Zhitomir is situated in the north of Ukraine on the Teterev river. Its total area is 6100 hectares.
The city is divided into two districts, and its population is 292 000.
Zhitomir was founded, according to the local legend, in the 9th century. It is first mentioned in the chronicles under the year of 1240, when it was destroyed by the Mongols. It became a town in 1444.
The chief architectural monuments are the Jesuit monastery, a Roman Catholic Church (1744), the Assumption Church (1752), the Transfiguration Cathedral (1866—1874), the city hall. There are a lot of museums in the city, which are worth visiting.
They are: a regional studies museum, literary memorial museums, dedicated to M. Kotsiubynsky and V. Korolenko, and a memorial museum devoted to S. Koroliov.
The city's educational facilities include a pedagogical and an agricultural institute a branch of the Kyiv Polytechnics University, 10 technical secondary schools. There are several scientific-research institutes. There are a lot of parks and public gardens in the city. Their area is 45 000 hectares.
The Botanical Gardens of the agricultural institute is the place that is very popular among the people.
The cultural facilities include a picture gallery, a puppet theatre, the Ukrainian Music and Drama Theatre, and a philharmonic society.
Automobiles, synthetic-fabrics, tools, musical instruments are produced in Zhitomir.
Zhitomir contacts with Hungarian city Mikhailovhrad.
