The Tarakaniv Fort, also known as the Dubno Outpost Fort, is a historical and architectural monument of local significance in the Rivne region. Every year, it attracts fans of military history and architecture, as well as mystics and explorers of the unknown. Learn about the history, legends and secrets of the fort and create your own route for your trip

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The ruins of the Tarakaniv Fort are located on the Ikva River in the Rivne region. Mighty, mystical and gloomy, it has been attracting extreme tourists for decades. And not only extreme tourists. Who wouldn't want to see the art of military engineering, listen to the stories of local people, touch history and see a witness to the Two World Wars? The ruins of the fort do not look hospitable enough, but they are impressive. Read about what the fortress is known for, what role it played in history, and what legends it remembers.

What do Ukrainians know about Tarakaniv Fort?

Tarakaniv Fort is known in Ukraine under different names. It is also known as the Dubno Outpost Fort, Dubno Fort, and the New Dubno Fortress. The defensive structure is located near the village of Tarakaniv in Rivne region, above the Ikva River. Sources indicate that the fortress was built in the 19th century (1873-1890) under the direction of architect Eduard Ivanovych Totleben. Currently, the building is in ruins and has the status of an architectural and historical monument of local importance in Ukraine.

What is the history of Dubno Fort?

In the 18th century, the border between the Russian and Austrian empires lay near Dubno. To strengthen the borders, the tsar decided to build a system of defensive fortifications. The fort was erected near the town of Dubno to protect the railway line between Kyiv and Lviv. However, both then and later, the locals called Dubno Fort Tarakanivskyi, after the name of a neighbouring village.

Construction began in 1873 on the orders of Russian Emperor Alexander III and the design of Adjutant General Eduard Totleben, who became famous during the defence of Sevastopol. The construction was completed in 1889 by military engineer Borisov. In 1890, members of the royal family inspected the facility, which indicated that construction was complete. However, modernisation and completion of the fortification continued until 1896. The construction of the Tarakaniv Fort was one of the experimental construction projects that used the latest material, concrete.

During the First World War, the fort was used for its intended purpose for the first time. According to sources, it was here that Russian troops retreated after a short battle with the Austrians. Throughout the war, the fortifications changed hands, and in 1916, Russian troops finally drove the Austrians out of the area. The 200 Austrian soldiers who died during the breakthrough are buried near the fort.

The Second World War passed almost unnoticed for the fort. In 1939, the Poles retreated from the fort without a fight. Later, a large-scale Dubno-Brody tank battle took place here, in which the fort did not play an important role. During the occupation, German troops set up ammunition depots here, and in 1944, a small arms battle took place.

During the Soviet era, the fort was used as a warehouse for canned food or tractor parts. However, the high level of humidity and, consequently, evaporation made it impossible to store anything here. So gradually, the fortification turned into ruins without any purpose.

What legends are associated with the ghost fort?

Stalker tourists, who investigate unknown phenomena, are very fond of the fort. The first phenomenon they talk about is fornication. Some say that it is very easy to get lost in the fort - you will walk in circles in a seemingly familiar area, not finding a way out of the maze of identical casemates.

Other visitors say that there is a geo-anomalous zone here - clocks go crazy and telephone communication is lost. Some attribute the phenomena to nearby mineral deposits, but geologists have not yet officially confirmed or denied this.

The old-timers have their own version of the anomalies: allegedly, during World War II, the Germans were developing a secret weapon. They quickly retreated and were forced to leave it in the dungeons. That's how it affects phones and watches now.

But the extremists who spent the night here say that they heard... ghosts. They say that sometimes they can hear the footsteps of a marching soldiers closer to morning. Could it be the ghosts of the deceased defenders of the fort returning here? Locals say that the ghosts are of Austrian nationality. But no one has met them in person yet.

On one of the walls there is a list of people who did not return from the fort in the second half of the 20th century. However, there is also a very realistic explanation for the disappearances. The ruins of the fort are dangerous: there are many traps, wells and other dangers. You should only travel through the passages and dungeons with an experienced guide.

How to get to Tarakaniv Fort?

Since the fort is located on the outskirts of the village of Tarakaniv, we recommend that you make a route to it. It's worth noting that the defensive structure is not far from the Kyiv-Chop highway, so it won't be difficult to get there by car from Kyiv or Lviv.

From Rivne:

If you have chosen to travel by public transport, we would like to inform you that there are no trains to Tarakaniv, so your choice is buses. They run regularly from Rivne to Tarakaniv: the first one - at 7:22 daily, the last one - at 21:25 daily. However, buses may change depending on the current situation. You can find the current schedule and buy tickets here.

From Kyiv:

From Kyiv you can get to Dubno and from there to Tarakaniv.

Trains from Kyiv to Dubno run regularly. At the moment, there are three relevant routes:

- Kharkiv - Uzhhorod (departure: 00:02; arrival: 07:14);

- Darnytsia - Lviv (departure - 06:19, arrival - 10:25);

- Cherkasy - Ivano-Frankivsk (departure: 21:25, arrival: 03:46).

Please note! If you are travelling on the latter route, you need to take care of an overnight stay in Dubno. You can book a hotel room here.

If you choose to travel by bus, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance. You can also buy bus tickets for the route Dubno - Tarakaniv via the same link.

From Lviv

From Lviv, you can also go by train to Dubno and from there by bus to Tarakaniv.

There are many more trains from Lviv to Dubno than from Kyiv. And the journey time here is only 2-3 hours. At the moment, the following routes are relevant:

- Ivano-Frankivsk - Cherkasy (departure: 00:50; arrival: 02:43);

- Uzhhorod - Kovel (departure: 06:43; arrival: 08:53);

- Lviv - Rivne (departure: 09:41; arrival: 11:37);

- Lviv - Zdolbuniv (departure: 09:50; arrival: 13:27);

- Lviv - Darnytsia (departure: 16:30, arrival: 18:02);

- Lviv - Rivne (departure: 16:37, arrival: 18:40);

- Uzhhorod - Kharkiv (departure: 17:25, arrival: 19:33);

- Lviv - Zdolbuniv (departure: 17:54, arrival: 21:37).

If you want to make your trip comfortable and safe, please contact Visit Ukraine (Telegram | WhatsApp) for help. We guarantee an individual approach, a selection of interesting tours especially for you, organisation of transportation, guide services, ticket and hotel booking. Travel with us!

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