HISTORY
ORIGINS.
The territory of the present Rivne region is part of the lands that comprised historic Volhynia. Archaeological discoveries tend to show that this area has been inhabited since the late Paleolithic Era, about 10 to 40 thousand years ago.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, various tribes of the Dulebs lived in Volhynia. During the 10th century it became part of the Vladimir Principality of Kievan Rus.
The town of Rivne was first mentioned in written sources in 1283, when the battle between Polish and Lithuanian forces took place here. After 1340, the region became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
After the Union of Lublin of 1569, the region passed into the possession of Poland. In 1793, after the second partition of Poland, eastern Volhynia, and after the third partition in 1795, western Volhynia, including Rivne, became part of the Russian Empire.
20TH CENTURY EVENTS.
During the First World War, it was a frontline region for several years and In 1920, Rivne was occupied by Polish troops. In 1921, under the Treaty of Riga, western Volhynia, including the present Rivne region, became part of Poland and remained a part of the Volhynia Voivodeship of Poland until 1939.
In September 1939, according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between the USSR and Germany, these lands passed under the control of the USSR. In December 1939, a separate Rivne Oblast was formed as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
In 1941, during the German invasion of the USSR, Rivne turned into a kind of “capital” of the occupied Ukrainian lands. The revival of Ukrainian public and underground organizations began. This region became one of the centers of the Ukrainian national liberation movement. In February 1944, the USSR regained control of Rivne Oblast. By the mid-1950s however, the Ukrainian liberation movement had been almost completely suppressed. In 1991, Rivne Oblast became part of independent Ukraine.
PLACES OF INTEREST
The Tunnel of Love in Klevan.
A few kilometers east of the village of Klevan, about 23 km northwest of Rivne, you can find an old 4 kilometers long railway track going to a woodworking plant. In the past, military bases were located in nearby villages and the railway was masked with trees planted along it. The trees were constantly cut from two sides, so they densely grew upwards.
After some time, the trees formed a kind of green grotto or a tunnel such that newlyweds often arrange photo shoots on their wedding day here – hence the name. The best time to visit is summer and autumn.
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The Dubno Castle in the town of Dubno.
Dubno, the ancestral castle of the Ostrogski family was built in the 15th century, then subsequently became the property of several other aristocratic families. Within this complex of buildings, itself an historical and architectural monument, there are several exhibition halls: one with Ukrainian embroidered shirts [vyshyvankas], a numismatics hall, an art gallery, a hunting hall, a room with curved mirrors, a courtroom, an exhibition of miniatures, and even a torture chamber.
To walk from the Dubno town railway station to the castle takes about an hour. Along the way the town offers a number of other interesting architectural monuments, including old churches and the Park of Wooden Sculptures festooned with figures of famous Ukrainians and residents of the town, fairy-tale heroes, and historical figures.
The Ostroh Castle.
The former residence of the Ostrogski family, who owned vast lands in Volhynia in the 14th-17th centuries.
This is the most famous landmark of the town of Ostroh located about 47 km southeast of Rivne.
Today, the castle houses the The State Historical and Cultural Reserve established in August 1981, encompassing the Ostroh Museum of Local Lore created in 1916, the oldest museum in the region.
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The Tarakaniv Fort.
One of the most interesting places in Rivne Oblast, Tarakaniv was built on the Russian-Austrian border to protect the Lviv Railway in 1890. The fort is constructed in the shape of a rhombus with a concrete and earth foundation along with a quadrangular two-story barracks at its center.
The Fort is bordered by two rows of massive earthen berms, between which a 14-meter ditch with stone walls and casemates was erected. However the fort was never used for its intended purpose. Today, this abandoned and overgrown fort is a major tourist attraction.
Holy Trinity Fortified Monastery.
This 16th-17th century in monastery located in Mezhyrich is a monument to the Volhynia architecture school, combining the traditions of old Russian construction techniques with elements of Gothic-Renaissance architecture.
Its layout is a combination of secular, cult, and defensive features, and together with its Renaissance decor make it an outstanding architectural monument of Ukraine.
POPULAR TOURS
Ancestry and Heritage Tour
Ancestry and Heritage Tour
Lutsk Castle, Dubno Castle and Tarakaniv Fort
Lutsk Castle, Dubno Castle and Tarakaniv Fort
Tunnel Of Love
Tunnel Of Love
Virtual Tours Of Western Ukraine
Virtual Tours Of Western Ukraine
