Park of wooden sculptures "Pokrovsky", Irpin

Thirty wooden creatures live among the pines of Irpin: animals, fairy-tale heroes, cartoon characters. This is Ukraine’s first wooden sculpture park — a place where a pine forest was turned into an open-air gallery.

Location card

What it is and why people come here

Pokrovskyi is a wooden sculpture park set within a roughly two-hectare pine forest. More than thirty figures — woodland animals, fairy-tale characters and cartoon favourites — were carved by craftspeople from across Ukraine.

It’s a perfect spot for families with children: whimsical characters, pine shade, and the feeling of stepping inside a giant illustrated storybook. Adults enjoy it too — for the fresh forest air and the craftsmanship alone.

History

The park opened in June 2016 and immediately became the first in Ukraine dedicated specifically to wooden sculpture. The founding idea was simple and beautiful: instead of importing ready-made monuments, transform a living pine forest into an art space.

The figures were carved by woodworkers from Rivne, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia regions. The single largest contributor was Oleh Pylypiuk, a master carver from Verkhovyna (a mountain village in the Carpathians), who created sixteen of the sculptures.

One carver from Verkhovyna made more than half the park’s figures — 16 out of more than 30 sculptures.

In 2022 Irpin found itself at the centre of fighting around Kyiv and suffered severe destruction. The fact that the city is restoring civilian life and its parks is itself part of its current story.

Legends and local lore

1. The wood chooses its shape

Carvers like to say it isn’t them who decide what comes out of a trunk — the wood «decides», guided by its own knots and grain. The craftsman only «frees» the figure that was already hiding inside. A charming professional legend — and one that contains a kernel of truth.

2. The lucky mascot

Parks like this quickly produce a «lucky figure» — one visitors are told to stroke or photograph for a wish. Which character becomes the talisman depends entirely on the crowd. Usually it turns out to be the friendliest-looking creature in the whole forest.

What to see on site

Animal sculptures. The core of the collection — forest and fairy-tale animals carved in styles that vary by region of origin.

Fairy-tale and cartoon characters. The figures children recognise on sight — the main source of delight for young visitors.

The pine forest itself. Tall pines, soft dappled light, clean air. The sculptures simply enhance a setting that is already beautiful.

Getting there

By car. Irpin is a satellite city of Kyiv, roughly 25 km to the north-west. The park sits at the junction of Pokrovska, Kotliarevskyi and Poltavska streets.

By public transport. Commuter trains and minibuses run frequently from Kyiv to Irpin; from there take local transport or walk to the park.

Traveller’s checklist

• Bring: children — this park is made for them first.
• Bring: a camera — the figures are extremely photogenic.
• Bring: water and a snack for your forest walk.
• Don’t: damage or carve into the sculptures — wood is fragile.

Frequently asked questions

What makes Pokrovskyi Park unique?

It is Ukraine’s first park dedicated specifically to wooden sculpture, opened in 2016 in a pine forest.

How many sculptures are there?

More than thirty figures carved by craftspeople from across Ukraine; the single most prolific contributor was Oleh Pylypiuk from Verkhovyna, who carved sixteen of them.

Is the park suitable for children?

Yes — it’s one of the best family outings in Irpin: fairy-tale and cartoon characters set among a pine forest with shady paths.

Pokrovskyi is good evidence that an interesting place doesn’t have to be ancient or eerie. Sometimes all it takes is a pine forest, a handful of talented carvers and the will to make a simple kind of magic.

And after everything Irpin has been through, these wooden animals standing quietly among the pines feel almost like a promise: the story isn’t over.