Lubny (Ukrainian: Лубни) is a city in the Poltava Oblast (province) of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Lubensky Raion (district), the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast. The current estimated population is around 52,600 (as of 1999).
Lubny is reputed to be one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, allegedly founded in 988 by knyaz (prince) Vladimir the Great (Volodymyr) of Kiev. The first written record, however, dates from 1107.
Initially, it was a small wooden fortress above the Sula River. The fortress quickly grew, and in the 15th or 16th century, it was owned by the powerful Wisniowiecki family. The town was ruled by Magdeburg rights and had a Coat of Arms.
In 1596, Lubny was the site of the last battle of Severyn Nalyvaiko against the Poles. In the 17th century the city was one of the largest in the area. In 1638 it had 2,646 inhabitants. Between 1648 and 1781, the town was the headquarters of the Lubny Cossack Regiment.
After a railroad line was constructed through Lubny in 1901, industry quickly grew and expanded in the city. During the German occupation in the Second World War, Lubny was the centre of major partisan (resistance) movement.
Today, Lubny is a large industrial and cultural centre. Many automotive and farm equipment factories were established during the growth of industry between 1901 and the 1930s. As well, Lubny is a major producer of meat and milk products, furniture and bread. Over 40 types of ice cream are made in the milk factories, and the Lubny bread is known across Ukraine.
Lubny also has its own soccer team, Lubny Nyva (Ukrainian: Нива). Several museums and art galleries are located here, and the Lubny institute district is known for the bookstores that carry a wide variety of technical and non-technical books. As well, a local newspaper, Visnyk (Ukrainian: Вісник) is published in the city. Lubny is considered the Literature Capital of the Poltava Oblast.
The main landmark of the Lubny District is the Mharsky Monastery, with a large six-pillared Ukrainian Baroque cathedral, built in 1684-92 and renovated after a conflagration in 1754, and a neoclassical belltower, started in 1784 but not completed until 1844.
Administrative Divisions
As of 2000, Lubny is divided into eight microdistricts, each raion is governed by a specially-appointed secretary, and has its own branch of the police force. The secretaries are responsible for handling issues in their raion.
- Lyudmila Rudenko, Ukrainian chess world champion (1904-1986)
