorative Folk Art – музей декоративного народного мистецтва
  • industry – промисловість
  • hydroelectric power station – гідроелектростанція
  • sister-city – місто-побратим
  • especially – особливо