There are 81 monuments of national significance in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. The State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine classifies cultural heritage monuments as either of local or national significance. To be classified as nationally significant, a monument must have had a substantial impact on the country's culture, be associated with major historical events or individuals who shaped national culture, represent a masterpiece of creative genius, or embody a disappeared civilisation or disappeared artistic style. Monuments of national significance are inscribed on the register by the Cabinet of Ministers, and are protected and maintained by the Ministry of Culture. All listed monuments fall into at least one of the following categories: archaeology, history, monumental art, architecture, urban planning, garden and park art, landscape, or science and technology.

The first attempts to establish registers of protected buildings were undertaken in 1917 and 1918 by the Ukrainian People's Republic. These efforts continued in the 1920s in Soviet Ukraine but were halted in the 1930s with the dissolution of relevant institutions and the active destruction of cultural—particularly religious—heritage. The listing of cultural heritage monuments in the region was renewed in 1956. A list of architectural monuments was approved in 1963, followed by a separate list of artistic, historic, and archaeological monuments in 1965. Both lists remained in use after Ukraine declared independence in 1991. On 8 June 2000, with the adoption of the law "On the Protection of Cultural Heritage", the State Register of Immovable Monuments was established. All entries from the Soviet-era list of artistic, historic, and archaeological monuments were transferred to the new register on 14 September 2009. The transfer of monuments from the Soviet architectural register, however, has proceeded more slowly and remains incomplete as of 2026, although the process has accelerated in recent years. At the same time, a number of sites have been stripped of their protected status to comply with the decommunisation and derussification laws in effect since 2015 and 2023, respectively.

Sumy Oblast is divided into five raions (districts) – Konotop, Okhtyrka, Romny, Shostka, and Sumy – which contain 16, 17, 22, 16, and 10 monuments of national significance, respectively. Of the total, 52 are classified as architectural monuments, 20 as archaeological, 14 as historic, 5 as monumental art, 4 as urban planning, and 1 as garden and park art, with 13 monuments belonging to multiple categories. Most of the architectural monuments date from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The latest additions date to October 2023. One monument——is listed twice. remains on the register despite its complete destruction due to a fire in 2015. Every monument is assigned a unique protection number, and those of national significance located in Sumy Oblast start with the digits 18.

Konotop Raion

+NameLocationDate constructedDate designatedTypeProtection numberPhoto –13th centuries14 September 2009Archaeological180005-Н to the victims of the 1932–1933 Holodomor1932–1933, 2007Historic180006-НMore images of the legendary city of PutyvlPutyvl–13th centuriesArchaeological180019-НMore images – the organisation centre of the partisan unit led by commander S. A. Kovpak and commissar S. V. Rudniev1941–1945Historic180020-НMore images 1735–177018 October 2023Architectural180037More images 1617–1698, 1697–1754Architectural, urban planning180038More images –19th centuriesArchitectural, urban planning180039More images 1602 – late 19th centuryArchitectural180039/1More images Bell tower1602–1700Architectural180039/2More images Walls, towers, and gates (Defensive wall with the corner gate)1602Architectural180039/3More images of the battle between Cossack troops headed by I. Vyhovsky and the Tsarist army165914 September 2009Historic180009-НMore images – 4th century CEArchaeological180021-НMore images –13th centuriesArchaeological180012-Н –13th centuriesArchaeological180010-Н , 187518 October 2023Architectural180040More images –13th centuries14 September 2009Archaeological180011-Н

Okhtyrka Raion

+NameLocationDate constructedDate designatedTypeProtection numberPhoto 18 October 2023Architectural180045More images – 4th century CE14 September 2009Archaeological180028-НMore images –13th centuriesArchaeological180017-НMore images Fortifications of the Bilsk hillfort – 4th century CEArchaeological180018-НMore images –13th centuriesArchaeological180029-Н Okhtyrka1753–176818 October 2023Architectural180041More images 1786Architectural180042More images 1774, 1825Architectural180043More images , 1884Architectural180044More images Trostianets, 1872Architectural180046More images 1820sArchitectural180047More images Park ()1820sArchitectural180048More images 1820sArchitectural180049More images , 1903–1913Architectural180050More images 1744–1750Architectural180051More images –13th centuries14 September 2009Archaeological180016-Н

Romny Raion

+NameLocationDate constructedDate designatedTypeProtection numberPhoto – 4th century CE14 September 2009Archaeological180024-НMore images , –13th centuriesArchaeological180014-НMore images –13th centuriesArchaeological180013-НMore images 1839, 1841Historic, monumental art180015-НMore images 18 October 2023Architectural180055More images to the poet T. H. ShevchenkoRomny1918, 198214 September 2009Monumental art180022-НMore images – 4th century CE, 9th–13th centuriesArchaeological180023-НMore images 168918 October 2023Architectural180052More images 1751, 1867Architectural180053More images and 1795–1895Architectural180054More images

Shostka Raion

+NameLocationDate constructedDate designatedTypeProtection numberPhoto –18th centuries18 October 2023Architectural, urban planning180065More images 1719–1735Architectural180065/1More images 1714–1722Architectural180065/2More images Cells of the Hamaliivka Monastery1781–1794Architectural180065/3More images Defensive wall of the Hamaliivka Monastery1781–1794Architectural180065/4More images Hlukhiv187414 September 2009Historic180007-НMore images 1766–176919 October 2012Architectural, historic180030-НMore images 1874–1892Architectural, historic180031-НMore images 1874–1879Architectural, historic180031-Н/1More images 1880sArchitectural, historic180031-Н/2More images 1880–1892Architectural, historic180031-Н/3More images 1693–1695Architectural, historic180032-НMore images 1884–1893Architectural, historic, monumental art180033-НMore images 1765Architectural, historic180034-НMore images , 1777, 19th century18 October 2023Architectural180066More images Voronizh1781Architectural180064More images –13th century14 September 2009Archaeological180008-Н

Sumy Raion

+NameLocationDate constructedDate designatedTypeProtection numberPhoto Hillfort of the legendary city of VyrBilopillia–13th centuries14 September 2009Archaeological180003-НMore images where the poet and scientist Oleksandr Oles (O. Kandyba) was bornHistoric180004-НMore images – 4th century CE, 5th–9th centuriesArchaeological180025-НMore images Khotin–19th centuries18 October 2023Architectural180062More images 1814Architectural180059More images and KyianytsiaArchitectural, garden and park art, urban planning180061More images Lebedyn1748Architectural180056More images –13th centuries14 September 2009Archaeological180027-НMore images Sumy1894Monumental art180001-НMore images 1891Monumental art180002-НMore images 185118 October 2023Architectural180035More images 1915Architectural180036More images – early 20th centuriesArchitectural180060More images 1776–1892Architectural180067More images 1836–1851Architectural180068More images 1702Architectural180069More images 1901–1914Architectural180070More images 1906Architectural180071More images Slavhorod1807Architectural180058More images 1822–1851Architectural180057More images Yunakivka1793–1806Architectural180063More images –13th centuries14 September 2009Archaeological180026-НMore images

See also

List of historic reserves in Ukraine Ukrainian architecture

Notes

References