Bandura
Бандура
🌍 Ukraine
Ukraine's lute-zither with up to 68 strings — voice of the wandering minstrel kobzars
Lin says:
Dobryi den! I'm Lin! The bandura is Ukraine's national instrument — and one of the most complex plucked instruments in the world! Up to 68 strings cover the entire front of the instrument. It was historically played by kobzars — blind wandering minstrels who travelled Ukraine singing heroic epic poems and laments. The Soviet government in the 1930s persecuted these kobzars — recognising how powerfully this instrument carried Ukrainian cultural memory. The bandura survived, and today it symbolises Ukrainian identity.
Quick Facts
Strings
30–68 strings
Type
Lute-zither hybrid
Players
Kobzars (wandering blind musicians)
Status
National instrument of Ukraine
Discover the Bandura
The bandura can have up to 68 strings — more than a concert harp! It combines the bass strings of a lute with treble strings of a zither, all in one instrument. Historically it was played by blind wandering musicians called kobzars.
Instrument Type
String
Known As
Бандура
Where It's Played
📷 Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC licence)
For Educators
Music is a universal language! Use this page to spark classroom discussions about culture, history, and how music connects communities around the world.
Did You Know?
The National Bandura Chapel of Ukraine — a full bandura orchestra of 60+ players — performs internationally, bringing Ukraine's national sound to audiences on every continent.
Ukrainian diaspora communities across the USA, Canada, and Australia maintain bandura schools — keeping the instrument alive far from Ukraine's borders as a way of preserving cultural connection.
The earliest written records of the kobza/bandura date to the 16th century, but the instrument's roots are believed to extend back to ancient Slavic and Byzantine string traditions of the 11th–13th centuries.
What Makes the Bandura Special?
The Kobzars
Kobzars were blind wandering musicians who travelled Ukrainian villages performing epic ballads (dumy) about Cossack heroes, historical battles, and laments for the dead. They were hugely respected — the memory-keepers of Ukrainian history.
Targeted by Soviet Authorities
In 1932–1934, the Soviet government called a "conference" of kobzars in Kharkiv — and reportedly arrested nearly all who attended. By suppressing the kobzars, they attempted to erase oral Ukrainian cultural memory. The bandura survived as an act of resistance.
Symbol of National Identity
Since Ukrainian independence in 1991, the bandura has become an even more powerful symbol. Bandura orchestras, schools, and virtuoso performers have helped the instrument become internationally associated with Ukrainian culture and resilience.
Keep Exploring the World!
Music is the heartbeat of every culture. Discover more incredible instruments and the countries where they are played.