Radyvyliv is a town in the southwest of Rivne Oblast, in Dubno Raion, and the center of the Radyvyliv hromada. It is located halfway between Rivne and Lviv — 100 km to each, on the Zdolbuniv — Krasne railway and next to the Kyiv — Chop highway. Until 2020, Radyvyliv was a raion center. The town is small, but it has an interesting history: for centuries, the border passed here, and Honore de Balzac entered the Russian Empire through the local customs office.
The City of the Radziwills
The settlement is mentioned in the 16th century: in 1564, it already belonged to the Radziwill princes, who secured Magdeburg rights for the town. The town also got its name from the Radziwills — until 1940, it was called Radyvyliv (Radziwiłłów in Polish). The town's coat of arms features a hunting horn and the letter "R", borrowed from the coat of arms of this family. Crafts and fairs developed here: archaeologists find Polish, Czech, and German coins from the 15th to 17th centuries.
Border Customs House
After the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Radyvyliv found itself on the border of the Russian Empire with Austria — Brody lay on the other side. A large customs office operated here, through which merchants and travelers from Europe passed. In 1847, Honore de Balzac crossed this border on his way to Evelina Hanska in Verkhivnia. In his letters, he described how the customs officers thoroughly inspected his chest. Thus, the small Volyn town made it into the history of French literature.
Chervonoarmiisk and the Return of the Name
In 1940, the Soviet authorities renamed the town Chervonoarmiisk, and it lived under this name for over half a century. Only in 1993 did the Verkhovna Rada return the historical name in its Ukrainian pronunciation — Radyvyliv. Near the town in 1941, one of the largest tank battles of the beginning of the Second World War took place — the Dubno-Brody battle. Trenches from the First and Second World Wars are still visible in the surrounding forests.
What to See
The town has preserved the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Ascension Church (former Roman Catholic church), and the old synagogue building — a reminder of the Jewish community, which made up a significant portion of the residents before the war. A history museum is open, and there is a monument to Taras Shevchenko in the center.
Radyvyliv on Video
Nearby
- Cossack Graves in Pliasheva — a memorial to the Battle of Berestechko in 1651, within the hromada.
- Dubno with the Ostrogski Castle — about 45 km away.
- Berestechko — about 30 km away, already in Volyn.
- More about the region in the article Dubno Raion: A Complete Guide.
How to Get There
Radyvyliv has a railway station on the Zdolbuniv — Krasne line, from which trains run to Rivne and Lviv. Buses are available from Dubno and Rivne. By car from Rivne, it takes about an hour and a half via the Kyiv — Chop highway.
