Hlevakha: History, the Hleva River and a Cycling Route

Hlevakha combines a long history with the Hleva River in its rural area and a cycling route that passes through several settlements before returning to the town. These themes have their own temporal and geographical reference points: a burial mound dates back to prehistory, the first written mention dates to 1471, and a mass grave of Soviet soldiers is located in the center. This offers different ways to plan your trip: you can explore Hlevakha through its history, focus on the river, or make the circular cycling route your main activity.

History Across Several Eras

A burial mound dating from the 11th century BCE, containing the burial of a leader of a local farming people, was discovered in the area of present-day Hlevakha. The first written mention of the town dates to 1471; at that time, eight families lived there. Many centuries separate these dates: the burial mound points to a much earlier period than the written record of the town. The eight families belong to the time of the first mention; the later changes in ownership and construction of a mill are separate historical milestones. Hlevakha first belonged to the landowner Semen Hrynkevych, and later to Kyiv's St. Michael's Monastery. In the 17th century, monks built a watermill there.

A Memorial in the Center

Another historical landmark is in the center: a mass grave of Soviet soldiers who died in the Second World War. The town's history therefore also includes remembrance of those killed in the war; this chapter is much later than the burial mound and the first mention in 1471.

The River in the Rural Area

The Hleva flows through the rural part of Hlevakha and today resembles a stream with several ponds. Together with the mass grave in the center, this creates a clear geographical distinction: the river is in the rural area, while the memorial is in the center. If you want to focus your search for a holiday apartment on either of these themes, this distinction can help guide your choice of location.

A Cycling Route in a Loop

The cycling route starts and ends in Hlevakha. It passes through Zelenyi Bir, Krushynka, Zalizne, Borysy and Derevianky, then goes through Zelenyi Bir and Krushynka again before returning to Hlevakha. The repeated place names make the loop clear: Zelenyi Bir and Krushynka appear on both the outward and return legs, while Zalizne, Borysy and Derevianky lie along the section in between. The sequence can therefore be read as a tour through several settlements, returning to Hlevakha. If you are planning the ride, check the route's current alignment and condition in advance.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can weigh up the themes as three different location-based considerations: the mass grave in the center, the Hleva in the rural area, or Hlevakha as the starting and finishing point of the cycling route. Choose your location based on whether history, the river or the cycling route will shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: Tsybli, Khokhitva, Mytnytsya, Vasylkiv, Kyiv, Hostomel, Yats'ky, Vorzel.

For the regional travel overview: Kyiv Oblast.