Recommended for those: Who know that Hellas is the ancient name of Greece. Who like to read classic and remember that Ulas Samchuk is an Ukrainian Homer. Who don’t know it but are interested in this fact. Who are studying in Ostrog Academy. Who are studying in Harvard. Who are studying in other places (in school, kindergarten or secretly learn new things at work). Who understand the arts. Who appreciate the authentic singing and folk crafts. Who are interested in the biography of Lesya Ukrainka, Grygoriy Kosmiadi and Volodymir Korolenko. Who are gourmets and want to try the new and slightly exotic dishes.
The Ukrainian Hellas
There are the Local Athens here (the teachers are sure in it) and even their own Homer (the litterateurs came to this conclusion). However the tribe, which settled in this land was called not Greeks but Volynyany.
It was in Volyn’ the capable local settlers founded the fundamentality of the culture. And, frankly speaking, it was very strong, because after some time this culture transformed into the heritage of the whole country. The first translation of the Holy Scripture into the folk language was made. And the translation was so brilliant, that until nowadays it is considered to be the artistic masterpiece and the symbol of the statehood. It is held by seven locks and leaves its storehouse once in four years in the armored car with the guard – during the inauguration of the new president of Ukraine. It is called about Peresopnytsya Gospel, the first Ukrainian book, which celebrated 450 years since the time of its publication in 2011.
Many years ago, more accurately in 1576 AD, there was founded the first educational institution – Ostrog Slavic Greek Latin Academy. And the author of “Grammar” Meletiy Smotritskiy and ataman of Zaporizhian Sich Petro Sahaidachniy had studied there.
The first ukrainian book publisher Ivan Fedorov had worked there, thus Volyn’ was always closely connected with literature. The famous Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka, Ulas Samchuk, who was called the ukrainian Homer, the painter Grygoriy Kosmiadi and engineer Volodymir Korolenko were born and lived in Volyn’. The family of composer Igor Stravinsky and the painter Kazimir Malevych came from Volyn’.
The land was hospitable for foreigners as well. Thus there were a lot of the Pole, Czech, German and Jewish settlements. These historical lands are full of the Hasidic stone crypts and their descendants nowadays make a pilgrimage to them.
Volyn’ also kept the ancient traditions and customs, crafts and old reception dishes. One more treasury of this land is the sunny stone – the Amber. This is the only region in Ukraine, where the Amber is mined.
Routes
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The underground route. Labyrinths of Rivne and Lutsk
Erich Koch's bunker… Underground tunnels that allegedly stretched from the vault to the runway with his personal plane… Assaults on the Reich Commissar, prepared by the legendary spy…
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The diplomatic route. The medieval summit
European kings, emperors, princes, voivodes, Tatar khans. They all gathered at the same time (1429) in the same place (in Lutsk Castle).
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The old-town route. Lutsk walk
… Once upon a time, in order to cross the oldest bridge connecting Lutsk with the settlement on the right bank of the Styr, a donation had to be made. They threw some personal thing into the water, sometimes even a pipe.
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Literary-lake route. Lesya and Svityaz
As a child, she loved playing Jeanne d’Arc and Robinson Crusoe. And to visit Lutsk Castle and secretly wander in the park of my father's estate at night from everyone in the world. She wrote her first poem at the age of eight.
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The town-archaeological route. Ancient Rivne and even older Peresopnytsia
A woman won the Magdeburg right for Rivne. She built a wooden castle on one of the islands of a flooded but calm river. A church was built nearby. The temple at that place is still there.
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The first book route. The book of books
This book is kept in a chest, and the pages are turned over, wearing white gloves. She leaves the vault only under guard, in an armored car and only once every four years.
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The urban route. Uneven Rivne
Princess-patron and scandalous nobleman-rich, who wanted to have the Polish crown.