In Neskuchne Park on the western outskirts of Trostianets, among lakes and 300–400-year-old oaks, stands the Nymphs' Grotto, a stone structure built in 1809. Once upon a time, by torchlight and to live music, performances were staged here for the nobility with girls dressed up as wood nymphs. Today, the grotto is an architectural landmark of national importance and one of the most mysterious places in Sloboda Ukraine.
Open-Air Theatre
The grotto was built during the time of Prince Golitsyn and dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava — a stone with the inscription "1809" still lies at the foot. The 1916 magazine Stolitsa i Usadba wrote that the grotto was intended for entertainment: the nobility rested here, and theatrical performances based on plots of ancient Greek myths were arranged for the dignitaries. Hence the name of the structure. The remains of spectator boxes, the walls of the open-air theatre, and the cobblestones used by carriages to pull up still survive today.
Stone, Brick, and Underground Passages
The grotto consists of flattened stones and semicircular arched entrances made of large sandstones, and is covered from above by a brick vault ten meters in diameter. Inside, the stands for torches that illuminated the performances are preserved, while during the day the sun penetrated through the arched openings above. The grotto has four underground passages, although only one was used. According to legend, one of the passages leads all the way to the monastery in Okhtyrka.
Maliovnycha Trostianechchyna Plein Air
Since 2006, the international plein air event Maliovnycha Trostianechchyna has been held annually in the park where the grotto stands. Artists from Ukraine and abroad paint the local landscapes, and their paintings decorate the gallery in the former Golitsyn Palace. Quite a few works are dedicated specifically to the Nymphs' Grotto.
How to Get There
The grotto is in Trostianets Neskuchne Park on the western outskirts of Trostianets, not far from the lakes. Trostianets is located 55 km south of Sumy, and the Sumy–Kharkiv railway runs through the city.
What to Consider
Trostianets was under Russian occupation from 24 February to 26 March 2022, and in 2025 it was awarded the title of Hero City. The city lies 35 km from the border with Russia, so before your trip, check the security situation and the restrictions of the Sumy Regional State Administration. In the grotto, do not climb onto the vault and do not enter the underground passages.
