Almost 300 bird species, 13 sea lagoons and 44 kilometres of coastline define Tuzlovski Lymany National Nature Park as a natural highlight of Odesa Oblast. The region is also home to Akkerman Fortress, a state-protected architectural monument dating from the 13th to the 18th century. The region thus offers two distinct areas of interest: lagoon landscapes and biodiversity, as well as architectural and urban planning history.
Lagoon landscapes and biodiversity
Tuzlovski Lymany National Nature Park is a protected area in the basin of the lagoons of the Tuzlovski group, in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Raion, Odesa Oblast. It covers 27,865 hectares and includes 13 sea lagoons and 44 kilometres of coastline. These three figures describe different aspects: the number of hectares indicates the area of the protected site, the figure gives the number of lagoons, and the distance in kilometres refers to the coastline. Together, they convey the scale of the park and how it is shaped by its lagoon basin and stretch of coast.
The natural landscape includes diverse floodplain habitats, as well as distinctive flora and fauna. Plant species in the park and animal species living there are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine, the Red Data Book of the Black Sea, the Red List of Odesa Oblast and the European Red List. These listings span regional and national levels, the Black Sea region and Europe. In addition to the habitats themselves, the species listings offer another perspective on the park’s protected status.
The national park is home to almost 300 bird species, around 60 fish species in its local waters and 37 mammal species. Birds are therefore the largest of the three numbered groups; the figure for fish refers specifically to the local waters. Tuzlovski Lymany is also a place for birdwatching. Some birds use the lagoons as a stopover on their migration to Asia and Africa, while others nest directly by the lagoons and spend the winter there. Nature enthusiasts can thus experience both biodiversity and the cycle of the seasons: the bird count indicates the size of the group, while the information about migration, nesting and wintering distinguishes their seasonal roles.
Fortress and architectural history
The fortress, also known as Akkerman Fortress, is located in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi. It is a state-protected architectural and urban planning monument of national significance, dating from the 13th to the 18th century. The monument designation explicitly refers to urban planning as well as architecture, highlighting a second aspect of the protected heritage. A 2022 description by the district administration also mentions a museum-reserve on the fortress grounds.
The wider travel destination of Ukraine offers a later architectural point of reference: historic buildings in Odesa reflect the city’s rapid economic development in the 19th and early 20th centuries. By comparison, the fortress dates from the 13th to the 18th century. This comparison places the fortress and Odesa’s buildings in two distinct historical periods within Ukraine.
Explore more destinations
Explore more destinations: Odesa, Burlacha Balka, Illitschiwsk, Karolino-Buhas, Satoka, Ovidiopol's'kyi Raion, Satoka, Ivanivs'kyi Raion, Berezivka, Savran, Rozdilna, Fontanka, Kryzhanivka, Vylkove, Dal'nyk, Mizikevycha, Svitlohirs'ke, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Izmail, Stara Nekrasivka, Artsyz, Nerubais'ke, Pidhirne, Biliaivka, Reni, Tarutyne, Serhiivka, Kiliia, Prymors'ke, Novopetrivka, Sanzhiika, Bolharka, Baraboi, Yuzhne, Khlibodars'ke, Mayaky, Nova Dofinivka.
For the wider travel overview: Ukraine.
