This town has been blessed with the powerful tourist attractor called «tunnel of love».
It is so potent that the tourists started to appear here as early as 05:00, perhaps, due to the train schedule. It was not enough light for photos so early, but people were already trying to make some. All of that applied to me, too.
People in tunnel of love. Early morning. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
People in tunnel of love. Early morning. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An info panel stood near the entrance.
Information about the tourist spot. Tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Important notice for new tourists: arm yourself with anti-mosquito spray, if you are travelling here during the warm time of year. There were tonnes of them airborne. My visit would have been spoiled if I hadn't taken a can of a strong one.
The tunnel of love. Single-track railroad in the forest. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The tunnel of love. Single-track railroad in the forest. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
People left stripes at the entrance to the tunnel. You must tie stuff if you are in love and near some place of love, be it a tunnel or a bridge, mustn't you.
Colourful pieces of cloth bands on the bushes near the tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Colourful pieces of cloth bands on the bushes near the tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Colourful pieces of cloth bands on the bushes near the tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The locals have noticed the tourist flow and started to make moves in the direction of harnessing it. A slowly rotting information panel about proposed improvement of the area was standing near. It proposed a small row of kiosks for trade to be installed, among other things. The anti-mosquito spray will be selling good!
A project of area improvement near the tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
While the area improvement project was still on paper, there were simplest trash bags on two sticks standing near the rails. It was not very convenient, but better than nothing!
An urn made of black plastic bag on a wooden frame. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An urn made of black plastic bag on a wooden frame. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An absolutely not lovely piece of dirty linoleum was spoiling the impression at the tunnel's entry, until area improvement plans come into fruition.
Linoleum at the entrance to the tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Of course, the tunnel wasn't built neither for the tourists, nor love. This railway spur is going to a military area and to a woodworking plant in the next village.
The rails of the tunnel of love. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Enough with the tunnel. We decided to look around the town, and headed towards the second sightseeing point of Klevan, looking at what we were passing by. They made their attempts at graffiti:
An enemy from the Pacman game graffiti. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Some graffiti on an industrial wall. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The simplest possible graffiti: «NIRVANA». Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An old home improvement shop sign had one letter missing.
An old shop sign «Наш дім» (our home). Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
A few apartment buildings stood along our way, floodlit by the morning sun.
Apartment buildings. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Apartment buildings. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Apartment buildings. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Apartment buildings. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Apartment buildings. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Apartment buildings. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
True, horrible cobblestones were found on some side streets.
Horrible old cobblestones. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Passed by the territory of a legacy part of the educational system called «НВК» that is so indigenous to our post-soviet lands that I only can translate it literally as «educational and production complex». It was something overlapping the school but placed between the school and after-school education, often located at some distance from schools. It was more about real-life application of technology, starting with the internals of the internal combustion engine, for example. Who cares, anyway, it is not event the same century already.
A nice old footpath of an old pre-pst-school educational and technical institution. Two rows of trees. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The fence of a stadium and a driving school of an educational production complex. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
We passed through the park near house of culture.
Tree roots and moss. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
We saw the following in the morning park: a squirrel busy foraging, a war memorial, and long shadows.
Motion-blurry squirrel on the run. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
A second world war memorial. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Long morning shadows in a park. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
One of few main streets.
a street and an old apartment building. Tarmac. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The center of life in Klevan was situated on the regional highway, around the place where the regional buses stopped. The road was going down and up here, crossing the valley of river Stubla.
Regional road from Klevan to Rivne. Uphill. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The library.
library of Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
View from the bus stop: some shops, eateries, regional marshrutkas, a coffee kiosk. Somebody had bought many old cars called Barkas B1000, painted them pink or green, and gave them their second life by using them as coffee shops all over the Rivne region. Unfortunately, the coffee sucked. It would have been so much better if it did not. But it did.
Selling espresso from a Barkas B1000. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
There was a catholic temple a hundred meters away, walled, and its gates closed.
Catholic temple in Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
It had this bell tower.
The bell tower of the catholic temple in Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Long story short, we reached the so-called castle. It does not deserve the «castle» title. Not more than a fortress. Too boxy for a castle.
Klevan castle entrance. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
THe arched ceiling at the entrance to the KLevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Inner square of an old fortress. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The ukrainian Wikipedia article about the castle has a phrase left by some editor: «simplified provincial architecture». The english one doesn't have it.
old tiles on the walls of Klevan castle. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Caution must be exercised while walking here. Stuff can suddenly fall on you, under you, or it is your own self who can turn into stuff falling somewhere — including these holes of the ancient pit latrine.
Old pit latrine holes of the Klevan castle. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
It was a place where urban decay lovers could take more photos of the matter.
Decayed, ruined, seasoned and reclaimed by plants, the Klevan castle. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
No roof, young trees growing on the walls. THe ruins of Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
A doorway with a semicircle on top. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Damaged beyond repair by life and time. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
This building is wasted. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Hole instead a window and a door. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Walls, doors — all ruined. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Remnants of a fortified wall of Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
No passage here in the blueprints! Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Fans of Manowar, Iron Maiden ans Nescafe coffee left their marks on this wall of Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
No roof. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The stairs are long gone. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Doors. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Onl porcelain tiles on walls. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The walls will fall sometime soon. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
A window. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Windows. Klevan castle. Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The thing I liked here was this viaduct — short, but looking good amidst the leafy branches.
An old viaduct leading to the Klevan castle entrance. Viewing from below. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An old viaduct leading to the Klevan castle entrance. Viewing from below. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An old viaduct leading to the Klevan castle entrance. Viewing from below. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An old viaduct leading to the Klevan castle entrance. Viewing from below. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
An old viaduct leading to the Klevan castle entrance. Viewing from below. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
I tried to walk around the castle using the old ground road, which had to be a ring. But the ring was broken by private houses built right at the bottom of the castle hill. The castle could not be seen from the road because of trees, anyway.
Outside view of Klevan castle — just the trees. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Outside view of Klevan castle — almost just the trees. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Outside view of Klevan castle — almost just the trees. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Well — I made myself a folder of urban decay photos. Can leave Klevan now.
A seasoned wall with a lantern holder and its shadow, creating an unpleasant rune-like silhouette. Klevan castle, Rivne region, Ukraine
A footbridge over the Stubla river can be found near the castle.
Stubla river footbridge in the end of Zamkova street. A cow. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
The river is a small one.
Subla river. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
Subla river. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
It was time to leave for Rivne.
The board with announcements at the bus stop. Klevan, Rivne oblast, Ukraine
