Poltava is located between Kiev and Charkiv. It is still unknown when the city was founded. Though the town was not attested before 1174, municipal authorities chose to celebrate the town's 1100th anniversary in 1999. The name of the city is connected to the settlement Ltava which is mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle in 1174. This region belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 14th century. Later the city was captured by the Ruthenian-Polish magnate. In 1667 the town became Russian Empire’s land.
The centre of the old city is semicircular Neoclassical square with the Tuscan column of cast, commemorating the centenary of the Battle of Poltava and featuring 18 Swedish cannons captured in that battle. The October Park, The Spassky Church and the gun-barrel-shaped Column of Glory other places to visit.