Rivne Oblast: Polesia, Basalt and Castles

Rivne Oblast reveals itself through protected landscapes, a narrow-gauge railway, unusual basalt formations, and historic castles and museums. When choosing your holiday apartment, it therefore matters which of these aspects you want to focus on during your trip. Natural scenery, a train journey, and cultural and historical collections appeal to different interests. Direct your accommodation search towards the places that matter to your plans.

Landscapes between Polesia and basalt

Rivne Nature Reserve lies in the north of the oblast. Covering more than 42,000 hectares, it protects natural complexes in Ukrainian Polesia; the area is in Varash and Sarny districts. The Polesia landscape is therefore an important part of the region’s natural heritage. The Antonivka–Zarichne narrow-gauge railway offers a different way to experience the landscape: its stated length is 104 kilometres, and its route passes through forests and pine-covered sand dunes. Passengers can ride in small carriages and admire the landscapes of Polesia. The railway is also associated with stories about alleged diamond transports and the claim that it disappeared from maps for twenty years. If you are planning a trip on the railway, check its current operation before travelling.

Another striking landscape feature is the nearly four-kilometre-long “Tunnel of Love”. It consists of a regularly shaped arch formed by the branches of trees on both sides of a railway track. At Basaltove, polygonal basalt columns stand in orderly rows; they range in height from three to 30 metres. There is also a sculpture in the shape of a basalt fan. Rivne Oblast thus brings together a variety of natural features: tree canopies over a track, sand dunes along a railway, and distinctive basalt formations.

The “Ostriv Zamok” natural monument, in turn, is on an island in the floodplain of the Pliaschiwka River. It covers four hectares and protects rare tree and plant species. It is located between the villages of Kozyn and Zarichne. For planning your trip, these are distinct, clearly defined natural features: the extensive protected areas of Polesia, unusual geological formations, and a natural monument in a river floodplain.

Castles, fort and regional history

When it comes to Tarakaniv Fort, it helps to know its other names: it is also called Dubno Fort or the New Dubno Fortress and is a 19th-century architectural monument. It is located near the village of Tarakaniv in Dubno district, Rivne Oblast, in a landscape above the Ikva River. The Castle of Dubno is a separate site. Members of the Ostroh princely family founded it; in the early 17th century, they made the castle the main residence of their estates. In Ostroh, the castle dates from the 14th century and houses an exhibition on local heritage and art. These details give you different historical themes to choose from, without conflating the fort and the castles as one place.

Peresopnytsia also brings together history and specific collection and cultural themes. The Peresopnytsia Gospel was created more than 450 years ago in old Peresopnytsia. The museum exhibition there includes more than 1,000 archaeological artefacts from the princely era of the Peresopnytsia region. In Rivne, the Oblast Museum of Local Lore holds more than 297,000 collection items; over 20,000 of them are on display in permanent and temporary exhibitions. Depending on whether you are particularly interested in a single historic work, archaeological artefacts, or a larger museum collection, you can choose different focuses for your trip.

Choose a holiday apartment to suit your interests

The sights mentioned are in different places across the oblast. So first consider whether you want to focus your trip mainly on landscapes and natural formations, the narrow-gauge railway, or castles and collections. Then you can tailor your search for a holiday apartment to the destinations that matter most to you. This way, your accommodation choice is guided by your specific interests, not just by the name of the region.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Rivne, Kolodenka, Rivne, Birok, Obariv, Kozlyn, Braniv, Klewan, Velyka Omelyana, Babyn, Moshchanytsya, Ostroh, Samostrily, Dubno.

Go to the main travel overview: Ukraine.