List of historic reserves in Ukraine


Historic and cultural reserves are defined under Ukrainian law as ensembles and complexes of monuments that collectively possess cultural, historic, or scientific value, and are thus placed under the protection of the state. Such a reserve may be limited to a single populated place or region. Historic reserves can be designated as historic and architectural, architectural and historic, historic and memorial, historic and archaeological, or historic and ethnographic depending on the dominant type of monuments that make up the reserve. Some historic reserves are officially listed by the Ministry of Culture and usually known as national. However, there are other historic reserves that are established by regional state administrations and other bodies. The designation of a territory as a historic reserve entails bans or restrictions on industrial and agricultural activities within its boundaries. Its administration is responsible for the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the area, ensuring its proper use, and carrying out educational, tourism, archival, and research activities. Historic and cultural reserves are not to be confused with nature reserves, which protect natural rather than historic areas.
This list includes museum-reserves that are directly subordinated to the Ministry of Culture or to the regional state administrations. However, it excludes other entities also referred to as museum-reserves, notably those managed by Borys Voznytsky Lviv National Art Gallery. Similar institutions that are not officially designated as reserves are likewise excluded, such as the Historic and Archaeological Museum Complex "Ancient Liubech", the Cultural and Archaeological Center "Peresopnytsia", and the Historic and Cultural Complex "Radomysl Castle-Museum".
As of 2025, there are 67 historic and cultural reserves in Ukraine, one of which is de facto not functioning. Shevchenko National Reserve in Kaniv, established in 1925, is the oldest, while Ancient Zvenyhorod, created in 2020, is the most recently established reserve. Cherkasy and Lviv oblasts each have the highest number of active reserves, at eight. There are no reserves in Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Odesa, Zakarpattia, and Zhytomyr oblasts.

Background

The idea of protected historic areas in Ukraine dates back to the period following the Russian Revolution, when the Ukrainian People's Republic designated the grave of Taras Shevchenko – the country's national poet – as a national sanctuary in 1918. The same site was declared a state reserve in 1925 under the Soviet Union and additional historic and cultural reserves were established in the following years. The Soviet government also distinguished between reserves of republican and local significance, which were managed by the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and local governments, respectively. In the 1930s, most existing reserves were liquidated and proposals for new ones were rejected, with Stalinist repressions also affecting the reserves' workers. The creation of new reserves resumed after World War II but gained momentum only in the 1970s–1980s, when the approach shifted toward preserving entire historic ensembles rather than individual monuments. Another wave of reserve establishment occurred in the years following Ukraine's declaration of independence in 1991, and slowed after 2010. Nevertheless, they currently face multiple organizational and managerial challenges. This is reflected in the unsuccessful attempts to establish reserves in Odesa, Chuhuiv, and ; land ownership conflicts between the historic reserve and the in Trakhtemyriv; as well as the de facto abolition of the reserve in Lviv due to government-level disagreements. Inadequate government funding hinders proper maintenance, and many reserves still lack scientific and design documentation despite this being a legal requirement. Moreover, several such areas have suffered damage during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, including the reserves in Sviatohirsk, Vasylivka, and Verkhnii Saltiv.

Historic reserves

NameImageLocationRegionBodyAreaDateDescription
Alupka, MasandraAutonomous Republic of CrimeaCouncil of Ministers of Crimea408 September 1990The Vorontsov Palace, surrounded by a large garden, was built in 1828–1848 for the Russian nobleman Mikhail Vorontsov. The reserve arose from a museum that had previously functioned on the territory of the palace. It also includes the châteauesque Masandra Palace, built for the Russian nobility in 1881–1902.
Bakhchysarai,,,, Autonomous Republic of CrimeaCouncil of Ministers of Crimea—7 September 1990Bakhchysarai served as the capital of the Crimean Khanate and has preserved numerous monuments from that era, notably the Khans' Palace, Eski-Yurt, and Chufut-Kale. The reserve also includes the cave towns of Mangup-Kale and Eski-Kermen, the Scythian, the site of the Battle of the Alma, multiple grave fields, and museums dedicated to Ismail Gasprinsky and art.
