Excursion to the grotto in Odesa Art Museum – what to see, how to get there, how much it costs and where to buy tickets, tour schedule.
If it’s not your first time in Odesa, if the weather is not very good, but you want to see something interesting. If it’s very hot in summer and you’re ready to spend some time underground, I recommend taking a tour of the Odesa Art Museum’s grotto.
Odesa Art Museum in Odesa
The building of the Odesa Art Museum was constructed between 1823 and 1826 by the famous architect F. Boffo. Its first owner was Countess O.S. Potocki.
Mayor of Odesa in 1888. purchased the building and donated it to the city to be used as a public museum. Marazli was not only the chairman, but also a prominent public figure and art collector. The museum was opened on November 6, 1899.
Before the outbreak of full-scale war, the museum had a rich collection of paintings. But now the main collection is in evacuation, and the museum is holding temporary exhibitions. In addition to exhibitions, the museum organizes excursions to its underground part. What exactly can you see there?
Grotto of the Odesa Art Museum
Under the main body of the building is a large grotto, which was built in the voids left by the shell rock quarrying site. The grotto was made with vaulted ceilings, imitating a natural cave with an artificial waterfall.
The shell rock used to build the mansion was quarried at the construction site, thus creating long catacombs. Some of the underground corridors have also been preserved, which, according to legend, had access to the seashore. But now these large passages are closed because the catacombs are very old and dangerous.
The grotto is impressive – it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re planning a trip to Odesa. The tour is accompanied by a guide who tells the story of the museum and this grotto. If you are lucky, the guide will be interesting and add a lot of details to what you see with your own eyes.
How to get to the grotto tour
An excursion to the grotto is held daily, except Tuesday, at 13:00.
The ticket price is 80 UAH.
For more details, visit the museum’s website.
Useful links:
Bus schedule and tickets are available on InfoBus.ua
Find travel insurance with discounts on the portal EKTA
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
