Polissya is a marvelously picturesque region in the north-western Ukraine. Its beauty has been recorded in the national songs and legends and it still remains the source of inspiration for many artists. The ancient city of Zhitomir is located on the rocky banks of the Teterev river. The name Zhitomir comes from the words "zhito" (rye) and "mir" (peace). Their combination displays the people's striving for work and peaceful life. The hospitably open city gate on the emblem of Zhitomir symbolizes the concepts of peace and consent. The historians agree that Zhitomir was founded in A. D. 884. The legends have it that the city name comes from the name of a rebellious Prince's subject or from the practices of people living on this territory to produce bread and lead a peaceful way of life. In reality the history of Zhitomir was very far from being peaceful. The first uprising in Kiev Rus took place in 945. It was led by the peasant who refused to pay the tribute to the prince. The new status of Zhitomir gave an impulse to its extensive growth and development. The city became filled with stone and brick buildings as well as educational and cultural institutions: a boys' gymnasium, a girl's boarding-school, a library, a theater etc.