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Lutsk is an ancient Slavic town, mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle as Luchesk in the records of 1085. The etymology of the name is unclear. There are three hypotheses: either the name may have been derived from the old-Slavic word luka (an arc or bend in a river), or the name may have originated from Luka (the chieftain of the Dulebs), an ancient Slavic tribe living in this area. The name may have also been derived from Luchanii (Luchans), an ancient branch of the tribe mentioned above.

According to legend, Luchesk dates from the 7th century. The first known documentary reference dates from the year 1085. The town served as the capital of the Principality of Halych-Volynia (founded 1199) until the rise of Volodymyr-Volynsky. The town grew around a wooden stronghold built by a local branch of the Rurik Dynasty. At certain times the location functioned as the capital of the principality, but since there was no need for a fixed capital in medieval Europe, the town did not become an important centre of commerce or culture. In 1240 Tatars seized and looted the nearby town but left the castle unharmed. In 1321 George son of Lev, the last prospective heir of Halych-Volynia, died in a battle with the forces of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Lithuanian forces seized the castle. In 1349 the forces of King Casimir III of Poland captured the town, but Lithuania soon retook it.

The town began to prosper during the period of Lithuanian rule. Prince Lubart (died 1384), son of Gediminas, erected Lubart's Castle as part of his fortification programme. Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1392 to 1430, founded the town itself by importing colonists (mostly Jews, Tatars, and Karaims). In 1427 he transferred the Catholic bishopric from Volodymyr-Volynskyi to Luchesk. Vytautas was the last monarch to use the title of "Duke of Volhynia" and to reside in Lubart's Castle. The town grew rapidly, and by the end of the 15th century there were 19 Orthodox and two Catholic churches. It was the seat of two Christian bishops, one Catholic and one Orthodox. Because of that the town was sometimes nicknamed the Volhynian Rome. The cross symbol of Lutsk features on the highest Lithuanian Presidential award, the Order of Vytautas the Great.

In 1429 Lutsk was the meeting place selected for a conference of monarchs hosted by Jogaila and Sophia of Halshany to deal with the Tartar threat. Those invited to attend included Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Vasili II of Russia, the king of Denmark Eric of Pomerania, the Grand Master of the Livonian Order Zisse von Rutenberg, the Duke of Szczecin Kazimierz V, Dan II the Hospodar of Wallachia and Prince-electors of most of the countries of Germany.

Places of interest

• Lubart's Castle. The Upper Castle from the 13th century and the Lower Castle from the 14th century
• Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral. A Catholic cathedral built 1610 as a Jesuit church, reconstructed in 1781
• Great Synagogue built in 1626-1629
• Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral built 1755 as a church and monastery of Bernardines
• Lutheran Church
• Complex of Lutsk Orthodox Fellowship
• Market square
• Lesya Ukrainka street
• Monasteries, both Catholic and Orthodox: Basilians (17th century), Dominicans (17th century), Trinitarians (18th century) and Charites (18th century)
• Two 16th century Greek-Catholic churches
• Lutsk compact overhead powerline, a powerline of unusual type.
• One of the longest buildings in the world: Apartment house on Sobornosti av. and Molodyozhi st.

Theatres and museums

• Lutsk Puppet Theatre
• Drama Theatre, built in 1939 (uk)
• Children's Puppet Theater
• Museum of Regional Studies. Address: Shopena St. 20
• Museum of Ukrainian army and ammunition opened in 1999. Address: Lutsk, vul. Taborishi 4
• Museum of Volyn Icon was opened in August 1993. Relatively small museum in the centre on the town. Has some interesting and very old icons. Address: vul. Yaroshchuka 5. (behind the Lesia Ukrainka Volyn State University)