Kryvyi Rih or Kryvyy Rih (in Ukrainian) & Krivoi Rog or Krivoy Rog (in Russian) is the eighth largest city in Ukraine.

Kryvyi Rih is a city in central Ukraine, situated in the Dnipropetrovs'ka Oblast, to the southwest of Dnipropetrovsk, at the confluence of the Inhulets and Saksahan rivers. Population is about 710. Kryvyi Rih is a steel industry city, being a large globally-important metallurgical centre in the Kryvbas iron mining region.      Kryvyi Rih takes the third place in the world in extraction of iron ore, mining complex of Kryvyi Rih provides about 90 percents of total amounts of extraction of iron ore, manufacture of a concentrate and pellets in Ukraine.

Botanical Garden, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine (Click on the image to enlarge)

Cathedral, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine Courtesy of Jackie Davidson www.jackiedavidson.co.uk (Click on the image to enlarge)

The city was founded in the 17th century by Zaporozhian Cossacks. Kryvyi Rih in Ukrainian literally means Crooked Horn; according to local legend, the city was founded along a lake that was in the shape of a crooked horn. During the Russian Civil War, the city and its hinterland were at the nucleus of Nestor Makhno's anarchist insurgency.      The area's industrial growth began in the 1880s, when European investment founded a mining syndicate. The metallurgical works in the city, Kryvorizhstal, in particular, expanded through Soviet times, and now remain some of the largest in the world.

Kryvyi Rih city extends for 130 km, paralleling the ore deposits and is considered to be the longest city in Europe. The city is set in the rolling steppe land surrounded by fields of sunflowers and grain. A short distance east of the city centre, there is an area along a small lake where glacial boulders were deposited. As a result, this area was never cultivated and contains one of the few remaining patches of wild steppe vegetation in the area.      The city's environmental and construction safety is a growing problem due to abandoned mines and polluted ore-processing waste. The city itself is laid out with broad avenues lined by wide sidewalks. Tram lines run down the centre of the major streets. Beside the sidewalks there are usually several rows of trees such as lindens and horse chestnuts.

Botanical Garden, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine (Click on the image to enlarge)

Church, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine Courtesy of Jackie Davidson www.jackiedavidson.co.uk (Click on the image to enlarge)

Many people live in rows of 5 to 9 story apartment buildings that are wrapped around large inner courtyards. Many of these courtyards are also filled with trees giving the overall impression that the entire city is built in a park. Even the main downtown area of the city at the intersection of Karl Marx Street and Lenin Avenue maintains this park-like look and feel.

Kryvyi Rih is not a typical tourist destination and there are few hotels. Most people who visit the city have first made contact with local friends over the Internet.      The Kryvyi Rih (also known as Lozuvatka) Airport only handles charter flights and private planes.      Since 1986 the population of city uses a partially underground rapid tram system (find Kryvyi Rih Metro Map here: Kryvyi Rih MetroTram). Its line length is 17,7 km. The tram serves some parts of the city.      Kryvyi Rih also has its own Ukrainian Premier League football team FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryvyi_Rih)

Botanical Garden, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine (Click on the image to enlarge)

There are 21 parks, 134 squares, 12 quays, 22 gardens which stretch at the area of 16 thousand acres.      Climate is steppe, Atlantic-continental, characterized by the hot dry summer and moderately soft winter with often thawing weather.

Kryvyi Rih Hotels:

Bratislava Hotel
Vsebrats'ke-2/56 tel.: +38 (0564)27-74-78 / +38 (0564) 27-74-90
[web-site]
Victoria Hotel
Serafimovicha St., 74 tel.: +38(056) 404-88-88 / +38(056) 404-80-19
[web-site]
Aurora Hotel
Metalurgiv Av., 40., tel.: 404-08-18
[web-site]

How to get to Kryvyi Rih from Kyiv: * The best way is just to take an overnight train "Kyiv - Kryvyi Rih" #76K. The train ride is nice and comfortable, with a restaurant carriage and even with airconditioning in summer. * By plain & bus (fly to Dnipropetrovs'k and then take a 3 hour marshrutka ride to Kryvyi Rih) * By bus (for Ukraine bus schedules look here (in Russian)

Learn & Speak RUSSIAN! Audio Lessons Click HERE!

     You can read about Kryvyi Rih Sights in our Kryvyi Rih Sightseeing section

     Kryvyi Rih Official Web-site in English HERE