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| Svirzh: another lovely town with a magnificent castle PHÎÒÎ: SHUTTERSTOCK |
This was a challenge for adventurers in the Middle Ages with their trusty horse, strong armor, family honor and … no concept of geographic orientation. As they used to say in fairy tales: “You go left – you lose your horse, you go right – will die yourself” and so on. In the 21st century, everything is much simpler – nowadays any traveler can turn on a GPS navigator and reach any destination as long as the vehicle’s gas tank is refilled in time.
So, reaching a point of destination is no longer a problem for the modern-day wandering knight. The question is where to drive our iron horses to get the fullest impressions.
We offer you three routes, three broad highways leading to adventures. Kyiv will be the starting point. After Zhytomyr the routes go to different western oblasts, which are abundant in castles
Under the sign of Lion
Carried away by the preparations for Euro 2012, we forgot about Lviv. It is not only one of the host cities for the championships, but also the center of European culture, a city surrounded by ancient castles and churches. Along the route Kyiv – Rivne – Lviv making several stops is worthwhile. One such stop is the small town of Korets on the border of the Zhytomyr, Rivne and Khmelnytskiy oblasts, where one can admire the ruins of the 15th century fortress of the Koretskiy princes and visit the St. Trinity Convent. By the way, Anna Olenina (the woman to whom Alexander Pushkin wrote his immortal poem I Loved You Once) was buried here.
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| The ruins of the 15th century fortress of the Koretskiy princes PHÎÒÎ: SHUTTERSTOCK |
Hoshcha – Ostroh – Pidhirtsi
Spend some time in the town of Hoshcha on your way from Korets to Rivne, where the rare ginkgo trees grow in a park. From Hoshcha, hang a left and drive 35 km to the legendary historic town of Ostroh. The road on that section leaves much to be desired, but the churches in Ostroh and the prince’s castle (14th – 16th centuries) will make up for any inconveniences. We recommend visiting the Book Printing Museum. It was in Ostroh that the printer Ivan Fyodorov built his first shop in 1580 and in 1581 published the famous Ostroh Bible, on which all Ukrainian presidents have taken oaths. If you are not afraid of dusty country roads, take a ride to the Mezhyrichchya Monastery, visible from the towers of the Ostroh castle.
Whether you visit Ostroh or not, any roaming knight will drive through Rivne from where the highway continues on to Lviv through the towns of Dubno and Brody. Along this route you should definitely visit two towns located along the highway. Pidhirtsi is located to the left from the E40 highway when driving from Kyiv. The local palace-castle, which was once the most luxurious in Western Ukraine, is today in a state of ruin. St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, built in the 18th century, is in much better condition because the Catholic Church takes care of it. The cathedral is located right in front of the palace and harmoniously supplements the architectural ensemble.
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| PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
Olesk – Lviv – Zhovkva
Travelers will see the Olesk Castle upon returning to the E40 highway and driving just a few kilometers in the direction of Lviv. The castle was first mentioned in chronicles in 1327 and the names of such outstanding people as Mykhailo Khmil, Bohdan Khmelnytsky’s father, who served there, and Polish King John III Sobieski, who was born in Olesk, have historic connections with this castle. The exposition inside the castle is as good as the view that opens up from its ramparts. The cafe in the castle decorated with medieval armor is also very popular and the most trustworthy visitors are allowed to try them on.
Now, it’s time to continue on to Lviv! You will need more than a week to visit all of Lviv’s places of interest. Nevertheless, we will take a risk and point out a few of the most remarkable sights – the Armenian Cathedral (14th century), St. George’s Cathedral (18th century), the famous Arsenal Museum, the Lviv Opera House and the Pharmacy Museum. Take a stroll through Stryiskiy Park for few hours and climb up the hill to the Vysokiy Zamok (High Tower) from which you get a fantastic view of the entire city. After that, if you’ve got the energy take a ride outside the city to check out at least three nice towns on the outskirts of Lviv that are worth seeing.
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| PHÎÒÎ: Y.Savchuk |
Besides the castle built at the end of the 16th century by Stanislaw Zolkiewski, in Zhovkva you must check out the wooden St. Trinity Church (1720), St. Basil’s Monastery (1612) and the synagogue (1692) – all these architectural monuments are located around the central square in the town and it will not take a long time to appreciate their beauty. Also, pay attention to the bell tower of the St. Lawrence’s Catholic Cathedral, which is “leaning” like the famous “leaning tower” of Pisa in Italy.
Svirzh is another lovely town in the Lviv oblast with a unique 15th century castle. There is also an ancient stronghold in the neighboring town of Stare Selo, but the quality of the road leading there is very poor.
At the end of your tour of castles in the Lviv oblast, pay a visit to Zolochiv, which is on the way back to Kyiv. The town is known for its castle built by Jacob Sobieski in 1634 – 1636. You must also definitely check out the so-called Chinese Palace, where a unique collection of china, bronze sculptures and other antiquities are on exhibit. You should also taste the local specialty – sweet beer sold with strawberry, cherry and raspberry syrups.
