Oleksandriya Park

Oleksandriya was begun in 1793 by Aleksandra Branicka on the banks of the Ros and grew to some four hundred hectares, laid out in the English landscape manner with lakes, cascades, colonnades and pavilions set in old oak forest. The Echo colonnade, built so that a whisper carries the length of it, and the Turkish house are the best-known structures. It is now a dendrological park of the Academy of Sciences with a large tree collection.

What's there

• The Echo colonnade - a curved colonnade built to carry a whisper end to end.
• The Turkish house - an ornamental pavilion above the water.
• The lakes and cascades - the water features running through the park.
• The old oaks - forest older than the park itself, incorporated into the design.

When to go

May to October is the season, with autumn colour in the oaks the best of the year. Weekends bring crowds from Kyiv. Winter access is limited to the main paths.

Things to know

The park is large and much of it is unrestored woodland rather than designed landscape. Several pavilions are in poor condition. Signage is limited.

Nearby

Bila Tserkva town is alongside, and Kyiv is north.

Key facts