Ukraine is rich in historical monuments, in particular, castles. However, not all of them have managed to survive to our time, leaving behind the ruins of those greatest structures. Find out how rich the cultural heritage of these historic structures is and what is unique about them

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Ukraine, rich in history and cultural heritage, is decorated with many enchanting castles and fortresses that have witnessed many historical events. Among them are castles that were destroyed a long time ago, but their parts have survived to this day and are living testimonies of the past.

Castle in Skala-Podilska

The castle in Skala-Podilska, located in the Ternopil region, has its roots in the period of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, in the 1370s. It was built by the Koriyatovich princes, whose reign was a time of prosperity for the city.

However, after the destruction caused by the Wallachians, the castle was radically rebuilt in the 1540s by order of the voivode Stanisław Lącki Koronski, who also built a palace in it. Today, only the Gunpowder Tower is visible from the castle in a fairly preserved condition, while the rest of the castle is a picturesque ruin, especially with a view from the river. The castle acquired this state after being destroyed by the Turks in 1672.

Since then, the fortress on the cliff above the Zbruch River has not been restored, and the locals used the castle stones as building materials.

Castle in Starye Selo

The castle in Starye Selo, Lviv region, is the largest in Ukraine, covering an area of 2 hectares. This castle was built by Dominik Zaslavsky, who was nicknamed "featherbed" by the Cossacks.

The architectural design of the castle belongs to the famous Lviv architect Ambrose Blahosklonny. The castle was founded in 1642, but 6 years later, the buildings were completely destroyed by Khmelnytsky's Cossacks. However, construction resumed, and by 1654 the castle was completed. It was considered almost impregnable, thanks to its powerful walls and the natural protection of the marsh. Even the huge Ottoman army of 1672 was unable to take the castle.

Since 1700, Starosilsky Castle has passed from the hands of some of the richest magnates of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to others, such as the Lubomirski, Seniavski, and Chortoryski families.

Sydoriv Castle

This site is located in the village of Sydoriv, seven kilometres south of the district centre of Husiatyn in the Ternopil region. It stands on a high hill, bordered on three sides by a river.

The castle was built of sandstone and limestone in the 40s of the 17th century by Martyn Kalynovskyi, a member of the famous and influential Kalynovskyi family of that time. The castle is strongly elongated from north to south and originally had 7 towers.

The length of the castle in the north-south direction was 178 metres, and in the west-east direction only 30 metres. The castle was heavily damaged during the Turkish invasion of 1672, then restored, but from the beginning of the eighteenth century it lost its defensive significance, fell into disrepair and gradually collapsed until our time.

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Sataniv Castle

This fortification is located in the town of Sataniv, Horodok district, Khmelnytskyi region. It is a monument of urban planning and architecture of national importance.

The Sataniv Castle stands in the northern part of Sataniv, on a high hill by the Zbruch River. It is pentagonal in plan, but not quite the right shape. There were towers on all the corners of the pentagon, and walls between the towers. Today, the eastern tower and the remains of two towers located directly above the Zbruch River have been preserved. Two towers on the side of the town are destroyed.

Sataniv Castle was taken and destroyed several times by the Tatars. It was captured at least three times by the Cossacks during the Khmelnytskyi period, and suffered the most from the Turks - the Ottomans took it twice. The second time it was shelled by heavy guns and badly damaged.

Panivtsi Castle

The castle is located in the village of Panivtsi Vyshyi in the Khmelnytskyi region. The building was built by Jan Potocki, a starosta from a noble family. The castle was not immediately known throughout the district as a powerful defensive structure.

Later, the castle still fulfilled its defensive functions: it was attacked twice by the Turks in the 17th century. However, Bohdan Khmelnytsky managed to capture the castle.

Later, the castle was destroyed. Today, there are only two towers that connected the palace. Only a semi-basement remains of the castle itself.

We remind you! There are hundreds of small but unique towns in Ukraine that amaze with their unspoilt beauty. We tell you about the places that are a real treasure for travellers who want to discover new pages of history, local culture and plunge into the cosy atmosphere of ancient times here.

Photo: Wikipedia

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