This Soviet color postcard from 1968 features a view of the Potemkin Stairs, one of the primary architectural and historical landmarks of Odesa.
What is shown on the postcard
The image captures the Potemkin Stairs looking from the bottom upward. A few pedestrians are seen climbing the steps. On the right, there is an entrance to a park marked by a metal arch with the Russian inscription ‘ПИОНЕРСКИЙ’ (Pioneer). Massive Soviet-era lampposts and dense green trees flank the stairs, and a historic semi-circular building on Primorsky Boulevard is visible at the top left.
Historical note
The Potemkin Stairs were designed by architects Francesco Boffo and Avraam Melnikov and constructed between 1837 and 1841. Originally, the staircase consisted of 200 steps, but subsequent harbor expansions buried the bottom eight steps under sand and stone. The stairs gained international fame following Sergey Eisenstein’s classic 1925 silent film ‘Battleship Potemkin’.
Present day
Today, the Potemkin Stairs consist of 192 steps and remain a key symbol of Odesa. A major restoration project was carried out in 2016–2017 to reinforce the structure and improve waterproofing. The surrounding areas, including the Istanbul and Greek parks, have been fully landscaped and modernized.
Location (map)
Address: Potemkin Stairs, Primorsky Boulevard, Odesa, Ukraine
Coordinates: 46.488241, 30.741164
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the center of the Potemkin Stairs in Odesa.
Questions and answers
- How many steps did the staircase originally have? Originally, the staircase had 200 steps, but the bottom eight steps were buried during subsequent harbor expansion projects.
- What is the arch visible on the right side of the stairs in the 1968 photo? The decorative metal arch with the inscription ‘ПИОНЕРСКИЙ’ marked the entrance to the Soviet-era Pioneer Park, which is now Istanbul Park.
- Who designed the Potemkin Stairs? The staircase was designed by architects Francesco Boffo and Avraam Melnikov.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Odesa from 1968.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.