Khotyn and Kamianets-Podilskyi Fortresses

Khotyn Fortress

One of the best preserved medieval fortresses of the 13th – 18th centuries in Europe. Khotyn (first written mention in 1002) is located 65 km. from Chernivtsi and 25 km. from Kamianets-Podilskyi. Thanks to its strong fortress and favorable location, Khotyn became a center for the development of crafts and trade, which, in turn, contributed to the flourishing of its culture and economy. The city was an important point in European-Asian trade. Located on the main transport routes, Khotyn has always attracted the attention of conquerors. In order to protect against them, a fortress was built, which survived centuries and saw under its walls hordes of soldiers of the Ottoman Empire, the rebels of Mukha, the people's avengers of Dytynka, the Cossacks of Dmitry Vyshnevetsky (Bayda), and Petro Doroshenko. The history of the fortress is connected with the names of Danylo Halytsky, Stephen III the Great, Peter Konashevich Sahaidachny, Michael the Brave, Jan Sobieski, Peter I, Bohdan Khmelnytsky. The main events and battles of the Khotyn War of 1621 unfolded under the walls of the fortress.

This national historical and architectural reserve is one of the oldest in Ukraine. The total area of ​​the reserve reaches 121 hectares and includes almost 200 architectural monuments. Architects and sculptors from Italy, the Netherlands, Armenia, Poland, France, Turkey, etc. contributed their skills to creating the unique architectural appearance of the city in different periods of its history. The old town of Kamianets-Podilskyi is located on a rocky “peninsula”, which is washed by the waters of the Smotrych River from almost all sides. The Novoplanivskyi Bridge leads to the Old Town from the New Plan (the city of the 19th-20th centuries), and the Zamkovy Bridge leads to the castle from the Old Town, which, according to some versions, is the oldest engineering structure in Ukraine. It is assumed that this bridge could have been built by the Romans. The Church of Peter and Paul in the Old Town is a unique monument of religion and history - only here you will see a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary on top of the Turkish minaret. The Polish, Armenian and former Russian markets were the centers of the city's public life. The Turkish Bastion, the Wind Tower, Tatar Street, the Orthodox Church of Peter and Paul, the Town Hall, the Dominican Monastery, the House of the Podolsk Noble Assembly, the House of the Armenian Bishops opposite the former Orthodox Seminary and much more you will see during a sightseeing walk through the center of the Old Town.

The Kamianets-Podilskyi Fortress consists of eleven towers, each of which has its own name and history. For example, the tallest tower is called the Papal Tower because it was built with funds sent by Pope Julius II. In the dungeons of the Castle complex, there are exhibitions that recreate the pages of its history.