Kovel is the center of the Kovel district in the northwest of Volyn, and one of the largest railway hubs in western Ukraine. The city has been destroyed by wars many times, but has been rebuilt each time. Twice — in 2008 and 2011 — Kovel won the national competition for the best landscaping among cities with a population of up to 100,000.
From Lithuanian Princes to the Railway
The history of Kovel has gone through Lithuanian-Ruthenian rule, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Russian Empire, interwar Poland, and Soviet times. The city grew as a trading center, and with the advent of railways in the 19th century, as a transport hub from which tracks diverge in all directions.
Before the Second World War, about half of Kovel's residents were Jews — 17,000 people. In 1942, the Nazis destroyed both ghettos they had created. Memorial signs in the city remind us of this tragedy.
Kovel was first mentioned in 1310. In 1518, King Sigismund I granted the city Magdeburg rights, and in the 16th century, it was owned by Queen Bona Sforza. Later, Kovel belonged to various magnates, and in 1795 it passed to the Russian Empire. A true boom began with the construction of railways: Kovel became a hub from which tracks lead to Brest, Chełm, Lutsk, Rivne, Sarny, and Kyiv.
What to See
In the center, Art Nouveau buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries have been preserved, including the old Fridrikson pharmacy, which the Kosach family used. There are 24 such structures in the city. The Kovel History Museum houses over three thousand exhibits. An interesting detail is the wooden Church of Saint Anne, which was moved to the city from the village of Vyshenky.
The 1991 monument to Lesya Ukrainka recalls the city's connection with the poet's family: nearby, in Kolodyazhne, is her museum-estate.
Kovel on Video
Nearby
From Kovel, it is convenient to travel to Svityaz and the Shatsk Lakes, to ancient Liuboml, and to Kolodyazhne. More can be found in the article about the Kovel district.
How to Get There
Trains from Kyiv, Lutsk, Rivne, Sarny, and Lviv. Buses — in the article bus schedule in Kovel.