Koktebel, Feodosia, Autonomous Republic of CrimeaCouncil of Ministers of Crimea—18 October 2000The reserve primarily focuses on preserving the heritage of the poet Maximilian Voloshin. In addition to the museum dedicated to him and his grave, the reserve also covers the museums of Alexander Grin, Konstantin Paustovsky, and Anastasia and Marina Tsvetaevy, and literature and art.
ChornomorskeAutonomous Republic of CrimeaCouncil of Ministers of Crimea2.520 May 1997Kalos Limen is an ancient city founded by the Greeks, and later controlled by the Scythians and the Saltovo-Mayaki culture. In addition to the city's remains, the reserve manages the Chornomorske Museum of Local History and holds a collection of artifacts from the Tarkhankut Peninsula.
KerchAutonomous Republic of CrimeaCouncil of Ministers of Crimea—5 March 1987Kerch is the site of multiple ancient Greek and Bosporan cities, including Pantikapaion, Mymekion, Nymphaion, and Tyritake, the remains of which are included in the reserve. It also covers burial monuments from that period, such as the and the Royal and kurgans, as well as other landmarks, notably the Kerch and Yeni-Kale fortresses, Church of Saint John the Baptist, and museums of the Adzhimushkay quarry, history and archaeology, and the liberation of Kerch.
SimferopolAutonomous Republic of CrimeaCouncil of Ministers of Crimea—27 April 2011Scythian Neapolis served as the capital of the late Scythian state and existed from the 3rd century BC to 3rd century AD. The reserve includes the remains of the city, with the mausoleum being the most prominent surviving structure.
Chyhyryn,,,, SubotivCherkasy OblastMinistry of Culture1,161.77 March 1989Chyhyryn served as the capital of the Cossack Hetmanate from the mid-17th century until 1676. The reserve includes Bohdan Khmelnytsky's residence, fortress remains, and museums dedicated to Khmelnytsky and archaeology, along with numerous historic buildings and memorials in the city. It also encompasses sites in nearby villages, such as, the Three Wells, the Maksym Zalizniak Oak and the Cossack Village open-air museum. The reserve gained national status on 23 September 1995.
KamiankaCherkasy OblastCherkasy Regional State Administration10.121 July 1995The Russian poet Alexander Pushkin and composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky once lived in Kamianka, which originally formed the basis of this reserve. It includes the Green House Museum and the Historic Museum – both built in the 19th century – as well as an art gallery, a water mill, a park, and a canyon. Since the Russian invasion, which has driven derussification in Ukraine, the reserve's focus has shifted towards local history and prehistory.
Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi,, Stebliv, Cherkasy OblastCherkasy Regional State Administration1038 February 1994In the 11th–13th centuries, Korsun served as a defensive fort on the southern border of Kievan Rus'. The archaeological site from that period is one of the largest in the reserve, alongside the 18th–19th-century park with its palace. The reserve also manages museums dedicated to composer Kyrylo Stetsenko, writer Ivan Nechuy-Levytsky, art, history, and military, in addition to other sites in the city and nearby villages.
UmanCherkasy OblastMinistry of Culture8218 April 2005The reserve covers various 18th–20th century buildings in Uman, including the Basilian Monastery, the Dormition Cathedral, the shopping arcade, the women's gymnasium, mass graves, and manors.
KanivCherkasy OblastMinistry of Culture4220 August 1925Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine's national poet, was buried on Chernecha Hill on 22 May 1861. His grave and the two nearby musems dedicated to him form the basis of the reserve. It has since expanded and also includes the Dormition Cathedral, the Pylypenkova Hora archaeological site, and the museums of history and folk art in Kaniv. The reserve gained national status on 21 November 1989.
,, Moryntsi, VilshanaCherkasy OblastMinistry of Culture27.325 March 1992The reserve includes both original and recreated buildings associated with Taras Shevchenko's childhood, along with a monument to him and museums dedicated to his life and local history.
