History of Vorzel

The history of Vorzel began at the beginning of the 20th century. It arose on the 37th kilometer section of the new at that time Kovel Railway, near the village of Rubezhovka. The village appeared because of a scam by local landowners who bribed an official from the Ministry of Railways so that the Kiev-Kovel railway being designed would pass through the territory of modern Vorzel. Initially, the railway was supposed to go in a straight line 10-8 kilometers south of Vorzel. At the initiative of the landowner Joseph Pekhovsky, the village was divided into 229 plots. Nearby, landowner Kicheeva created a holiday village by dividing her estate into 258 plots. Later, the cottage village of Kicheevo became part of the village of Vorzel. Some sites were allocated for parks, a church, a bazaar.
Among the first buyers of the plots were: Y. Orshansky, a businessman from the neighboring village of Mikhailovskaya-Rubezhovka, S. Zhdanov, an artist of the St. Petersburg Alexander Imperial Theater, historians V. Gorak, N. Potekha, and the famous surgeon Pilipenko. Also among the first buyers of summer cottages were some of the famous composers and writers. Mostly wealthy citizens bought the land: entrepreneurs, high-ranking military men, officials, in particular officials who were involved in the construction of the railway.
Vorzel’s history changed dramatically after the 1917 revolution. Many former summer residents and permanent residents lost their possessions, some emigrated after the revolution. With the advent of Soviet power, Vorzel began to develop as a health resort.
Vorzel’s history is overshadowed by the tragic events of World War II. The resort suffered greatly from the destruction brought by the war. Local residents actively and heroically participated in the partisan struggle against the German invaders.
The history of Vorzel is certainly connected with the development and formation of Vorzel as a resort. Even before the war, Vorzel was declared a resort of republican significance. During the war, resort infrastructure was badly damaged. After the war, Vorzel began to stop as a resort. Already in 1949, 17 recreational facilities were functioning in the village. In 1980, there were already 28 such institutions.

Another turning point in the history of Vorzel was the events of the late 80s, early 90s. As a result of the Chernobyl accident and perestroika, many health centers were closed. Today, only a few of them continue to function.