Psel - the river of the East European Plain. Geographical description, economic use and attractions

Psel is a river flowing through the expanses of the East European Plain. The left tributary of the Dnieper-Slavutich. On the banks of this picturesque river people from time immemorial settled. And today it attracts the attention of fishermen, tourists and ordinary tourists.

Psel: a river with a strange name

The seventh along the length of the river of Ukraine has a rather unusual name. Historians and linguists have not yet reached a consensus on the origin of this hydronym. He is credited with Slavic, Greek, Finno-Ugric and even Adigean roots.

Where does the strange word "Psel" come from? The river was first mentioned in the famous work of Nestor the Chronicler "The Tale of Bygone Years" from 1113. Some researchers associate its name with the Old Slavic root "ps", which means "moistened place." Others suggest that it comes from the Greek word "psellos" (dark).

Psel - the river is mysterious, mysterious and very beautiful. It is no coincidence that she was often shot for his films by the outstanding director Alexander Dovzhenko (near the village of Jareska). By the way, another well-known figure in Ukrainian culture - artist and architect Vasily Krichevsky - discovered the beauty of this river.

Geographical description of the river

Where is the river Psel? The Poltava region is a region that accounts for half of its entire length (350 km). The total length of the river is 717 km.

Psel has its origin in Russia, on the slope of the Central Russian Upland (near the village of Prygorka). In its upper reaches the river flows through the territory of the Kursk and Belgorod regions. Then, Psel crosses the Russian-Ukrainian state border near the ancient village of Zapselia. Further, the river flows mainly in the south-western direction, until it reaches the Dnieper.

The total area of the river basin is 22800 square meters. Km. Like many other lowland rivers, the Psla riverbed is winding, complicated by numerous old men and sleeves. The main source of supply of the river is thawed snow water. Psel, as a rule, finally freezes by the middle of December.

This river has one very unusual feature. After the village. Shishaki her left bank is much higher than the right, which contradicts the law on the power of Coriolis. According to this geographical rule, all the rivers of the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth are distinguished by a steeper and higher right bank.

Economic use of the river

In the developed countries of the West, it has long been understood that it is advantageous to build hydroelectric power stations only on mountain rivers. But in the Soviet Union, they did not always think about expediency, but about ecology - even more so. As a result: Psel in the second half of the twentieth century "overgrew" locks and small hydroelectric stations, which significantly affected the organic world of the river.

Psel is used today for irrigation of agricultural land, water supply and recreation. In the lower reaches the river is navigable.

The largest settlements on the shores of Psla are Sumy, Nizhy, Gadyach, Greater Sorochintsy, Shishaki, Balakleya, Belotserkovka.

Recreation and fishing on the river Psel

On Psle you can have a great rest and fish. In its waters, there are at least 35 species of fish, although the ichthyofauna of the river is very heterogeneous. This means that for a good catch you need to find a good place. Nevertheless, in large quantities in Psle bream and bream are found. On the reaches you can catch carp, and in the thickets - pike.

On the banks of the river there are many different sights. These are the parking lots of Chernyakhovskaya culture, mysterious Scythian fortifications, ancient wooden churches and nature reserves.

Thus, the village of Gornal in the Kursk region is famous for the complex of the Belogorsky St. Nicholas Monastery, founded on the shores of the Psal in 1672. Near the village of Myropoleye, Sumy region, the river exposed the most beautiful Cretaceous deposits.

Along the Psalm there are many places that are associated with the creative activity of Ukrainian and Russian writers, composers, directors. So, for example, Anton Chekhov rested twice in Sumy, and for several years Chaikovsky worked in the village of Nizov. In Mirgorod, the famous Ukrainian writer Panas Mirny was born, and in Great Sorochintsy - Nikolai Gogol.

Provincial and beautiful Sumy

Psil flows through dozens of different localities. And the most interesting among them is the city of Sumy, founded in the middle of the XVII century.

Sumy is often called the most comfortable regional center of Ukraine. The city is very green and well maintained. In addition, there are many architectural monuments of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Among them is the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral - a true masterpiece of Ukrainian baroque. The chimes for the bell tower of the cathedral were specially made in England. In Sumy there is another beautiful temple - Troitsky. It was built in the early twentieth century and combined several architectural styles.

The symbol of the city is also Sumy Altanka. This openwork wooden structure was erected in 1905. On days of city holidays a brass band plays in the altanka.

Finally...

The river Psel flows through the territory of two regions of Russia and two - Ukraine. Its total length is 717 kilometers.

Like many other plains of Eastern Europe, Psel is very beautiful and picturesque. On its green beaches it is nice to fish or just to relax from life's misfortunes. Along the river there are many ancient cities, villages, and also interesting tourist attractions.