Sonia and Sugar Houses

"Sugar house? Here in Kyiv? Let's go see it! Please!", said Sonia.

I was watching a historical YouTube channel, and the author was just saying that Kyiv houses that appeared at the beginning of the 20th century were by and large built of sugar. It was a figure of speech, of course, but Sonia was asking and asking. Until I said, "Okay, let's go outside into snow and frost".

Sonia is a small rag doll with a red hair. She likes ice cream and taking selfies with the mini-sculptures which are installed all around the city.

So we went to find The Sugar Beet - another mini-sculpture that was created in April 2023. And learn its story as a tiny part of the whole history of Kyiv.

The mini-sculpture was installed on the wall of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute because the idea of its creation and a significant part of the funds for its construction belonged to the Kyiv sugar factories.

Jumping ahead, I will say that we found the sculpture and I took quite a few nice photos of the place and the neighborhoods. The weather was nice and sunny but very cold, my fingers and my cheeks froze to the light pain, but I was satisfied. I came home, took out my camera, and was going to get out the memory card ... But there was no card inside. Don't worry, I didn't lose it, no, I ... I left it at home. I did not insert the damn memory card!!! Don't ask me how, just NOW YOU KNOW WHAT THE EPIC FAILURE IS.😨

No words to tell you how sad I was and angry at myself. My hubby tried not to laugh. Thanks to him for that.

But if you know me you also know that I am stubborn enough to go there again, on next day. And now I'll do it slowly. 😀 Together we will walk, I will show you plenty of photos and tell you what you see.

Decolonization

I passed through another small city park on my way. I was named after Pushkin until recently. The Russian poet who has nothing to do with Kyiv. Finally, in 2023 the Kyiv authorities realized (not without the help of the community) that we have a great number of our Ukrainian remarkable authors who are directly related to Kyiv. They deserve to have Kyiv streets, parks, and squares named after them.

So, the park is not named after Ivan Bahrianyi. The largest monument to Pushkin in Kyiv was dismantled.

Perhaps, you will ask why this happened so late. Fair question. Because earlier people have come to power who loved Russian money more than their homeland, their city, their heritage. There are a hell a lot of them around the world.

KPI Park

Here we are.

The highway is on the left, and the park is on the right. And behind the park is the institute stands on the top of the hill.

The Kyiv Zoo is across the street. You won't miss the joyful Jiraf visible from afair.

After snowing all night and morning, some trails can be guessed only by the benches.

Kids and their parents are having fun sledding from the hill.

Apparently, not all kids. Poor thing.

Sugar from beets

Sugar production was an extremely profitable business. Ukrainian manufacturers of sugar were very rich. But the thing is that they didn't only spend money on buying villas, yachts or whole islands like modern oligarchs but sponsored the construction of schools, theatres, hospitals, and their heritage serves us nowadays.

People have known sugar since ancient times. It was made from sugar cane. But sugar didn't grow in Europe, so countries that had colonies overseas like Portugal, France, and Britain transported cane from overseas and processed it locally.

Sugar was not cheap. With time, its production increased, the price fell, but its popularity grew rapidly. People have always loved sweets.

In 1747 German scientist-chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf discovered that sugar could be produced from beets. The sensation was that this beet grew everywhere, but... the production using his technology was too expensive.

The idea got its new life during the Napoleonic Wars when Brits blocked sea routes between France and its colonies. No sugar, no sweets. The student of Andreas Marggraf improved the technology of his teacher, and Napoleon had no other choice but to start producing sugar from beets. It was still more expensive than taking sugar cane but better than nothing.

Ukrainian Sugar Manufacturers

In Ukraine, the first sugar factory was built in 1822. At that time, most of Ukraine was under the rule of the Russian Empire, and a smaller part was under the rule of Austria. Serfdom in the Russian Empire was abolished in 1861. Until then, landlords used slave labor in sugar factories. It gave excess profits, considering that beet plantations yielded a good harvest.

Soon, the sugar produced on Ukrainian lands made up 80% of all sugar produced in the Russian Empire.

After 1861, landlords could not use free labor and had to pay their workers. But they were bad businessmen.

It was then that great dynasties of Ukrainian sugar producers appeared. They successfully used innovations of their time in the family business - machines, railways etc.

Some of them redeemed themselves from serfdom even before the abolition of serfdom. Being illiterate, they had a talent for business, such as the Yakhnenki dynasty. First, they owned mills, then sugar factories, later they built a plant that produced machines for the production of sugar from beets. They even built steamships!

They built the whole infrastructure - houses for their workers, schools, hospitals and churches.

During a bad harvest, they distributed sugar to people for free.

Another famous dynasty is Tereschenky. Their founder bequeathed to his sons to spend 80% of profits on charity. The most beautiful buildings in Kyiv were built for their money. They donated to the construction of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute as well.

The list of owners of sugar factories is long. Brodsky, Symyrenko, Tarnovsky, Khanenko. They were the richest people in the Russian Empire, but in addition, they provided financial support to Ukrainian poets, artists, actors, and talented youth, developed new industries, and introduced technologies.

Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute

In 2023, the institute celebrated its 125th anniversary.

The idea to build a technical educational institution in Kyiv appeared in 1896. After the competition, The project of Professor Kittner from St. Petersburg was recognized as the best. He could not manage the progress of the work on the spot, so the construction was headed by the architect Kobelev.

Opening ceremonies were held on August 31, 1898. The institute had four faculties: mechanical, engineering, chemical, and agricultural. But the students studied in the rented premises until the construction works were completed, i.e. until 1902.

The first chairman of the State Examination Commission of the KPI in 1903 was D.I. Mendeleev. Have you heard about the periodic law of chemical elements? We call it the Mendeleev Table. His monument greets us at the main entrance. It looks a bit like a Gandalf The Grey.🙂

The fifth department of the institute (so the faculties were called then) became the aeronautical department.

There is so much yet to tell but Sonia starts boring and you too I guess. So I go straight to the main subject.

Mini Sculpture

The site says: "Where to find it: on the wall of the first building of the National Technical University of Ukraine "Ihor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" (NTUU KPI). Museum Square, behind the trees, to the left of the window."

But I read only the first part. I was excited and impatient.

The first building is pretty large, and I was walking there and back. I almost walked along the walls all the way around when I finally saw it - "behind the trees, to the left of the window." Exactly as it is said in the article.

Mr. Beet looks like a palm tree from a distance, doesn't he?

Selfie time! 🙂

Love these details. All together looks very much like the real building we just saw.

I think this is enough for one post. Sorry if it was too long, but hope you enjoy the photos.

Where to next? I leave here the link to mini sculpture page.

But it is not the end yet so I will publish the second half of our walk soon.

I thank you for your time. Stay tuned!

List of the sources used: [1] [2] [3]

^{All photos used are original taken by me @zirochka}