Sapalaivka

The Sapalaivka River is a right tributary of the Styr, flowing through the city of Lutsk and Lutsk district of Volyn region. It has a length of 12.4 km (8.3 km within Lutsk) and a basin area of 39.2 km².

The origin of the name of this river is very fascinating. In the works of local ethnographers and historians, you can find information that in ancient times there was a ravine near the town of Luchesk, at the bottom of which flowed the Yarovytsia River. And on its bank was a village with the same name. As time went on, Luchesk expanded, and the rich and powerful Volyn princes Chetvertynski built an estate in the former village. The chosen place  was a good one: in the area of the present-day Vynnychenko Street, one of the roads leading from the city to the towns of Kolky and Chortoryisk passed through the Yarovytsia River. A water mill was also built on the bank of the Yarovytsia, fairs were held, and the river was overflowing into a huge pond. According to documents from half a millennium ago, Yarovytsia was once the property of the powerful Ostroh princes, who were called the “uncrowned kings of Rus”.

At the beginning of the 20th century, both the river and the village became part of the city of Lutsk. The village became a neighbourhood, and the river was renamed. According to legend, a wealthy man named Sapalai dammed the pond, which has since been called Sapalai Pond. Later, the river itself was named Sapalaivka.

Currently, the river has its source in the north-eastern outskirts of the village of Strumivka in Lutsk district and flows through the city of Lutsk from east to west through the Teremno neighbourhood, where two ponds with a total area of 5.91 hectares have been built on the river. In 1993, these ponds were given the name and status of a hydro-glacial monument of local significance – “Teremnivski Ponds”. They play an important role in regulating the hydrological regime of the Sapalaivka River and are also of significant recreational importance, as there is a beach on the ponds, so in summer, residents of Lutsk enjoy swimming, fishing and just enjoying the scenery.

Downstream of Sapalaivka flows the Park named after the 900th anniversary of Lutsk, a favourite place for many citizens. For some, it is a place of unity with nature, for others it is a location for jogging or cycling, and for others it is a space where you can hide from the world and be alone with yourself. Near Sapalayivka, there’s a decorative pond in the park where you can rent a boat and go on a short trip along the river to admire the scenery or the sunset.

Near Kyiv Square, Sapalaivka forms a wide valley where the City Park recreational complex is located, with landscaped riverfront areas and revitalisation elements. A bridge of lovers and a gazebo of swan fidelity have been built on the slopes of Sapalaivka, a place for waterfowl where you can feed wild ducks, an open-air art gallery and a sports ground, and a playground and mini-carousel for kids.

In the central part of the city, the river Sapalaivka has been cleared and straightened, and along the river itself there is a 1.5 km long Lutsk Children’s Railway, which partially passes through the territory of the Volyn Botanical Garden, which is home for rare plant species, including the western sycamore tree, which is about 100 years old (a botanical natural monument of local importance), bear hazel, Crimean and Siberian pines. The botanical garden on one of the slopes of Sapalaivka also has a former city fountain with an elephant sculpture – the Lutsk Elephant, which has long been an informal symbol of the city and a favourite place for young people to relax.

This section has been developed with the financial support of the European Union within the framework of the international grant project “Promotion and protection of the natural heritage of urban rivers and coastal areas of Rzeszów  and Lutsk” of the Cross-border Cooperation Programme Poland-Belarus-Ukraine 2014-2020 of the European Neighbourhood Instrument. The contents of this section are the sole responsibility of the Executive Committee of Lutsk City Council and do not reflect the views of the European Union.

Photo by Viktor Petruk