,,, TrakhtemyrivCherkasy OblastCherkasy Regional State Administration5901 July 1994The Trakhtemyriv Peninsula has been inhabited for many millenia. It was settled by the Scythians, and later the Zarubyntsi culture, which was discovered here. The city of Zarub existed on the territory in the Kievan Rus' era, and the town of Trakhtemyriv later served as an unofficial Cossack capital. The reserve features archaeological sites belonging to a wide range of time periods, as well as a Cossack cemetery and some natural sites. In 1999, the area of the reserve was significantly decreased with the creation of a regional landscape park.
,,, Dobrovody,,, Maidanetske,,, Talianky,, VilkhovetsCherkasy OblastCherkasy Regional State Administration2,04513 March 2002Cucuteni–Trypillia culture was a Neolithic–Chalcolithic archaeological culture known for building large proto-cities. The reserve encompasses eleven of these settlements, and its collection holds over 50,000 artifacts. More than 500 of them are displayed in the museum in Lehedzyne, which also has several recreated Trypillian buildings.
ChernihivChernihiv OblastMinistry of Culture6222 June 1978Chernihiv was a major city of Kievan Rus' and the reserve includes six monuments from that period. Among them is the Transfiguration Cathedral, the city and region's oldest building. It also includes several sacral and secular Cossack-era Baroque buildings, as well as some archaeological sites and two sculptures.
Baturyn,,, Chernihiv OblastMinistry of Culture5714 June 1993Baturyn served as the capital of the Cossack Hetmanate in 1669–1708 and 1750–1764. The reserve includes the rebuilt fortress citadel, Rozumovskyi Palace, Ascension Church, Kochubey House, museums of history and archaeology, and other landmarks in the city and its surroundings. Its ownership was transferred to the Ministry of Culture on 29 March 2006, and the reserve gained national status on 16 November 2007.
KachanivkaChernihiv OblastMinistry of Culture568.6324 November 1981The reserve covers the 18th–20th century Kachanivka Park and the twenty-four landmarks in it, most notably the neo-classicist palace. The estate was visited by numerous contemporary artists and has collected a variety of works. The reserve gained national status on 27 February 2001.
Novhorod-SiverskyiChernihiv OblastChernihiv Regional State Administration—27 August 1990Novhorod-Siverskyi was a major regional center of the Kievan Rus'. The reserve covers the and musems dedicated to local history and The Tale of Igor's Campaign, as well as other historic sites in the city. The reserve was first created in 1929 but subsequently dissolved. The museum of local history was re-established in 1975 and later transformed into a reserve.
Chernihiv OblastChernihiv Regional State Administration9.228 June 2000The museum is dedicated to the writers Panteleimon Kulish and Hanna Barvinok and located inside the house where they had resided. The graves of the two authors and Vasyl Bilozersky, as well as the surroundings of the house, are also included in the reserve.
KhotynChernivtsi OblastMinistry of Culture12 October 2000The reserve covers the Khotyn Fortress, which dates to the 13th–19th centuries, as well as other landmarks that belong to the ensemble. Its ownership was transferred to the Ministry of Culture on 20 October 2011.
SviatohirskDonetsk OblastDonetsk Regional State Administration1927 May 1980The reserve includes the Sviatohirsk Lavra – a monastery that dates to the 17th–19th centuries – as well as a historical museum, a World War II memorial, and a by Ivan Kavaleridze. It was known as the Slovianohirsk State Historic and Cultural Reserve until 2003, when the city was renamed to Sviatohirsk.
Halych, Bilshivtsi, Krylos,, Ivano-Frankivsk OblastMinistry of Culture—8 February 1994Medieval Halych was a major city of the Kievan Rus', and its remains within modern-day Krylos are included in the reserve. It also covers various monuments in modern Halych and neighboring villages, notably the Church of Saint Pantaleon in Shevchenkove.
Kharkiv OblastKharkiv Regional State Administration150.1920 October 1997The reserve covers one of the type sites of the Saltovo-Mayaki culture that belongs to the 8th–10th centuries. The museum was founded on 20 October 1899 and has been under government protection since 21 July 1965.
Khmelnytskyi OblastKhmelnytskyi Regional State Administration185 August 1997The reserve encompasses an 18th–19th-century park complex on the shore of a lake, including the neo-classicist palace, the old manor, the orientalist Chinese house, and other buildings and structures.
