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Uman Умань | |
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Uman Location of Uman Show map of Cherkasy Oblast Uman Uman (Ukraine) Show map of Ukraine | |
| Coordinates:48°45′0″N30°13′0″E / 48.75000°N 30.21667°E /48.75000; 30.21667 | |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Oblast | Cherkasy Oblast |
| Raion | Uman Raion |
| Hromada | Uman urban hromada |
| Founded | 1616 |
| Magdeburg rights | 1760 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Iryna Pletniova |
| Area | |
• Total | 41 km2 (16 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 166 m (545 ft) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 81,525 |
| • Density | 2,000/km2 (5,100/sq mi) |
| [1] | |
| Postal code | 20300 |
| Area code | +380 4744 |
| KATOTTH | UA71060210010010251 |
| Website | https://uman-rada.gov.ua/ |
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Uman (Ukrainian:Умань,IPA:[ˈumɐnʲ]ⓘ,Polish:Humań) is a city inCherkasy Oblast, centralUkraine. It is located to the east ofVinnytsia. Located in the east of the historical region ofPodolia, the city rests on the banks of theUmanka River. Uman serves as the administrative center ofUman Raion (district). It hosts the administration ofUman urban hromada, one of thehromadas of Ukraine.[2] Population:81,525 (2022 estimate).[1]
AmongUkrainians, Uman is known for its mention inTaras Shevchenko's longest poem,Haidamaky ("The Haidamaks", 1841).[3] The city is also a pilgrimage site forBreslov Hasidic Jews and a major center of gardening research containing thedendrological park Sofiyivka and the University of Gardening.
Uman (Humań) was aprivately owned city ofPoland and thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
In addition to theUkrainian:Умань, in other languages the name of the city isPolish:Humań andYiddish:אומאַן (local Yiddish pronunciation 'Imen').
Uman was first mentioned in historical documents in 1616, when it was under Polish rule.[4] It was part of theBracław Voivodeship of theLesser Poland Province. Its role at this time was as a defensive fort to withstandTatar raids, containing a prominentCossack regiment that was stationed within the town. In 1648 it was taken from the Poles by Ivan Hanzha, colonel to Cossack leaderBohdan Khmelnytsky, and Uman was converted to the administrative center of theCossack regiment in the region.[4]
Poland retook Uman in 1667, after which the town was deserted by many of its residents who fled eastward toLeft-bank Ukraine.[4] From 1670–1674, Uman was the residence of theHetman ofright-bank Ukraine.[citation needed]. It was part ofOttoman Empire between 1672 and 1699.
Under the ownership of thePotocki family of Polish nobles (1726–1832) Uman grew in economic and cultural importance. ABasilian monastery and school were established at this time.[4]
The Uman region was the site ofhaidamaky uprisings in 1734, 1750, and 1768.[4] Notably during the latter, Cossack rebelsMaksym Zalizniak andIvan Gonta captured Uman during theKoliyivshchyna uprising against Polish rule. During this revolt, amassacre took place againstJews,Poles andUkrainianUniates.[4] On the very first day large numbers of Ukrainians deserted the ranks of Polish forces and joined the rebels when the city was surrounded. Thousands from the surrounding areas fled to the Cossack garrison in Uman for protection. The military commander of Uman, Mladanovich, betrayed the city's Jews and allowed the pursuing Cossacks in, in exchange for clemency towards the Polish population.[citation needed] In the span of three days an estimated[by whom?] 20,000[citation needed] Poles and Jews were slain with extreme cruelty, according to numerous Polish sources, with one source[5] giving an estimate of 2,000 casualties.
The Polish 8th National Cavalry Brigade was garrisoned in the city in 1790.[6]
With the 1793Second Partition of Poland, Uman became part of theRussian Empire and a number of aristocratic residences were built there. In 1795, Uman became a povit/uezd center in Voznesensk Governorate, and in 1797, inKyiv Governorate.[4]
Into the 20th century, Uman was linked by rail toKyiv andOdesa, leading to the rapid development of its industrial sector.[4] Its population grew from 10,100 in 1860 to 29,900 in 1900 and over 50,000 in 1914.[4] According to theRussian census of 1897, Uman with a population of 31,016 was the second largest city of Podolia afterKamianets-Podilskyi.
