Oleksandriia Arboretum. The Branicki family’s 18th-century landscape park with a rotunda, colonnades and ponds

Autumn trees over a pond in Oleksandriia Arboretum
Pavilions by the water in Oleksandriia Arboretum
The colonnade of a pavilion in Oleksandriia Arboretum
A classical pavilion among the greenery of Oleksandriia Arboretum
The rotunda in Oleksandriia Arboretum
A fountain in Oleksandriia Arboretum in autumn
Autumn trees over a pond in Oleksandriia ArboretumPavilions by the water in Oleksandriia ArboretumThe colonnade of a pavilion in Oleksandriia ArboretumA classical pavilion among the greenery of Oleksandriia ArboretumThe rotunda in Oleksandriia Arboretum

One of the most beautiful landscape parks in Ukraine, laid out at the end of the 18th century for Countess Aleksandra Branicka. Its more than 400 hectares hold ponds with islets, rotundas, colonnades, romantic “Ruins” and a Chinese Bridge. People come here from Kyiv for the whole day: to walk, cycle and take the best autumn photos of the season.

Why visit

  • One of the largest landscape parks in Ukraine – more than 400 hectares of alleys, meadows and ponds
  • The Rotunda, the Echo Colonnade, the Chinese Bridge and the romantic “Ruins” from the late 18th and early 19th centuries
  • More than 4500 species, forms and varieties of plants – the park is beautiful at any time of year
  • In autumn the ponds reflect golden and crimson treetops – one of the most photogenic places in the Kyiv region
  • You can ride a bicycle or scooter – there is a separate admission ticket for that
  • About 85 km from Kyiv – an ideal destination for a one-day weekend trip

Good to know

Ticket prices
Adult – UAH 50, adult with a bicycle or scooter – UAH 60. School and university students – UAH 15 (with a bicycle – UAH 25), pensioners – UAH 2 on presentation of ID.
Opening hours
Daily: from September 15 to April 15, 08:00 to 19:00; from April 15 to September 15, 08:00 to 21:00.
Getting there
From Kyiv – by suburban train from Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi station to Bila Tserkva, or by car along the Kyiv–Odesa highway, about 85 km. In town, minibuses run to the Dendropark Oleksandriia stop by the entrance.
What to see
The Rotunda, the Echo Colonnade, the Pelican Column, the Chinese Bridge, the Dance Pavilion, the “Ruins” above Lazneve Pond and the monument to Aleksandra Branicka.
Allow a few hours
The park covers more than 400 hectares, so allow at least 3–4 hours for an unhurried walk around the main sights.
Best time for photos
The most striking shots come in October, when the trees above the ponds turn gold and crimson, and during the spring bloom.

Work on Oleksandriia began in 1793 on the Branicki family lands in Bila Tserkva, and the park was named after the lady of the estate, Aleksandra Branicka. It was conceived as an ideal landscape: wide meadows give way to secluded alleys, and around every bend a new scene opens up with water, trees and architecture. The main sights along the route are the Rotunda with its coffered vault, the Echo Colonnade, the Pelican Column, the Chinese Bridge, the Dance Pavilion and the artificial “Ruins” above Lazneve Pond. They are linked by alleys and cascades of ponds, so a walk can easily stretch over several hours. Today Oleksandriia is a state arboretum of the National Academy of Sciences. Its collection includes more than 4500 species, forms and varieties of plants, so the park is beautiful in any season: it blooms in spring, offers shade in summer and blazes gold and crimson in October. The grounds are large, so a bicycle or scooter comes in handy – there is a separate ticket for them. Bila Tserkva is about 85 km from Kyiv, so the trip fits into one day.