In the Mezhyrichchya tract near the village of Novi Petrivtsi, 8 km from Kyiv, an ancient spring gushes from beneath a slope — the Dzvinkova Krynytsia (Bell Spring). Once it belonged to the Kyiv-Mezhyrichchya Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi Monastery, the main shrine of the Zaporozhian Host. The monastery was destroyed by the Bolsheviks, but the spring survived, and people still come here for water, which is considered healing. It is a hydrological natural monument of local significance.
The Legend of the Bells
According to legend, the monks of the Mezhyrichchya Monastery built a chapel with small bells over the spring. The water gushed with such a strong stream that it hit the bells, and a melodic ringing resounded over the tract. Hence the name — Dzvinkova Krynytsia.
The Mezhyrichchya Monastery
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Mezhyrichchya Monastery was the main monastery of the Zaporozhian Cossacks: elderly Cossacks came here to live out their days, and the Sich supported the cloister. In 1934, by decision of the Soviet authorities, the monastery was photographed and blown up. Almost nothing remains of it, but Dzvinkova Krynytsia was preserved, and it is famous for the taste of its water.
The spring was declared a natural monument on October 5, 2000. The protected area covers 2.5 hectares of the Staro-Petrivtsi forestry. Near the spring, there is a developed water outlet and a recreation area.
How to Get There
The spring is in the Mezhyrichchya tract near Novi Petrivtsi, not far from the former Mezhyhirya residence, a few kilometers from Vyshhorod. From Kyiv, take marshrutkas from the Heroiv Dnipra metro station to Novi Petrivtsi, then walk through the forest.
Tip
Bring a water bottle — even Kyiv residents come here for the water. Nearby is the museum of Ukrainian military valor in Novi Petrivtsi and the shores of the Kyiv Sea. More about the region can be found in the article about Kyiv Polissia.
