Uman
Encyclopedia : U : UM : UMA : Uman
- "Uman" is also an alternative spelling for the Middle Eastern country of Oman
Uman (Ukrainian: Умань, translit. Uman’; also referred to in Polish as Humań ) is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River at around , and serves as the administrative center of the Umansky Raion (district), however the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast.
The current estimated population is 88,730 (as of 2004).
The Soviet general Ivan Chernyakhovsky was born in Uman.
History
Uman is known since 1616 as a defensive fort built against Tatar raids and a prominent Cossack regiment was stationed in the town. In 1670–1674, Uman was a residence of the Hetman of right-bank Ukraine.In 1768 Massacre of Uman occurred after Cossack rebels Maksym Zalizniak and Ivan Gonta captured Uman during anti-Polish uprising known as "Koliyivschyna" in the area. In 1793 Uman became part of the Russian Empire and a number of aristocratic residences were built there. Uman's landmark is a famous park complex Sofiyivka (Софiївка; Polish: Zofiówka) founded in 1796 by Count Stanislaw Szczesny Potocki, a noble Polish szlachcic, who named it for his wife Sofia. The Sofia Park has a number of waterfalls and narrow, arching stone bridges crossing the streams and scenic ravines. These bridges may have been the inspiration for the famous quote by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (see below): "All the world is just a narrow bridge, but the main thing is not to fear." This was set to music in both Hebrew and English, and is still sung by Jews around the world.
A large Jewish community lived in town in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the Second World War a battle of Uman took place in the vicinity of the town, where the German army encircled Soviet positions.
Uman is the burial place of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the Rebbe of the Breslov group of Hasidic Jews. Rabbi Nachman spent the end of his life in Uman, and specifically requested to be buried there. During Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish New Year) there is a major pilgrimage by Breslov Hasidim and others to visit the grave in Uman on average just over 5700 chassidim attend each year. This practice dates back to 1811, the year after Rabbi Nachman was buried in Uman. During the Soviet regime the pilgrimage was forbidden by the authorities, but was resumed in 1989 before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
References
- () (1972) Icтopia мicт i ciл Укpaїнcькoї CCP - Черкаськa область (History of Towns and Villages of the Ukrainian SSR - Cherkasy Oblast), Kyiv.
- () [Uman] in the [Encyclopedia of Ukraine]
External links
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