In 1941, theBattle of Uman took place in the vicinity of the town, where theGerman army encircledSoviet positions.Adolf Hitler andBenito Mussolini visited Uman in 1941. Uman was occupied by German forces from 1 August 1941, to10 March 1944.[citation needed] The Germans operated the AGSSt 16 assembly center for prisoners of war in 1941, and the Stalag 349POW camp from September 1941 to October 1943.[7]
In January 1989 the population was 90,596 people.[8][9]
As of 2011, the city has optical and farm-machinery plants, a cannery, a brewery, a vitamin factory, a sewing factory, a footwear factory, and other industrial enterprises. The main architectural monuments are the catacombs of the old fortress, the Basilian monastery (1764), the city hall (1780–1782), the Dormition Roman Catholic church in the Classicist style (1826), and 19th-century trading stalls.[4]
Uman's landmark is a famous park complex,Sofiyivka (Ukrainian:Софiївка;Polish:Zofiówka), founded in 1796 byCountStanisław Szczęsny Potocki, aPolish noble, who named it for his wife Sofia. The park features a number of waterfalls and narrow, arching stone bridges crossing the streams and scenic ravines.[citation needed]
Until 18 July 2020, Uman was designated as acity of oblast significance and did not belong to Uman Raion even though it was the center of the raion. As part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Cherkasy Oblast to four, the city was merged into Uman Raion.[10][11]
During theRussian invasion of Ukraine, Uman was hit by Russian artillery on 24 February 2022, which led to the death of a cyclist. The incident was caught on camera.[12] Another Russianmissile strike on 28 April 2023 hit a residential building in the city, killing at least 23 people including 6 children and injuring dozens more.[13][14] The airstrike was quickly followed by aTelegram post by theRussian Ministry of Defense of an image of a missile launch with the caption "right on target".[15]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1897 | 31,016 | — |
| 1926 | 43,821 | +41.3% |
| 1939 | 44,384 | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 44,546 | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 63,378 | +42.3% |
| 1979 | 78,897 | +24.5% |
| 1989 | 90,596 | +14.8% |
| 2001 | 88,735 | −2.1% |
| 2011 | 87,437 | −1.5% |
| 2022 | 81,525 | −6.8% |
| Source:[16] | ||
Distribution of the population by native language according to the2001 census:[17][18]
| Language | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian | 81 933 | 93.27% |
| Russian | 5 600 | 6.38% |
| Other[a] | 310 | 0.35% |
| Total | 87 843 | 100.00% |
| a Those who did not indicate their native language or indicated a language that was native to less than 1% of the local population. |
The city possesses some 21 large and 450 small businesses among which agricultural, pharmaceuticals, food and spirits companies.[19][20]
A largeJewish community lived in Uman in the 18th and 19th centuries. During theSecond World War, in 1941, theBattle of Uman took place in the vicinity of the town, where theGerman army encircledSoviet positions. The Germans deported the entire Jewish community, murdering around 17,000 Jews,[21] and completely destroyed the Jewish cemetery, burial place of the victims of the 1768 uprising as well as Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. After the war, aBreslovHasid managed to locate the Rebbe's grave and preserved it when the Soviets turned the entire area into a housing project.[21]
Since the 1990s there has been a small, but growing, Jewish population in Uman, concentrated around the tomb of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov on Pushkina street. The local Jews are mostly involved in pilgrimage of Jewish tourists that arrive to the town. In 2018, the community saw large growth with about 10–20 families coming from Israel, accompanied by a small movement of young American couples.[citation needed] Newcomers to the city are concentrating around Skhidna St, with some toward Nova Uman area. In conjunction with this growth in the community, a new school of Yiddish was established.[citation needed]
The Jewish cemetery in Uman served as the burial site for local Jews, including victims of the 1768 Haidamak uprising, as well asRebbe Nachman of Breslov, a prominent Hasidic leader and founder of theBreslov Hasidic movement. The cemetery was destroyed by Nazi forces during World War II, and much of the site was later redeveloped into residential and urban infrastructure during the Soviet era. Despite extensive construction in the area, the grave of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov was preserved by members of the Breslov Hasidic community, particularly through efforts led by Reb Michel Dorfman, who organized discreet visits and obtained Soviet assurances to protect the site during development.[22]
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, unauthorized construction continued on the former cemetery grounds, including residential and commercial developments, often without full archaeological or religious consideration. Efforts to halt further construction and to mark or preserve the cemetery have faced legal and political challenges. In 1994, a presidential decree designated the area surrounding Rebbe Nachman’s grave as a Historical and Cultural Center, prohibiting new construction. This designation was reaffirmed in 1995 by the Cherkasy Regional Council, which recognized the cemetery as a cultural monument. Despite these protections, illegal construction has continued since the 1990s. In 2024, the Uman City Council adopted a plan that significantly reduced the protected zone, raising concerns over the site’s vulnerability to further encroachment.[23]
International Jewish organizations and other advocacy groups have called for preservation and partial restoration of the site, but enforcement has been inconsistent, and some new buildings remain atop known burial areas. The United States government has also expressed concern. TheUnited States Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, a federal agency responsible for protecting cultural sites related to the heritage of U.S. citizens, has approved a project to erect a monument on the cemetery grounds to help protect it from further desecration.[24] The Historical and Cultural Center of Uman, established in 2022 with the participation of Hasidic community members and heritage experts, also works to preserve the site and promote awareness of its historical significance.