Kamianets-PodilskyiKhmelnytskyi OblastMinistry of Culture12118 May 1977Kamianets-Podilskyi, the capital of the historic region of Podolia, dates back to the medieval period and is particularly known for its location within the Smotrych River canyon. The reserve covers the castle and numerous landmarks in the. The reserve gained national status on 30 April 1998.
MedzhybizhKhmelnytskyi OblastKhmelnytskyi Regional State Administration—18 January 2001Medzhybizh was founded in the medieval period but mostly developed in the 16–18th centuries. Monuments from that period, such as the fortress, are included in the reserve.
Kirovohrad Oblast111 August 1956The reserve is dedicated to the playwright and theatrical figure Ivan Tobilevych (Karpenko-Karyi). It covers the estate that belonged to his family, including his house that now houses a museum and the park that surrounds it.
Kirovohrad Oblast24 October 2004The 19th-century neo-classicist Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church functions as the tomb of the Raevsky family, including the general Nikolay Raevsky. In 2014, its ownership was transferred from the Kirovohrad Regional State Administration to the museum of regional studies. It was known as the Historic-Architectural Reserve of the Raevsky Family until its renaming to comply with derussification laws.
KyivKyivKyiv City State Administration18 May 1987
KyivKyivMinistry of Culture1 March 2007
KyivKyivMinistry of Culture22 May 2001
KyivKyivMinistry of Culture23.5429 September 1926
KyivKyivKyiv City State Administration1 July 1994
Kyiv, SudakKyivMinistry of Culture1934
Novi PetrivtsiKyiv OblastKyiv Regional State Administration12 March 1996
PereiaslavKyiv OblastMinistry of Culture13 March 1979
VyshhorodKyiv OblastKyiv Regional State Administration6 July 1994
BelzLviv OblastMinistry of Culture13 December 2001
PidhirtsiLviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration15 September 2015
ZvenyhorodLviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration312020
LvivLviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration12 June 1975Old Town
LvivLviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration10 July 1990
NahuievychiLviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration10 March 1994
Lviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration15 September 2015
UrychLviv OblastLviv Regional State Administration5 October 1994
ZhovkvaLviv OblastMinistry of Culture10 August 1994
ParutyneMykolaiv OblastNational Academy of Sciences of Ukraine31 May 1926
BilskPoltava OblastPoltava Regional State Administration15 April 2005
PoltavaPoltava OblastPoltava Regional State Administration31 March 1981
HoholevePoltava OblastPoltava Regional State Administration17 July 1979
Opishnia, Poltava OblastPoltava Regional State Administration3 November 1989
Sevastopol, InkermanSevastopolMinistry of Culture1978Chersonesos was a major ancient and medieval Greek colony on the Black Sea, and the remains of the city and its chora are included in the reserve. It also covers the and fortresses. The reserve gained national status on 8 February 1994. Chersonesos became a World Heritage Site in 2013.
HlukhivSumy OblastMinistry of Culture8 February 1994
, Khoruzhivka,, Nedryhailiv, RomnySumy OblastSumy Regional State Administration2007
PutyvlSumy OblastSumy Regional State Administration30 December 1986
DubnoRivne OblastRivne Regional State Administration14 June 1993
Rivne OblastMinistry of Culture12 June 1991
OstrohRivne OblastRivne Regional State Administration11 August 1981
Zbarazh, Chortkiv, Kryvche, Mykulyntsi, Pidzamochok, Skala-Podilska, Skalat, Terebovlia, Vyshnivets, Yazlovets, Ternopil OblastMinistry of Culture8 February 1994
BerezhanyTernopil OblastMinistry of Culture17 November 2001
Kremenets, PochaivTernopil OblastMinistry of Culture29 May 2001
BushaVinnytsia OblastVinnytsia Regional State Administration18 August 2000
VolodymyrVolyn OblastVolyn Regional State Administration17 November 2001
LutskVolyn OblastVolyn Regional State Administration26 March 1985
Zaporizhzhia OblastMinistry of Culture12 February 1986
ZaporizhzhiaZaporizhzhia OblastMinistry of Culture18 September 1965
VasylivkaZaporizhzhia OblastZaporizhzhia Regional State Administration29 January 1993