The most romantic place on the railway is the tunnel of love

There are places on the planet where feelings flare up with renewed vigor. It is noteworthy that they were created not by human hands, but by nature itself. One of such iconic places for lovers is the tunnel of love, located in Ukraine, near the village of Klevan, Rivne region. What does the railway have to do with this place, you ask. And the most direct. Rails are laid inside the tunnel and the train transports goods three times a day. Therefore, lovers should be careful while in the tunnel, the railway operates and you should not forget about the safety rules. There are many legends and interesting facts connected with the tunnel of love. But about everything in order.

Botanical phenomenon

No one knows exactly when this tunnel was formed. Of course, people also contributed to its creation, but nature also played a significant role. It all started with the fact that the railway connecting the villages of Klevan and Orzhev was planted with trees. They did this on purpose to disguise passing trains, since there was a military base nearby. The trees were planted very thickly. The grown trees and shrubs were so tightly intertwined with each other that they formed a tunnel for 4 km. Trains passing along this path contribute to the fact that the tunnel does not overgrow from the inside. Thus, in fact, the tunnel of love is made for a steam locomotive, and it is serviced by it. Despite the fact that the railway is operational, the tunnel is always crowded. Lovers are photographed here, wedding and themed photo shoots, video shoots are held.

Local legends

There are many interesting stories connected with the tunnel. Some of them are frankly fabulous, while others are very similar to the truthful ones. Therefore, whether they really were, or they are just legends is up to you.

Legend No. 1. The residents of the Rivne region have a very popular story about a couple in love. For some reason they are called Kolobok and Snow White. Their parents forbade them to get married, and out of grief the girl threw herself into a swamp located near this railway. And the guy went in search of her, but went missing. It is said that their souls meet in the tunnel, the monument of their love.

Legend #2. A Polish guy from Orzhev fell in love with a Ukrainian girl who lived in Klevan. Parents forbade lovers to communicate, and in order to pass messages to each other, young people learned Morse code. The guy built the shortest way to his beloved – laid a railway right through the forest. From different ends of the tunnel, the lovers sent encrypted messages to each other with the help of lanterns. Binoculars were used to see them. As a result, the couple never got married, their life paths diverged, but the locals assure that their feelings have not faded, and they still live in the tunnel of love. It's an incredible story, but there are other things in life.

Popularity history

Despite the fact that the tunnel is very beautiful, for a long time few people knew about its existence. About 10 years ago, several travelers, getting lost near the village of Klevan, unexpectedly found themselves on the railway tracks. Impressed by the tunnel's scenery, they took a photo and posted it on Facebook. Few people believed that the photo was real. At first, it was perceived simply as a beautiful picture made in a modern photo editor. Technology allows it, after all. However, there were also those who decided to check whether the tunnel really exists, and went to visit it. They dispelled the doubts of all skeptics. The tunnel is real. It so happened that the famous Japanese director Akiyoshi Imazaki also saw these pictures from the Internet. Inspired by the beauty of the area, he brought a film crew to Ukraine, found the same tunnel. As a result, in 2015, the beautiful lyrical drama "Pecking" tunnel of love" was released on the screens. The main role in the film was played by the famous Japanese actress Mickey Honoka. After that, the whole world learned about the beauty of Ukrainian nature, and no one had any doubts about the existence of the tunnel.

Beliefs related to the tunnel

Lovers believe in the symbolism of this place. Rails are the fates of lovers who want to walk their life path next to each other. The arched vault over the railway tracks symbolizes the unity of hearts. Wishes are often made here, but in order for them to come true, it must be done correctly. The wish cannot be said out loud and after making a wish, it is necessary to kiss. It's okay if the desires of lovers do not coincide. Both will come true. If there is only one wish, it will come true twice as fast. It is also believed that if a couple quarreled or the relationship lost its former spark, it is worth taking a walk through the tunnel of love. After that, feelings will flare up with an owl force, this will be facilitated by the special aura of the place. It is believed that lovers who stand on rails against each other, and leaning their hearts or holding hands, will never part. On the wedding day, it is necessary to walk through the tunnel of love so that family life is happy.

Interesting facts

The Ukrainian tunnel of love can often be seen in commercials of famous brands. For example, Fujifilm. According to the plot, the heroes of the advertisement accidentally fall into a fabulous tunnel, and in order to capture all its wonders, they quickly take a lot of pictures with a new branded camera. There is a copy of the tunnel of love in China. It is also called, but it is inferior to the original in size. It is located near the city of Hefei. In 2017, the opening ceremony of the romantic place took place. The Ukrainian delegation also took part in it. The Tunnel of Love is included in the list of the most amazing railways in the world. 1

When is it better to visit

The tunnel is beautiful at any time of the year. But still there are recommendations that take into account the climatic features of the area. The most juicy greens are in May. Accordingly, the pictures will be very bright and saturated. Another period when the riot of natural colors excites the imagination is autumn, or rather October. It is in this month that the foliage is just beginning to crumble, covering the rails with a carpet of incredible beauty. But there are still enough leaves on the trees. You can admire them endlessly – the tunnel is full of golden, yellow, red, burgundy and brown shades. In some places, greenery is still visible. The winter tunnel will take you to a fairy tale, but snow in Ukraine is unstable, it is important to seize the moment here, so we cannot give any specific recommendations.

How to get there

The village of Klevan can be reached by car, by train or by bus. It's up to you to choose. If you are traveling by car, take the H22 highway to the Klevan station. The entrance to the tunnel is directly next to it. Minibuses run from the city Exactly to the station. They also drive along the H22 highway, but not all of them come to the village. Therefore, it is better to check this information with the driver in advance, so as not to pass the desired location. The Rivne-Lutsk train makes a stop at the Klevan station. If you don't know where to go or go, ask any person you meet. In the Rivne region, everyone knows about the tunnel, so the locals will be happy to show you the way to this amazing natural monument. Also, group tourist trips to the tunnel of love are organized from various major cities of Ukraine, for example, Kharkiv, Kiev, Dnipro.