Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi: a palace on an island, lilacs and cliffs above the Ros

Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi lies on both banks of the Ros, the river that, according to one theory, gave its name to Rus itself. Here the water cuts through granite cliffs, and a palace more than two hundred years old stands on an island in the middle of the river. The town also remembers two great battles, in 1648 and in 1944.

The Stanisław Poniatowski Palace

Construction of the palace on the island began in 1782. The palace and park were designed by architect Johann Heinrich Münnich, and the work was completed by the Scot Jan Lindsay. In 1789 the two-storey palace had 26 rooms. The estate later belonged to the Lopukhin and Demidov families, which is why older sources often call it the Lopukhin Palace.

In 2023 the reserve restored the palace’s historical name, the Stanisław Poniatowski Palace, and opened a new exhibition on the building’s 18th–19th-century architecture and works of art. The exhibition on the history of the Korsun area was moved to the annex by the entrance gate.

The island park

The 97-hectare park was laid out together with the palace. It is considered one of the best Romantic-era parks in Ukraine and the only well-preserved palace and park ensemble in the Cherkasy region. Suspension bridges span the channels, and among the trees is a ginkgo planted in 1916. It is especially beautiful in spring, when the lilacs bloom.

The Rosych monument

On Zelenyi Island, upstream from the dam, a giant sculpture of Rosych, the legendary inhabitant of chronicle-era Korsun, was erected in 1982. Its official name is “To the Outpost Cities of Kyivan Rus”; it was created by sculptor Edward Kuntsevych and architect Borys Mykytenko. The figure on the rocky bank is most impressive seen from the water or the opposite bank.

The Korsun hydroelectric station and the cliffs

The Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi hydroelectric station produced its first power in 1934, making it one of the first in Ukraine. Next to it the Ros flows between granite boulders, one of the most photogenic spots in town. A little over a dozen kilometres upstream is the Steblivska station of 1931, which photographers also find very picturesque.

Two battles

On 26 May 1648, near Korsun, Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s army routed the Crown army, one of the most famous victories of the Cossack War of Liberation. In the winter of 1944, the Battle of Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi of the Second World War took place here.

How to get there

Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi is about 140 kilometres from Kyiv and 70 kilometres from Cherkasy. Korsun railway station is three kilometres from town.

Tip: plan your trip for late April or May to catch the lilacs in the park. Check the opening hours of the reserve’s museums in advance.