The Vorzel Landscape Reserve covers 85 hectares of forest right within the borders of the urban-type settlement of Vorzel in the Bucha hromada, 30 km northwest of Kyiv. Pine, oak-pine, oak, and birch stands are protected here, among which grow plants listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine—the pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens) and the Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon). It is precisely because of these forests that Vorzel emerged over a hundred years ago as a dacha settlement for Kyiv residents, later becoming a resort with sanatoriums.
Protected Forest
The Kyiv Regional Council granted the status of a local-significance forest reserve on November 20, 2003. It is managed by the Bucha Forestry Enterprise. The reserve consists of several forest plots scattered among the settlement's streets and sanatoriums. In spring, the pasque flower blooms here—one of Polissia's first spring flowers with dark purple bell-shaped blossoms—while in summer, the Turk's cap lily appears. Neither species may be picked or dug up.
A Dacha Settlement Born from the Forest
In the early 20th century, near the village of Mykhailivka, at the 37th kilometer of the Kyiv–Kovel railway, a local landowner, Yosyp Pekhovskyi, conceived a dacha settlement. According to legend, he and his neighbors even bribed an official at the Ministry of Transport so that the railway would pass by their forest. The forest was divided into 229 rectangular plots. They wanted to name the settlement Olenivka in honor of Pekhovskyi's wife, then Krynychky, and ultimately named it Vorzel—likely after von Verzel's brickyard, which Pekhovskyi had recently purchased. He also liked the name for its consonance with the French Versailles.
Nearby, in the Rokytne tract, landowner Lidiia Kycheieva divided her estate into 258 plots, thus creating the dacha settlement of Kycheieve—now part of Vorzel, and a railway stop of the same name still exists today. The pine forest and clean air turned Vorzel into a place for recreation and treatment: sanatoriums, holiday homes, and children's institutions operated here. In 1914, a tulip tree was planted in Vorzel, which is still growing today.
Vorzel Museums
The Uvarov House Museum operates in an old dacha, alongside a museum of musical culture. In the 18th century, the border between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Tsardom of Muscovy ran through Vorzel and neighboring Bucha and Hostomel, and the local forests provided shelter for smugglers and Haidamaks.
From late February until April 1, 2022, Vorzel was under Russian occupation. The settlement was shelled, people lived for weeks without electricity, heat, and water, and evacuation only began on March 9.
How to Get There
The most convenient way is by suburban electric train from Kyiv towards Korosten or Tetiv to the Vorzel or Kycheieve stations. By car, take the Kyiv–Kovel highway (M-07) through Irpin and Bucha. The reserve's forests are within the settlement limits and can be reached on foot from the station.
Tip
In April, look for the small pasque flower in the clearings, but only take photos — the flowers are protected. Lighting fires in the nature reserve's forest is prohibited. Nearby are the ruins of the Osten-Sacken Palace in Nemishaeve, which is two suburban train stops away. Read more about the region in the article about Kyiv Polissia.
