Today we tell about an unusual place. Outwardly, this building is not very similar to the defensive structure. Rather, it resembles a fairytale castle with battlements and turrets. But, contrary to the innocent mind, Hotyn fortress - a witness to the bloody battles and heroic deeds of many generations.
This national historical and archaeological reserve XIII-XVIII centuries. It considered one of the most important cultural monuments of Ukraine and included in its list of the Seven Wonders. Fortress is located in the town Khotyn (hence the name) in the northeast of the Chernivtsi region.
History tells us that the settlement in the territory of Khotyn castle existed in the times of Vladimir the Great and Yaroslav Wise, the very same fortress built Danila Galitsky 50-ies of the XIII century on the site of an early-existing wooden fortifications.
The first thing that you will meet at the entrance to the territory - the famous monument to Hetman Peter Sagaidachnogo Kanashevich and this is no accident. It was he who with an army of Cossacks defeated the Turks under the walls of the castle in 1621 in the famous Battle of Khotyn.
Next, on the road - the church of Alexander Nevsky, built for the military during the period of ownership of the fortress of the Russian Empire. Then you can visit the theme Museum (next to, by the way, if you have time to get hungry, there is a cafe with a good menu), and, finally, before you in all its beauty and glory of the castle itself. He almost unchanged preserved to this day. Its shape resembles an irregular oval with stone walls eight meters thick, but tower reaches a height of forty meters.
The castle has recently been carried out restoration work and now it is open to the public. The ticket price is symbolic. As in ancient times, you can get here on the wooden bridge over the moat and rebuilt in 1969.
you can enjoy the beauty of the majestic towers of the patio, billowing up, and if climb the castle walls (there are special structures), see, at a glance, all the fortress.
Who dares, can visit the dungeon of the castle. A bit scary, of course, but very interesting. That all did not seem quite so bleak, in ceilings made special ventilation holes that penetrate through the weak sunlight.
The castle courtyard is divided into two parts. In the South side (previously it was the court of soldiers) is an ancient chapel. There also remained a well depth of 65 meters. Another local attraction - the barracks housing and food cellars, which are also used to store ammunition and (do not be surprised) as a space for the Harem and Turkish baths.
In the northern part, which bore the name of the previous Commandant yard, are the ruins of a palace and a residential house, the basement that were previously used as a prison, and the upper part (second floor) like the castle fortress.
On the territory you will also find five towers up to 35 meters. The largest tower - North with three rows of loopholes for heavy artillery. In addition to this towering South West Tower, East, and Commandant Gate. They are all united with a three-meter corridor fighting teeth.
Khotyn fortress, though identified as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine, it is still planning to restore the legendary Hanging Gardens, the minaret was blown up in 1940, is now open rooms for tourists. But even without this castle, of course, have to visit everyone, especially fans of the history of Ukraine, which is most of the people in our country.
When you enjoy a stroll through the castle, be sure to go down to the bank of the Dniester and relax in the lap of beautiful scenery, enjoying the silence.
How to get there: by taxi from Kamenetz-Podolsk.