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| PHÎÒÎ: from author |
The fine town of Ternopil
The second route leads us to the Ternopil oblast, which is the richest region of castles in Ukraine. Clearly, the way there runs through Zhytomyr. We recommend driving through the city on to the towns of Chudniv, Lyubar and then directly to Yampil and Kremenets.
The road is straight as an arrow and has a fairly smooth tarmac, maybe thanks to not being used by heavy trucks. There will be no need to constantly take over 18-wheelers or trail behind them inhaling diesel fuel emissions. Moreover, through one small transfer you will reach the town of Kremenets, which is definitely a must see.
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| PHÎÒÎ: from author |
Kremenets for ages
No doubt, the main point of interest in Kremenets is its 12th century castle, rising above the town like an eternal dedicated boy scout! We should immediately warn about a possible disappointment: after you climb the top of the Bona Hill, where the castle is located, you will see several towers and remains of the fortress wall that belted the stronghold. Say thanks to Maksym Kryvonis and his rebels, because before they came neither Tatars nor Poles managed to destroy the stronghold. Obviously, only Ukrainians are capable of doing so. Those of you that have no desire to climb the steep hill to the castle (or have no time or energy to do so) can at least visit the Jesuit College built in 1731.
Before we continue the trip from Kremenets to the south and visit several new castles, a wandering knight can make two short detours. One visit should be the town of Bilokrynytsya, where you will find the magnificently beautiful palace of once Governor-General of Kyiv Oleksandr Voronin. Its pseudo-Gothic architecture reminds more of Crimea than the Carpathians, but this is precisely the charm of the palace. Some visitors may be surprised because only a small part of the palace belongs to the local museum as the rest of it is used by a forestry engineering college. The thing is that the school has been located in the palace since 1892 and was founded at the cost and upon the will of the palace’s owner.
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| PHÎÒÎ: SHUTTERSTOCK |
Almost like in the capital
After visiting Kremenets, move on to Pochayiv to see the Monastery of the Holy Dormition, more commonly known as the Pochayivska Lavra. If you are faithful, you must touch the sacred objects in the monastery that pilgrims from all over Ukraine and many other countries travel to see and touch. If you don’t wish to go inside, you can simply walk around the Lavra courtyard and enjoy the beauty of the temples, churches and belfries. From here we continue our journey to south!
You should make two stops along the E85 highway on the Kremenets-Ternopil stretch. The first one is the town of Vyshnevets, the homeland to Dmytro Baida Vyshnevetskiy, who fortified the island of Mala Khortytsia on the Dnipro River and was a Hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks. Today, travelers should check out the 18th century castle and a park surrounding it, which was an answer to Versailles!
The second stop not far from Ternopil is Zbarazh, 5 km away from the highway. We can comfortably say that the castle in Zbarazh is the most beautiful and best preserved in the Ternopil oblast. Its museum exposition is very intriguing – in its underground dungeons one can even feel the fear and pain of its prisoners. In short, a visit to Zbarazh will definitely be impressive and worth your time.
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| PHÎÒÎ: from author |
Mykulyntsi – Skalat – Terebovlya
The city of Ternopil cannot boast a castle comparable to Zbarazh. Nevertheless, the oldest building in the town was built in 1540 and was rebuilt into a palace in the 19th century. Unfortunately, its fortifying erections were destroyed and we can only imagine that the original image of the castle was much more majestic.
After making a stop in Ternopil travelers can continue their voyage to the western and southern parts of the oblast. They are rich in castles, fortresses and churches of all kinds. For example, in Mykulyntsi there is a castle, which is the residence of descendents of its original owners. Frankly, not much has remained of this construction of the 16th century. The Potocki Palace, which is 200 years younger than the castle, was preserved fine and is in much better condition.
The majority of ancient architectural landmarks in this region preserved their original image only in the paintings and yellowish photos. For example, there is a castle in the town of Skalat, which was built in 1630 by the Polish knight Krzysztof Wichrowski. After several reconstructions, the stronghold was given its final look that is has preserved to this very day, albeit with some minor destructions. Unfortunately, the castle was not preserved. There are even less remnants of the castle in Terebovlya, which was called one of the most unassailable castles in the Ternopil oblast. Despite this, we still recommend you visit Terebovlya as it is one of the oldest towns in Ukraine that was first mentioned in chronicles dating back to 1097.
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| PHÎÒÎ: from author |
Waiting for the miracle
Deviating a bit to the west from Ternopil you should visit two very interesting towns. The first one is Berezhany, remarkable for its architectural ensemble and home to a castle built in 1554, and the St. Trinity Catholic Church. Unfortunately, just as in many other places only the moving and sorrowful ruins remain to this day from their former splendor. Not so recently the local authorities began their restoration. A Roman Catholic church in the village of Pidhaitsi has a similar story – for years it stood abandoned and we can only hope it will have a brighter future. Moreover, the church is definitely worth seeing. After all, it is the only Ukrainian Catholic church belonging to the classic Gothic style and reminds one of the world famous Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral.
