Bakhmut
Bakhmut (Ukrainian: Бахму́т) is a city of 72,000 people (2021) in Donetsk Oblast. It is known as a place where salt is mined, and for having the largest production of sparkling wines in the classic bottle method in Eastern Europe. The city was largely destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It has been under Russian control since May 2023.
Understand
| Note: The city is to large parts in ruins since the battle in spring 2023. Most info below is outdated. | |
The city's name is sometimes written as Bachmut. From 1924 to 2016, it was known as Artemivsk (Ukrainian: Артемівськ) or Artyomovsk (Russian: Артёмовск) after the Soviet revolutionary Fyodor Sergeyev, better known by his nickname "Comrade Artyom". Ukraine passed a de-communization law in 2015 in the wake of the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution, outlawing the display of all Soviet and communist symbols. Accordingly, the city was re-named back to Bakhmut, though Russian media and supporters of Russia still use the old Soviet-era name.
The towns of Chasiv Yar and Soledar are included in the Bakhmut municipality.
Get in
It lies about 89 km north of Donetsk.
By car
The Kharkiv-Rostov and Donetsk-Kyiv highways run through Bakhmut.
By train
Bakhmut train station is the main gate of the city. Long-distance trains from Moscow, Donetsk, Luhansk, Minsk and the south of Russia. In the summer season, trains are added to the directions Moscow - South of Russia. Also, suburban electric trains run to Gorlovka, Debaltsevo, Donetsk, Krasny Liman, Svyatogorsk.
By bus
You can also get to the city by bus to one of the bus stations.
- Central bus station. Serves all intercity routes.
- Suburban bus station. Serves suburban routes, in particular satellite cities: Chasov-Yar and Soledar
Get around
The city has a public transport system consisting of a network of trolleybuses and buses.
There are several taxi services in the city.
See
- Nicholas Church (Николаевская церковь), str. Shevchenko, 8, ☏ +380 627 46-2640.
- Bakhmut State Museum of Local History (государственный краеведческий музей), ul. Nezalezhnosti, 26, ☏ +380 627 42-2595. M-Sa 09:00-16:00. There are 14 halls. Exhibit about the nature of the Region and the city's history from ancient times to the present. There is a numismatic collection, a memorial room museum Nikolai Fedorovich Cherniavskii and a special ethnographic collection about history and culture of the Jewish community of Bachmuth - Artemovska district. The museum building is a monument of history and architecture, built in the early 20th century.
- St. John, the Baptist Church (Храм Святителя Иоанна Златоуста), Rostov lane, 17.
- 🌍 Art Winery (Artyomovskiy Factory of Sparkling Wines), ul. Patrice Lumumba, 87, ☏ +380 62-33-22-300, +380 627-48-00-13. M-F 10:00-14:00. The entire production cycle is carried out at a depth of 72 meters. The total area of the adits is 25 hectares. There are three types of excursions: visiting 4 workshops with tasting - 3 hours; visit to 2 workshops with tasting - 2 hours; visit to the tasting room - 1 hour. For persons over 18 years of age only. Photo and video filming is prohibited. An interpreter is provided for English speaking groups. It's pretty cool in the adits, it is advisable to take a sweater with you.
Soledar
The name of the town (Соледар) stands for 'gift of salt' in Russian and Ukrainian.
- 🌍 Artyomsol salt mine, ul. Chkalov (ул. Чкалова), 1a (in the suburb of Soledar). The mines have 200 km of tunnel, are at a depth of 288 m, and many of the chambers are 30 m in height. The largest resembles a hangar of about 100 m long and 40 m width and 40 m height which contains the world's largest underground room. It is large enough that a hot air balloon has been floated inside, symphonies have been played before, and two professional soccer matches have been held at the same time. A constant temperature is about +14 °C. The chambers of salt mines, which are also used extensively for speleo (cave) treatment of asthma and other lung diseases.
Drink
Drink sparkling wine from Art Winery.