Picturesque Dykanka village is located 30 km from Poltava among the forests lining the Vorskla river.

The village became famous after publishing the book "Evenings on a Farm Near Dykanka" by Mykola Gogol.

Do you remember whose portrait is printed on the 10 Hryvnia banknote? You are right, it is Ivan Mazepa, Ukrainian Hetman in 1687-1709. It is the Hetman, who incurred anathema from the Moscow Orthodox Church for his efforts to gain independence for Ukraine, and to whom famous French writer Victor Hugo and Lord Byron dedicated poems, and great Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky - an opera. What connect him with Dykanka, you may ask? The answer is war and love. In the 18th century, Dykanka belonged to the Kochubey family. The headquarters of Ivan Mazepa's troops were located in their manor before the Poltava battle. Mutual feelings were felt by young Motrya Kochubey and the Hetman (forty years her elder). These feelings he celebrated in letters to his beloved one.