Driving in the southern direction from Ternopil you should take note of three castles located in Buchach, Chortkiv and Kryvche. The castle in Buchach was built in the 14th century and is located on the top of a lofty hill. The fortress in Kremenets was also built in the same century. So, we can those travelers willing to check out the castle to spend a night in Buchach. After climbing back down from the castle, you be ready for a hearty meal, a frosty mug of beer and a soft pillow.
The castle in Chortkiv is only 400 years old, so it is comparatively young. Nevertheless, only its ruins, a Catholic and a wooden church, situated not far from the sight have survived to this day. The castle that is most remote from Ternopil is located in the village of Kryvche. Today, only the castle’s two towers and a piece of its wall remain. But, Kryvche is popular for its magic Crystal Cave, which is worth driving 100 or even 1,000 kilometers to see. In any case, you will still have to spend the night in the closest town of Chortkiv or Borshchiv.
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| PHÎÒÎ: from author |
Heading south. Away from the seaside
Going on a trip along the third route you will face a problem of choice. Regardless that the destination point is far south from Kyiv, you will have to make your choice in Zhytomyr. One variant is to drive again to Chudniv and Lyubar and then turn left to get to Starokostyantyniv. This small town will meet you with a scenic basin created by the confluence of the Ikopot and the Sluch rivers, a quaint church built on the banks of that reservoir and the remains of the Ostrogsky princely family castle. These days only a small church, a tower and pieces of rampart walls remain from the original castle… Next to them is a huge fortification tower that is in fact a part of the Catholic cathedral, which is also semi-destroyed. You can even spend a night in Starokostyantyniv, which boasts several hotels for all tastes.
The second variant is to drive to Khmilnyky along the busy Vinnytsya – Khmelnytskiy highway. Then hang a right in the direction of Khmelnytskiy. There you will see two remarkable towns. The first is Letychiv, well-known all over Ukraine for its fish market, and the second is Medzhybizh, with its main point of interest being the grand castle first mentioned in chronicles in 1146! This castle is one of the few examples of a structure that is being restored for the better every year. This castle is home to annual festivals and it features a museum for all interested tourists… A tourist complex located slightly off the highway is also rapidly developing. It offers delicious cuisine, comfortable rooms and a stylish design.
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| PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
Ukrainian stone flower
One way or another both roads will lead a traveler first to Khmelnytskiy and then some 100 km away to Kamyanets-Podilskiy, the town known as the “stone flower of Ukraine”. The magnificently preserved old fortress, several beautiful churches belonging to different confessions, the city hall, European-style comfortable cafes and dozens of souvenir shops – this town is by all means the true center of tourism in Ukraine. Perhaps, Kamyanets-Podilskiy needs no extra touting– so we will continue our journey recommending you spend at least a few days in the town in order to take in its magnificent sights.
Our next stop is the town of Khotyn, famous for its fortress no less than Kamyanets-Podilskiy (some people say Khotyn is even more popular). Before Khotyn make a stop in the small village of Zhvanets located right on the Khmelnytskiy – Chernivtsi highway. You may not consider the ruins of the local castle to be all that picturesque, but the view opening out from this place is unforgettable.
After Zhvanets we drive to Khotyn! The outer appearance of its fortress is most likely familiar to every school student in Ukraine. It is quite likely that this stronghold was shot in films more often than any contemporary actor or actress. Indeed, over the past several decades the fortress was used as a setting for many historic movies, including The Three Musketeers and Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe. For this reason, we were surprised by the absence of any kind of reputable tourist infrastructure in Khotyn. With the right approach, this beautiful castle could become a tourist gold mine for the town’s residents.
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| PHÎÒÎ: PHL |
“Our ways part here”
After you check out the castle in Khotyn, you are free to choose one of two highways going in opposite directions. The first one turns right and leads you to Chernivtsi and the Carpathians. In this case, your castle journey will come to an end, as the Bukovyna, Verkhovyna and Halychyna regions are known more for their forests, mountains and rivers, than for medieval architectural monuments.
The second variant is to turn left and drive all the way to Mohyliv-Podilskiy, Yampil and along the border with Moldova to Bilhorod-Dnistrovskiy. What is so attractive about this route? First of all, you will see many picturesque places, for example, the village of Busha half way from Mohylyov-Podilskiy to Yampil. Besides the nicely preserved ruins of the fortress in Busha, you can visit the famous Busha relief, which is a real rocky temple dating back to the times of Trypillian culture. Secondly, the fortification in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskiy will not only be a wonderful end to your captivating journey, but will also give you a chance to finish your vacation sunbathing by the seaside of the Black Sea or fishing in the mouth of the Dnister River. It’s your call.
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