Cities

Oblast center on Styr river is an ancient capital of Volyn. According to different vesions the name is originated from word “luk”, it means the bend of the river or from the name of Luka – leader of Eastern Slavs tribe of Duliby, who founded the town. For the first time is mentioned in Ipatiyev Chroniocles as Luchesk in the describing of 1085, events when Kyiv Prince Volodymyr Monomakh conquered the town. Twice Lutsk was ruined and fired in 1240 and in 1500. In 1429, during Lithuanian King Vitovt ruling Lutsk was the place were the greatest monarchs of Europe met. It was considered the second capital under Lithuania. Polish ruling left here many religious and architectural monuments of XVI-XVII centuries. Ukrainian poet Lesia Ukrainka spent her childhood in Lutsk.