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| PHÎÒÎ: phl |
The main attraction to Kamyanets is the main wealth that this provincial city has to offer. The city’s unique natural landscape resembling a lucky horseshoe was created by the River Smotrych around the Old city. Its rocky banks are truly enchanting.
The temples and monasteries in this city are its spiritual wealth. Some were founded long before the Tatar-Mongol Yoke during the times of Kievan-Rus. Pilgrims will find sacred places belonging to such religions as Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
Kamyanets-Podilskiy was first mentioned in chronicles dating back to 1196. In the 12th – 13th centuries, the city was hailed as Ukraine’s major trading center on the crossroads of the Silk Road.
We can thank Armenian craftsmen, who settled in Kamyanets-Podilskiy at the end of the 13th century for the stone constructions and the reconstruction of ancient city fortifications and construction of new defense installations in the 15th century. At the end of the century, Kamyanets-Podilskiy became the main town in the Podillya region.
In the 1900s, the population varied between 20,000 – 80,000. Today, this provincial city has a population of approximately 100,000. The national composition of the population is a mix of Ukrainians, Russians, Jews and Armenians. The main religions are Orthodox, Catholics, Greek-Catholics, Hebrews, Krishna worshippers and Buddhists.
Moreover, the city today offers a combination of ancient castles, magnificent landscapes and new buildings that add to its spirit.
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| PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
Old Fortress
This huge complex of edifices in Kamyanets-Podilskiy underwent construction for several centuries, but the final result is well worth seeing. The Old Fortress is not only a place of interest, but also the city’s main attraction. It is open to the public for excursions from 9:00 – 18:00 seven days a week. The admission fee is UAH 12 per person and UAH 40 per group.
One of the most famous sites is the Karmaliuk Tower, where the Ukrainian peasant outlaw folk hero Ustim Karmaliuk (Ukraine’s legendary version of Robin Hood) was imprisoned three times in the 19th century.
Karmaliuk was constantly chased by the local government and loved by peasants. He escaped from different prisons on eight occasions. As legend has it, Karmaliuk was impervious to bullets and was killed by the only thing that could get him, namely a lead garment button.
Visitors can freely go down into the dungeon to check out the torture chambers, figures depicting scenes from the past, an empty debtor’s prison and a 36-meter deep. Needless to say, all these sites leave a lasting impression.
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| PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
Castle Bridge
Crossing this bridge uniting the fortress with the Old Town, which is listed in the Ukrainian Book of Records as the oldest in Ukraine is a must. Some sources say Yuriy Khmelnytskiy was executed on that bridge and it was exactly the Zamkoviy Bridge depicted on the Trajan Column in Rome. Take a moment to check out the immaculate panorama from the bridge and you will understand why Kamyanets-Podilskiy is considered one of the gems of Ukraine.
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| PHÎÒÎ: UNIAN |
Spiritual treasures of Kamyanets-Podilskiy
There is a wooden church in the valley of the river known as the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross built in the 17th – 18th centuries. The church is located in the valley of the Smotrych River on the outskirts of the Karvasary District near the fortress. The district was named after a caravan stop in this place. The church is considered to be one of the most original monuments of wooden construction in Podillya.
The Arch of Triumph at the entrance to the Roman-Catholic church has long been a place of interest for tourists and residents of Kamyanets-Podilskiy. It was designed and built by the best architects in 1781 especially for the occasion of the visit of King and Grand Duke of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stanislaw II August Poniatowski. The arch is a decoration for the city. Many people visit this historic monument to bring happiness to their souls. Indeed, local residents say if a person makes a wish by touching the arch’s walls, their wish will come true.
The beauty of the sculptures on the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Kamyanets, also known as the Petropavlivskiy Cathedral and the surrounding landscape is awe-inspiring. Stone masons, sculptors and engravers immortalized their talents in decorations for the cathedral: paintings, stucco ornaments and gilding. Inside the church one can see a monument to Laura Pshesdeckaja called Laura’s Dream created by sculptor Viktor Brodsky.
Smotrych Canyon
Evidently, this canyon was naturally formed to give local residents of Kamyanets and tourists joy with its fantastic waterfalls, flora and fauna. Walking around the spacious territory of 80 hectares you will find rare species of feather grass, admire white swans, observe bright swallowtails and even see otters. Photographs of the canyon and its environs will undoubtedly be the gem of one’s personal photo album and leave only positive impressions and fond memories.
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| PHÎÒÎ: Y. Savchuk |
Khotyn
This town located not far from Kamyanets-Podilskiy. It is famous for its fortress that has not only become an object of admiration, but is also a legendary fortification in Ukrainian history. There are approximately 11,000 people living in the town and most of its buildings are one-storied. Life in Khotyn is peaceful. Talking to the town’s elderly residents, you will hear many fascinating stories and legends. There is a version according to which the name of the town is derived from the Slavic word “khoten”, meaning desired or beloved. This is quite possible if to take in the beauty and inexpressible atmosphere of the town.
Khotyn fortress
During excavations archeologists found stone walls of a castle dated back to the 13th century and some remains of a temple built of white stone. The castle was located on the northern part of the castle hill, which is approximately a third of the current length of the stronghold. During the second half of the 15th century the castle was extended southwards and the level of its yard was raised. Large-scale works on building an external line of defense began in 1711.
A stain on one of the castle’s walls became the source of many legends. According to one of them, a baron that owned the castle had a beautiful daughter. Out of his sheer greed, the baron gave his blessings to a wealthy bachelor to marry his daughter. But the baron’s daughter refused to marry the bachelor as she was in love with another man. The baron was infuriated and ordered that his daughter be walled up in the castle. The young maiden silently accepted her father’s decision. Today, her tears run down the wall and don’t allow the stain to dry.
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