Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Svirzh Castle
'This picturesque Renaissance castle stands in its own park and is
surrounded by water. Watch out for the female ghosts that locals claim wander the
grounds.' Built in the 16th century; 55km northeast of Lviv.
Starostynsky Castle
'None other than Batu-Khan (Genghis Khan's grandson, who
led the Mongol invasion of Europe) put paid to the first fortress on this hill, over-
looking the Dnister River.' Current building from 17th century; 23km north of Ivano-
Frankivsk.
Olyka Castle
'In summer, flowers perfume the courtyard of this once noble resid-
ence, though today you're more likely to meet white-coated doctors and pale-faced
patients rather than the aristocratic Radziwills here, as it's now part of a hospital.'
Built between 16th and 18th centuries; halfway between Lutsk and Rivne.
Berezhany Castle
'This mighty, thick-walled Renaissance castle is now the haunt
of grazing cows and mums with prams, but is still an impressive sight. The Zolota
Lypa River grips the castle on two sides.' Built between 16th and 18th centuries;
50km southwest of Ternopil.
Chynadiyeve Castle
'This striking building was once a hunting castle belonging to
the Schönborn family. In the 1890s they gave it a pseudo-Gothic makeover and
transformed it into a grand residence.' Ten kilometres northeast of Mukacheve.
History
Named after the stone on which it sits, Kamyanets-Podilsky existed as early as the 11th
century as a Kyivan Rus settlement. Like much of western Ukraine, the town spent peri-
ods under Lithuanian and Polish rule, with the latter dominating from the 15th to 17th
centuries. Unlike much of western Ukraine, however, it fell briefly to the Ottoman Turks,
who conquered it with a tremendous army in 1672 and ruled for 27 years. After being re-
turned to Polish rule, Kamyanets-Podilsky was conquered in 1793 by the Russians. They
used its fortress as a prison for Ukrainian nationalists. In 1919 the town became the tem-
porary capital of the short-lived Ukrainian National Republic. During WWII the Ger-
mans used the Old Town as a Jewish ghetto, where an estimated 85,000 people died. In-
tensive fighting and air raids destroyed some 70% of the Old Town.
