Stara Vyzhivka is a urban-type settlement on the Vyzhivka River, a tributary of the Prypiat, in the north-west of Volyn Polissia, the administrative center of the Starovyzhivka hromada in Kovel Raion. The hromada includes 16 settlements. The settlement stands on the M19 highway, 112 km from Lutsk. Until 1946, it was called Stara Vyzhva, and in the 19th century simply Vyzhva.
From the Chronicle Vysheha to a Town
Historians debate the first mention: some associate Vyzhva with the chronicled Vysheha under June 1099, while others consider the documents of the early 16th century to be the first mention. Today, the settlement celebrates its history precisely from the 16th century. People lived here much earlier as well—archeologists have found Bronze Age artifacts and Kievan Rus settlements.
The lands around Vyzhva were owned by the Lithuanian princes Sanguszko and later by other magnates. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Vyzhva Castle stood here, and its history is being researched by scholars. In the 18th century, the town and surrounding villages were owned by Princess Józefa Jabłonowska. The townspeople remained personally free, while the villages owed corvée, quitrent, tribute in honey, hops, and yarn, tavern and mill rents, and even the transport of grain to the Buh.
Under the Russian Empire
Following the partitions of Poland, Volyn became part of the Russian Empire. According to the 1849–1858 lustration, Stara Vyzhivka was part of the Vyzhva estate along with the villages of Bridky, Rudka, Chevel, and Melnyky. Inspections revealed numerous abuses by the tenant: peasants were forced to pay even for pastures that were supposed to be free. In 1858, the estate numbered 216 peasant households and over 1,600 adult residents.
What to See
The adornment of the settlement is the wooden Transfiguration Church, a fine example of Polissian sacral architecture. The local history museum tells the story of the region, housing documents regarding the Sanguszko possessions, archaeological finds, and everyday items.
Nature
Starovyzhivshchyna is one of the greenest corners of Volyn: forests cover over a third of the territory. The Prypiat, Turiia, Vyzhivka, Liut, and Kyzivka flow here, and there are about three dozen lakes in the region, mostly of karst origin. In summer, people fish and swim here, and in autumn they gather mushrooms and cranberries.
When to Go
The best time is from May to September, when you can combine visiting the settlement with recreation on the lakes and rivers. Autumn is mushroom season, and winter brings the silence of the Polissian forests. The settlement is small, and two hours are enough for sightseeing, or a whole day if you include the lakes and forests.
Nearby
Mylets Monastery is on the way to Shatsk, and Kovel is about an hour to the south. More details can be found in the article Kovel Raion.
How to Get There
Stara Vyzhivka stands on the M19 highway between Kovel and the border with Belarus. Buses run from Kovel and Lutsk.
