Liubech is a settlement on a high bank of the Dnipro River in the north of Chernihiv region, and one of the oldest towns in Polissia. It was first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years under the year 882, when the Kyiv prince Oleh captured Liubech and appointed his posadnik (governor) here; in 907, the town was named among other Rus towns in Oleh's treaty with the Greeks. There is no marked trail — this is a short walk through the settlement streets from the museum to Castle Hill: about 1.8 km, taking an hour and a half to two hours. The route is described for the time when restrictions in the border zone are lifted.

Ancient Liubech Museum

The start is near the Ancient Liubech historical and archaeological museum complex on Preobrazhenska Street. The complex was established in 2008 and includes seven architectural and archaeological sites. According to the staff, this is theft only museum in Ukraine with a fund storage facility open to visitors; most of the exhibits were donated by local residents. The museum offers quests and costumed tours, with the full tour lasting up to four hours.

Spaso-Preobrazhenska Church

A few steps from the museum is the masonry Spaso-Preobrazhenska Church from 1811–1817.

Spaso-Preobrazhenska Church in Liubech
Spaso-Preobrazhenska Church. Photo: Dmytro Petishkin, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Polubotok Stone House

Next, the route leads to the Polubotok stone house. In 1708, after the crackdown on Mazepa's supporters, Peter I granted Liubech to Pavlo Polubotok, and in 1764 the town passed to the Myloradovych family. The Myloradovych estate with a pond has also been preserved in the settlement.

Ruins of the Polubotok stone house in Liubech
Ruins of the Polubotok stone house. Photo: Dmytro Petishkin, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Antony Caves

According to the Kyiv Pechersk Patericon, Antony of Pechersk — the founder of the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery — was born in Liubech. On the slope, there are two caves, the Far and the Near; a relief of Saint Antony was installed above the entrance to the Near cave in 2012. In 1693, Archbishop Lazar Baranovych permitted the restoration of the Liubech Monastery of Saint Antony here.

Trail and stairs to the Antony Caves
Trail to the Antony Caves. Photo: Dmytro Petishkin, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Castle Hill

The finish is Castle Hill, the ancient detynets (citadel). In 1997, for the 900th anniversary of the Liubech Council of Princes in 1097, sculptor Hennadii Yershov created a bronze monument here: a monk-chronicler and relief portraits of princes. The hill offers a sweeping view of the Dnipro floodplain. The settlement also features a monument to Malusha with the young Volodymyr — Liubech is considered the birthplace of the mother of Volodymyr the Great.

Bronze monument to the Liubech Council of Princes on Castle Hill
Monument to the Liubech Council of Princes. Photo: Dmytro Petishkin, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Tips

The slopes of Castle Hill and the trail to the caves are steep and slippery after rain — comfortable footwear is required.

How to get there

Liubech is located in Chernihiv district, in the north of the region. It is most convenient to travel from the regional center — check the schedule of trips on the Chernihiv-1 bus station page.

Note. Liubech is located in the border zone with Belarus. The settlement can only be visited with a permit from the border guards (105th Border Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, applications are submitted online). The route is described for a time when the restrictions are lifted; until then, check the current rules.