Blood runs cold: top mystical places in Ukraine

Usually, when it comes to traveling in Ukraine, we imagine beautiful landscapes, new experiences, delicious food, and vivid emotions. But what about extraordinary and slightly scary locations? After all, our homeland has a long history and many spooky places associated with legends that make your blood run cold.

We have selected 3 of the most interesting destinations for you to visit. But will you dare?

Dominican Cathedral, Lviv

In the heart of the picturesque city of Lviv stands the Dominican Cathedral, which boasts numerous legends about visitors from the other side.

The foundation stone of the future home of the famous Lviv ghost was laid in 1749. Initially, this majestic baroque church became the main cathedral of a Roman Catholic monastery of the Dominican Order, and after World War II, the Soviet authorities arranged a museum of religious history within its walls. Today the building belongs to the local Greek Catholic community.

According to numerous night guards, most of whom quit after their first shift, incredible things start happening here at midnight. In the empty, dark cathedral, loud masses are heard, accompanied by the singing of an otherworldly choir, and the excellent acoustics of the room amplify these sounds. Services usually last three hours and are held regularly. In addition, books often fall off the shelves in the cathedral's library. There is also a walled room in the building from which the sound of a typewriter can be heard all night long.

Such anomalies have been occurring in the church since the dungeons of the church complex were discovered and cleared. It is from the cellars that the ghost of a Dominican monk appears, whose translucent figure occasionally frightens the guards. The monk continues to go about his daily routine, never realizing that he has long been a part of the afterlife.

Kaminne Selo, Zhytomyr region

Lost in the dense forests of Polissia, Kaminne Selo (Stone Village) is a large number of massive stone blocks that resemble real houses, and one of them even resembles a church. Interestingly, they are arranged in the correct geometric order, which resembles the plan of a village street.

Scientists still can't agree on where these giant monoliths came from because there are no mountains or rocks around. According to one of the official versions, the stones appeared here as a result of a glacial shift, and the wind shaped the houses for 20 thousand years. It is impossible to explain how they were lined up in the right order.

However, there is a legend that this place was once an ordinary village long ago. A poor traveler passed through. He asked for bread and water in every yard but was refused everywhere. Then the man got angry and turned all the houses into stones. And for the sake of remembrance, he left his footprints on some of them. It is said that the traveler was God himself.

Interestingly, the trees and bushes in this area look somewhat unusual, and their leaves are always dull and slightly wilted. It is also rumored that the stone with the imprint of the so-called God's footprint remains warm at any time of the year, and the powerful energy it radiates is capable of healing illnesses and granting wishes.

Lysa Hora, Kyiv city

According to an ancient Slavic legend, the Earth is encircled by a snake biting its tail. The place where it closes the circle is called Lysa Hora (Bald Mountain).

Back in pagan times, this location had a special spiritual significance as it was the site of an altar and a temple. After the baptism of Kyivan Rus, Bald Mountain remained a holy place for adherents of the old beliefs for a long time. Later, however, part of it came under the authority of the Pechersk Monastery. In 1872, construction began on the Lysohirsk Fort, which was to become part of a system of fortifications called the Kyiv Fortress. Later, the mountain was used as a garrison prison, a military underground factory, and even a tank base.

Nowadays, a nature park has been created here, but due to certain circumstances, it is not very popular. Locals are afraid to enter the dense and dark forest. And those who do decide to take a walk on Bald Mountain say that they feel as if dozens of eyes are watching you from every nook and cranny.

It is known that back in the days of the Lysohirsk Fort, the garrison commander issued a strange instruction that stated, "Before going on guard, the officer is obliged to warn the soldier not to be afraid of strange noises as these are just gusts of wind and cries of night birds..." In addition, historians claim that paranormal phenomena were repeatedly described in the reports of German soldiers. So the ominous Bald Mountain fully confirms its ambiguous reputation.

We have given just a few examples of unusual and spooky locations that are worth visiting if you are brave enough. However, Ukraine has many more mysterious places and is always ready to surprise travelers. Dare to embark on an exciting journey to discover even more secrets that our homeland hides. Let your travels be unforgettable!

Only verified information is available on Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!