It is an old Ukrainian town, administrative, economic and cultural center of Rovno region with population of more than 140 thousand dwellers. The town is situated on Ustye River which falls into Goryn River.

The time of Rovno foundation is not known. The first written mentioning of the town belongs to 1282.

During the Medieval Ages Rovno was the property of different Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Polish feudal lords. It received the Magdeburg Law in 1507 which liberated the town of landlords and magnates power and gave Rovno self-government bodies.

The town of Rovno together with Volyn Province passed to Russia and became a district town of Volyn Government in 1793. Construction of Kiev-Brest and Polesiye railroads at the end of the 19th century, setting up connections with economic and cultural centers of Russia favored development of Rovno.

The town of Rovno is described in many books of modern and past writers, scientists, journalists, statesmen. Famous persons, Rovno dwellers are proud of, lived in Rovno and visited the town.

Famous Ukrainian poetess Lesya Ukrainka visited the town of Rovno several times. Her uncle M.P.Dragomanov lived here for some time. Lesya Ukrainka came with her mother Olena Pchelka, a well-known writer at that time, and travelled around picturesque places of Polissya, gathered folklore materials and used them in her poems.

Rovno real gymnasia was situated in a house on Kalinina Str, 19. Here in 1866 – 1871 V.G.Korolenko studied who later became a famous Russian writer. From young years Korolenko loved Ukraine, its nature, songs, people. His youth impressions of years spent in Rovno region were portrayed in several his works: «The story of my contemporary», «In a bad fellowship», «A blind musician» and others.

С юных лет Короленко пылко полюбил Украину, ее природу, песни, людей. Впечатления юных лет, проведенных на Ровенщине, писатель отразил в нескольких своих работах: «История моего современника», «В плохом товариществе», «Слепой музыкант» и др.

Mother of V.G.Korolenko Evelina Iosifovna was born in Rovno region in Stepani village (currently in Sarnenski district). In March of 1864 the father of the writer Galaktion Panasovich was transfered from Zhitomir to Dubno to the position of a districk judge. In two years the family moved to Rovno where they lived up to 1871.

Russian writer A.N.Tolstoy was in Rovno for a long period. As a military correspondent in 1914-1916 he wrote several articles, sketches about war actions that occurred in Rovno, Dubno, Zdolbunov at that time.

A special section in the regional museum is dedicated to the Russian scientist V.V.Dokuchayev. Working with a grounds map of European part of Russia and a book called «Our steppes now and then», V.V.Dokichayev visited Rovno in 1878 and studied grounds of Volyn.

Many Rovno dwellers remember exciting meetings with a famous Soviet writer Yaroslav Galan. Y.A.Galan lived in Rovno during several months in 1944. He visited many towns and villages of Rovno region, wrote articles and pamphlets. A fervent publicist Y.S.Melnichuk often visited Rovno and its region. The writer gathered here materials for his works. Some of his works were printed in local regional newspaper.

Rovno is the town of famous revolutionary, heroic and labour traditions. Multiple memorials and monuments, memorial plates on the houses – witnesses of histocial events – tell us about them.

"Virtual town of Rovno" © www.rivne.org