EveryRosh Hashana, there is a majorpilgrimage by tens of thousands of Hasidim and others from around the world to the burial site of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, located on the former site of the Jewish cemetery in a rebuiltsynagogue.[25] Rebbe Nachman Me'Uman spent the last five months of his life in Uman,[26] and specifically requested to be buried there. As believed by the Breslov Hasidim, before his death he solemnly promised to intercede on behalf of anyone who would come to pray on his grave on Rosh Hashana, "be he the worst of sinners"; thus, a pilgrimage to this grave provides the best chance of getting unscathed through the stern judgement which, according to Jewish faith,God passes everybody onYom Kippur.[27]
The Rosh Hashana pilgrimage dates back to 1811, when the Rebbe's foremost disciple,Nathan of Breslov, organized the first such pilgrimage on the Rosh Hashana after the Rebbe's death. The annual pilgrimage attracted hundreds ofHasidic Jews fromUkraine,Belarus,Lithuania andPoland throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, until theBolshevik Revolution of 1917 sealed the border between Soviet Russia (later theUkrainian SSR within theSoviet Union) and Poland. A handful of Soviet Hasidic Jews continued to make the pilgrimage clandestinely; some were discovered by the KGB and exiled toSiberia, where they died.[citation needed]
The pilgrimage ceased duringWorld War II and resumed on a drastically smaller scale in 1948. From the 1960s until end of theCold War in 1989, several hundred American and Israeli Hasidic Jews made their way to Uman, both legally and illegally, to pray at the grave of Rebbe Nachman. In 1988, the Soviets allowed 250 men to visit the Rebbe's grave for Rosh Hashana. In 1989, over 1,000 Hasidic Jews gathered in Uman for Rosh Hashana 1989. In 1990, 2,000 attended.[21][28] In 2008, attendance reached 25,000 men and boys.[29] In 2018, over 30,000 Jews made the Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to Uman.[30]
In the mid-2010s, Israelis from many sectors of Israel's Ultra-Orthodox community, including manyMizrahi Jewish rabbis, make the pilgrimage. The event brings together a wide variety of Orthodox society, fromYemenite yeshiva students, to former Israeli prison inmates, and American hippies.[31] In 2022, following theRussian invasion of Ukraine, the number of pilgrims coming to Uman for Jewish New Year was approximately 10,000, or about one-third of the number in 2021.[32]
The annual pilgrimage is regarded as Uman's main economic industry.[33]
Pantery Uman is Ukrainian professional women's football club from Uman. The team play in theTop Division, and in theWomen's Cup.[34]
| Climate data for Uman (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.2 (54.0) | 18.3 (64.9) | 23.6 (74.5) | 28.8 (83.8) | 34.3 (93.7) | 35.0 (95.0) | 38.9 (102.0) | 37.3 (99.1) | 32.8 (91.0) | 28.1 (82.6) | 21.2 (70.2) | 15.8 (60.4) | 38.9 (102.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.9 (30.4) | 0.9 (33.6) | 6.9 (44.4) | 15.4 (59.7) | 21.5 (70.7) | 24.9 (76.8) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.5 (79.7) | 20.6 (69.1) | 13.4 (56.1) | 5.8 (42.4) | 0.6 (33.1) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.4 (25.9) | −2.3 (27.9) | 2.5 (36.5) | 9.7 (49.5) | 15.4 (59.7) | 19.0 (66.2) | 20.9 (69.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 14.5 (58.1) | 8.3 (46.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | −1.8 (28.8) | 8.8 (47.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −5.9 (21.4) | −5.0 (23.0) | −1.4 (29.5) | 4.2 (39.6) | 9.3 (48.7) | 13.2 (55.8) | 15.0 (59.0) | 14.3 (57.7) | 9.2 (48.6) | 4.1 (39.4) | 0.1 (32.2) | −4.3 (24.3) | 4.4 (39.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −32.2 (−26.0) | −30.0 (−22.0) | −23.8 (−10.8) | −11.1 (12.0) | −3.4 (25.9) | 0.0 (32.0) | 6.0 (42.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | −6.0 (21.2) | −10.0 (14.0) | −20.0 (−4.0) | −27.2 (−17.0) | −32.2 (−26.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 38 (1.5) | 34 (1.3) | 36 (1.4) | 41 (1.6) | 52 (2.0) | 81 (3.2) | 68 (2.7) | 49 (1.9) | 61 (2.4) | 43 (1.7) | 43 (1.7) | 40 (1.6) | 586 (23.1) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.6 | 6.7 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 85.7 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 84.9 | 81.6 | 74.5 | 64.4 | 65.9 | 69.1 | 69.2 | 66.9 | 73.2 | 79.3 | 85.3 | 86.8 | 75.1 |
| Source 1:World Meteorological Organization[35] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Climatebase.ru (extremes)[36] | |||||||||||||
| Universities | |
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| Institutes and colleges | |
| Academy of Sciences(research institutes) |
The city's highest educational institutions are the Uman National University of Horticulture and theUman State Pedagogical University.[4]
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Geolocated footage shows large-scale damage to a residential building in Uman, with the death toll reaching 20 civilians, including children, as of 1700 local time on April 28.
(in English)Uman in theEncyclopedia of Ukraine
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