The city of Rivne is located in the north-west of Ukraine. In one of his works, the famous writer Vladimir Korolenko wrote: «A good region, a glorious side, quiet, flat, sad, however, a little». But the modern city is not sad at all. It is a cozy and picturesque center of Rivne region, with a developed sphere of industrial enterprises and higher educational institutions, with sights of different times and generations.
Many centuries ago, or rather at the end of VI-beginning of VII century on the territory of the present Rovenshchina there was a settlement of tribes Duleb and Velynians (Volynians). In time, by the X century, these lands became part of the powerful Kievan Rus, and from 1200 to 1340 belonged to the principality of Galicia-Volynia. According to historians, the first mention of the city of Rivne dates back to 1283. It is believed that then it was one of the settlements of the Galicia-Volyn principality. As for the name of the city, there are several versions of its origin. The first and most widespread is that the city was named so because of its location on a flat low-lying area. According to another version, the name is associated with the princes of Ostrozhskiy — City of Rivne was acquired for even counting and became their hundredth possession. Well, and according to the third version, the name comes from the defensive moats that surrounded the city.
The territory, where Rivne is located, in its history has passed a difficult path. After the collapse of the Galicia-Volhynia principality in 1340, Volhynia was the subject of sharp competition. Volyn was the subject of sharp rivalry between two neighbors — Lithuania and Poland. Since that year the territory of the present-day city of Rivne became part of the Principality of Lithuania, in 1464 it was sold to Prince Semyon Nesvitsky, and after his death it passed to his wife Maria. She immediately began to build a large castle in its place. Since the beginning of the XVI century these lands were in the possession of Princes Ostrozhsky.
After the signing of the Union of Lublin in 1569, the history of the region was changed. After the signing of the Union of Lublin in 1569, a new page was turned in the history of the region — the lands of Rivne became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the next century Rovno experienced difficult times. The city was repeatedly raided by the Tatars, and in 1723 Rovno was taken over by the rich Polish magnate Yuri Lubomirski. Under him, and later under his son, the castle was thoroughly reconstructed. As a result of these reconstructions the fortifications of the castle lost their defensive value, the fortress walls and earthen bastions were demolished, and the castle turned into a luxurious palace.
In 1793. Rovno became a part of the Russian Empire and received the status of a county town.
From 1921 to 1939 Rovno was again a part of the Polish state, and since 1939 it became a part of the Ukrainian SSR.
The city and its inhabitants experienced a very difficult time during the Great Patriotic War, it was a destructive wave through the sights of Rivne.
Having gone through a difficult and challenging path of formation, nowadays Rivne is a highly cultural center of the region. Speaking about the architectural sights of Rivne it is worth mentioning The Church of the Assumption with a free-standing wooden bell tower; St. Anthony’s Church and The Cathedral of the Resurrection. Several Art Nouveau mansions have been preserved in the streets of the historic part of the city.