About us

Savka’s Khutir is an ethnographic open-air museum of Ukrainian culture.

It situated in 6 km from Kyiv, Ukraine. On the territory of museum located two authentic farmsteads of 1786 and 1854 with the age-old interior.

Here you will see the beehives, the drying barn, the gypsy forge, the well and the cellar.

Historical and cultural heritage of our museum consists of different clay products of XIX century (pots, pitchers, bowls etc.), household items of XVIII – XIX century,  craft tools (weaver and joiner’s machine tool, potter’s wheel, smith’s stuff etc.).

There are conducted cognitive excursions, festive actions, master classes and appearances of folk collectives. At the reception you’ll taste dishes of Ukrainian cuisine, prepared in a stove by archaic recipes.

Historical information

Khutir or khutor (Ukrainian: хутiр, khutir; Russian: хутор, khutor) is usually taken to refer to a single-homestead rural settlement (farmstead) of Eastern Europe. The word originated in Ukraine, but later came to be applied to farmsteads in Russia and Kazakhstan.

In Cossack-settled lands that encompassed today’s Ukraine, Kuban, and the lower Don river basin the word khutir was used to describe new settlements (irrespective of the number of homesteads) which had detached themselves from stanytsias.

In some Cossack communities in Russia, these types of settlements were referred to as posyelok. In Russia the term vyselki (literally, “those who moved away”) was also used.

Analogous settlements in Estonia and Ingria were named m?is, and known as folwark (from the German vorwerk, meaning a “farmhouse before a manor or city”) in Poland and palivarkas in Lithuania.

The architecture and interior of country seats

Well-to-do peasant’s farmstead

Peasant's farmstead of 1786

This country seat was built in 1786 according to ancient building traditions. The house founds on four large stones, walls are made of a pine logs. Country estate has 3 rooms.

The hall (Ukrainian: сіни, siny), non-residential part of the house that connects housing with the street. It acts the role of economic hub. There we have the age-old weawing machine tool and the hand-made trunk.

The storeroom (Ukrainian: комора, komora) – this is traditionally part of the Ukrainian economic housing. There are situated 90 year old joiner’s machine tool. Also we have the unique shoemaker’s workshop collected with the ancient stuff.

The chamber (Ukrainian: світлиця, svitlytcya) at all times in many nations was the center of family life. Namely in chamber situated such holy for every Ukrainian things as oven, table and “holy corner”. In pre-Christian times oven was respected most of all, because contained in a life-giving fire. With the adoption of Christianity center of outlook mooved to the “holy corner”.

At the holy corner (Ukrainian: покуть, pokut’) there are placed the icons, decorated with towels, and a fired icon-lamp. Also there lay holy books, holy water, candles and the greatest family cultural valuables.  As usual host set namely at the “holy corner”, also thre are could be sat the most honorable guests.

Nobleman’s farmstead

Nobleman's countryseat of 1854

Was built in 1854. This estate has a great history. It had been mooved from the Meleny village in Zhytomyr region, where it was added to the list of cultural heritage of the region. Historical information tells, that in past it  had been belonged to the noble generations of Stretovych and Vasyanovych.

The uniqueness of this estate is 1.7 times higher in the area each of the rooms. Walls built of wide pine logs, and the chamber is so large, that here could be celebrated one’s wedding.

During a year on the territory of our museum we organize selebrations of folk holydays.

The history of our museum

Savka's Hut in 2004

Our first visitors. 2004

Savka's farmstead in 2005

An ethnographic museum arose out of one farmstead which the host have had luck to purchase in 2003 year. All the summer we have restore the first our farmstead. In summer 2004 began to appear the first visitors of our newly created ethnographic museum.

In the beginning, each member of the museum team, except the headman Mr. Savka, considered our activity as a fun and a hobby for our family. Our family had moved rather out of curiosity, everything was held only on enthusiasm.

However, visits to the farmstead became more frequent, the guests began to attend museum, to show interest in Ukrainian culture and to celebrate important family holidays and life events.

In the spring of 2005 was built the first household buildings – barn and smithy and increased content of household items. And already in summer 2005 the headman with his son went in the first ethnographic expedition via villages of Pereyaslav region.

Since that time, had mastered a considerable part of the Kiev and Zhitomir Polissya. New era for the museum began with the opening of the nobleman’s estate October 10, 2009.

Aims & objectives

• to contribute disseminating and developing of ancient Ukrainian culture
• lay the foundation and strengthening of patriotism among children and youth
• create and strengthen both majestic and romantic image of Ukraine in the eyes of fellow citizens and guests from enother countries
• to get business and partnership links for cooperation and exchange of experience
• expand exposure of ethnographic museum, increase the quantity and improve quality of services we provide our visitors

Welcome to the estates of our museum!