City Garden, Odessa (must see)

The public park known as the City Garden in Odessa lies at the heart of the city’s historic pedestrian street and offers a pleasant retreat from the surrounding urban bustle. It was founded in 1803 by Felix de Ribas, brother of the city’s early administrator, and three years later, he donated the grounds to the city.

Over the centuries, the garden has evolved into one of Odessa’s cherished green spaces, marked by its cast-iron pavilion, an open-air theatre stage used for music performances, and a fountain that operates to timed music in the warmer months. As you stroll through, you’ll find sculptures and monuments – for example, the decorative “Tree of Love” and the quirky monument to the “12th Chair” (a reference to the satirical novel by writers Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov).

The atmosphere here changes gently as the day progresses. In daylight, the green canopy and winding paths encourage quiet reflection, children’s laughter around the fountain, and the occasional snack café in the nearby façade. At dusk, the lights come on, and intimate concerts may begin on the summer theatre’s stage, lending a slightly theatrical tone to the space.

For someone visiting Odessa, this garden offers both a moment of calm and a slice of local rhythm. It sits on the famous pedestrian avenue, making it easy to incorporate into a casual city walk. As the city’s oldest park, it also provides a tangible connection to Odessa’s urban history – from its early 19th-century design through to its modern role as a meeting place for both residents and visitors.