Zolochiv Castle: description, photo, history, how to get

If anyone is interested in ancient fortifications, fortresses and castles, then welcome to Ukraine! A particularly large concentration of such structures in the Lviv and Ternopil regions. The most visited objects are Oleskiy, Podgoretsky and Zolochiv Castle. True, most of them need restoration and basic care, but still the buildings are worthy of attention of curious tourists, because in addition to the architectural implementation, they contain a certain historical message. And Zolochevskaya citadel is not an exception.

History of Zolochev

Chronicles mention the existence of a small town Radeč on the site of the modern Zoločev, at the intersection of trade routes, 900 years ago, in 1180. But the attacks of the Mongol-Tatars left no trace of him. Yet soon the settlement appears again. In 1441, it became the possession of the Polish tycoon Jan Seninsky, and in 80 years he obtained the Magdeburg law, that is, the system of self-government. Despite the constant raids of the Tatars, from that time the city begins to grow rapidly: trade and economic ties are being established, crafts are developing.

The peak of the heyday of the city is associated with the family of Sobieski moguls. The first owner of this dynasty - Marek Sobieski - bought Zolochev in 1598. At this time, the defensive function performed wooden fortifications. A little later, Zolochevsky Castle itself appeared. Who built it?

There is a stone fortress

The beginning of the 17th - the end of the 18th century was truly a golden time for Zoločev. The next patron of the city after Marek was Yakub Sobiesky. He converted wooden buildings into stone ones. Then all the main buildings of the castle appeared in the form in which we can contemplate them today, with the exception of the Chinese Palace, which was built later. On one of the walls of the castle, the date of completion of the works is 1634.

Fortification by the new method

The technology went forward, the artillery guns became more and more perfect, for example, guns of that time could already beat almost any wall. Even massive stone fortifications were not very effective in rescuing shells. Therefore, there was a need for new ways of fortification. Here, and by the way, the new Dutch system of building defensive structures came to hand .

The basis of this system of fortifications were earth embankments, which on the outside were strengthened by stone walls. The total perimeter was 400 m. The height of the walls reached 11 m. And they were built not perpendicular to the earth's surface, but under a slope to climb it was heavier. Inside this fortified quadrangle there were built living quarters, that is, he combined the functions of defense and housing. At the corners stood four pentagonal bastions. All this outpost was erected on a hill, around which a ditch with stuck stakes was excavated. The innovation was in the earthen ramparts, because they were easiest to restore after the shelling, and it could be done even during the fighting. That's the technology and built Zolochiv Castle, a description of which indicates its insurmountability.

Royal Residence

Only once the citadel fell under the onslaught of the Turks - in 1672 - and was destroyed, but its then owner Jan Sobieski (who two years later became the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Jan III) rebuilt the fortress and made it even more powerful. Testing for strength did not take long to wait, and in 1675 Zolochiv Citadel justified its existence by standing during the attack of the Tatars.

From that time until 1696, Zolochiv Castle functioned as a royal residence. Although the king himself was not there often, but this place is very fond of his wife - Maria Kazimierz. And not in vain. A large two-story palace was built in the Renaissance style. Four fireplaces heated all rooms. There was a king's study, a treasure chest, a tapping system, secret entrances - all in the best traditions of the royal court. For example, an underground tunnel connected the bedrooms of the couple. Also, the king on the underground passage could have gone unnoticed from the fortress. A sewage system is worthy of special mention. The sewage gutters from the roofs were connected to the toilet bowls in such a way that they carried all the sewage to the cesspool. It was a breakthrough for that time.

Maria Kazimira often visited Zolochiv Castle. History says that in the Zolotchev possessions it was thanks to her that the Chinese palace appeared . In Europe, then, there was a fashion for everything connected with the East. Although the round rotunda existed during the times of her father-in-law Yakub Sobieski, but at her request added side extensions and designed in a style reminiscent of the east. Near the Chinese Palace was broken a small garden in the appropriate style.

The further fate of the castle

After the death of his father, Jan Sobiesky, Zolochevsky castle was sometimes visited by his son Yakub, but the former glory of the palace is already behind. Since the middle of the 18th century, the princes of the Radziwill are in possession of it, but they do not particularly care about its retirement or development, because there was no longer any need for a fortified citadel. Thus began the period of gradual destruction of the castle. In 1772, the fortress was taken over by the new Austrian government. At that time all the valuable things from the palaces disappeared, and in the castle the new owners placed first a hospital, and then a state prison where criminals were kept.

Castle in Soviet times

When in 1939 in this territory instead of Austro-Hungarian Soviet power reigned, the mission of the castle did not change. True, now it became known as Lviv prison No. 3. Political prisoners were held there. The NKVD destroyed more than 700 people in the dungeons of this once lush palace. In 1953, the walls of this room began to fulfill a more humane role: the vocational school was located here. Only in 1986, officials realized the cultural and historical value of this monument of architecture and gave it to the Lviv Art Gallery, which began the restoration of structures.

The state of the castle today

Although the restoration work is still going on, but now Zolochiv Castle is open to tourists. It is included in the excursion route in Lviv region "Golden Horseshoe".

You can see the Grand Palace, the Chinese Palace, the castle courtyard, the gate tower, defensive structures. Unfortunately, almost all the interior decoration of the palace has not been preserved, this was also the hand of Austria-Hungary and Soviet power. But now in the walls of the lush halls there are expositions of the Lviv Gallery.

Zolochiv Castle: interesting facts

• The toilets built in the palace may be the first in Europe.
• There was an underground tunnel for eavesdropping, called "long ear".
• Among the exhibits of the museum is the largest canvas in Europe measuring 9 x 9 m.
• Near the entrance to the museum lie stones with inscriptions in an unknown language, the origin of which is associated with the Order of the Knights Templar.

Zolochevsky Castle: directions

If you go by your own transport, then you must follow the M-12 (Lviv-Ternopil) road before turning to the village of Podgorodnoye and turn into this turn. Along this road there is Zolochiv Castle.

How to get there by bus? As easy as pie. In Lviv, you must sit in any of them, going to Ternopil (depart every half hour), get off at Zolochev's bus station and find Zamkova Street, 3. It's a 5-minute walk from the bus station.

Among the well-preserved castles of the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the most well-kept today is Zolochiv Castle. Photos of the exterior and interior show that the restoration is carried out to glory, and the castle is ready to receive visitors.