Nowadays, the Privoz Market is enormous, some say it is the biggest market in the world, while others note that it is certainly big enough to acquire the accolade of being the largest in the Ukraine. Translating the Russian ‘Privoz’ into the English equivalent of the word – ‘Supply Place’ – really doesn’t do justice to the real ambiance of the place: how can you describe the sounds, the aromas, the buzz, the very vibrancy of the place with two simple, unemotional words? Privoz sounds so much better, doesn’t it? There is an ethnic diversity about the Privoz that helps towards the vibrant ambiance; it is noisy and brash in equal amounts; if you understand the language, jokes take on a risque appeal and, as in most markets, it is probably best to be careful with your wallet: pickpockets operate everywhere in the world and markets everywhere make excellent stamping grounds for the slightly crooked element to thrive.
Nowadays the Privoz Market in Odessa is one of the biggest markets in the world, although it wasn’t always that way. There is a colorful history to the Privoz which originally began in 1827 as a farmers’ market in an open square off Privoznaya Street, where local produce was sold from the backs of farmers’ carts. Close by were the Stary Bazaar and the Volny Market. As the market grew in popularity, buildings were constructed in which to house the market produce. This resulted in the building of the Fruit Passage in 1913. As the market grew the stalls mushroomed both indoors and outside.
It is here, at the Privoz, that you will get to experience the local atmosphere. Bargains abound, with both new and old rubbing shoulders – people and goods! You can buy luxury items and you can get cheap bargains. At the Privoz you can buy the best caviar, aubergines, pomegranates, dried apricots and the sweetest melons. Cheap fashions rub shoulders with fake ‘designer’ viking shirts and handbags – in fact, to see the whole market could well take you hours if you have the stamina to keep going until you have seen the whole market. The dairy area is redolent of a myriad of smells – from honey to smoked sausage, and with a miasma of spices hanging in the air.
The Privoz really is in the centre of the city. Around and about you can hardly miss the architectural wonders such as Testchin Bridge and the Vorontcov Palace. There is the Opera Theatre or, in Pushkinskaya Street, the museum dedicated to Pushkin – in fact, if you visit the Primorshy Boulevard, you can see the Pushkin Statue as well. For cafes, bars and good restaurants head for Deribasovkaya Street – in fact, close by, we have top quality accommodation where you can rent apartment in Odessa close to all these fascinating amenities.
If marking the sizes of the cities in the Ukraine, Odessa would come third in size, with Kyyiv being the largest and Kharkiv being the second largest city in the Ukraine. Some sources, however, have demoted Odessa to 5th place, after Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk – both of which have slightly larger populations now than Odessa. Nevertheless, Odessa is one of the largest cities in the area and, with Odessa’s warm coastal waters and mild climate, it is an ideal place for tourists to come and visit. Naturally, if you are visiting you would want to be comfortable and what better way to find the ideal place to stay than to rent an apartment in Odessa.
write by Keisha