Zalishchyky (Zaleszczyki)

Zalishchyky was a thriving holiday town and administrative centre of what was then Poland, prior to the Second World War. People flocked to its beaches and boardwalk, enjoying the area’s wonderful scenery and favourable microclimate – which also happened to be advantageous for fruit and vegetable production.

Travelling north by car from Chernvitsi, this is the view of the Dniester river while crossing bridge leading into Zalishchyky. One can only dream about the town’s potential as a future tourist destination, given its remarkable natural assets.

The spectacular view from the cliffs atop the placid Dniester river, looking down on the town to the north, is well worth the steep climb (by car, unless you are especially fit and/or adventurous).

Today, one can still see the town’s former synagogue – with its exterior largely intact. It was abandoned and converted into a factory or power plant which seems no longer to be operation.

There are at least a couple of other reasons for visiting Zalishchyky for a few hours or days, depending on one’s purpose.

A fairly substantial museum located on the edge of town, on the road leading north, documents Zalishchyky’s rich history. A library and internet resource centre are located in the same building, pictured at right.

An administrative office in the centre of town houses the vital records (i.e., births, deaths, and marriages) of residents of Zalishchyky administrative district, including Tluste/Tovste, dating back to the 1800s. The office is open for visitation, by special appointment, only a couple days of the week. Therefore, it is important to make arrangements in advance. The pleasant woman in charge of the office (as of 2006) speaks only Ukrainian. See also: Research Sources/Archives.

Location: 25 km south of Tovste, 50 km north of Chernivtsi
Website (in Ukrainian): https://zal.sioru.net/
Visiting: Private tours of Zalishchyky can be arranged from Chernivtsi.