Castles of Transcarpathia. Castles, palaces and fortresses of Western Ukraine
Ukrainian Carpathians and Transcarpathia is an area with centuries of history, with their traditions, legends and rituals. The area is famous for its locks, palaces and ancient fortresses, from the middle of the centuries towering over the beautiful forests, fields and impassable mountains.
Speaking of castles and fortresses of the Carpathians and Transcarpathia, the first thing that comes to mind is Golden Horseshoe of Ukraine. Three great castles included in the so-called "horseshoe": Olessky, Podgoretsky and .
Architectural monument XIV-XVII centuries. In room castle located a branch of the Lviv Art Gallery. The following famous films were also filmed on its territory: "Three Musketeers", "King Stakh's Wild Hunt", "Time to Gather Stones" and "Boris Godunov". Olesskylock located near the village Olesko, Busskiy area, Lviv areas.
well preserved renaissancecastle, surrounded by defensive structures. It was here that the shooting of the Soviet film took place. "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" located in the village Podgortsi, in the east Lviv areas.
For many centuries lock was fortress, royal residence, manor house, prison and educational institution. Today it museum-reserve, branch Lviv Art Gallery located in the city Zolochev, Lviv region.
Monument defense architecture XV-XVII centuries of construction. Initially lock was built as fortress, but after reconstruction lost its original appearance in the 17th century. The movie was also filmed on site. "Three Musketeers" located in the village Svirzh, Lvivska region.
Erected in 1880 by the French architect Ludwig de Verny with the participation of the Polish architect Julian Cybulsky. Previously, on the site of the palace there was a small estate that belonged to Alfred Jozef Potocki. The Potocki Palace is located at 15 Copernicus Street in Lviv.
Built in the 16th century Stanislav Herburt. After partition Poland was dismantled by order Austrian government. The octahedral entrance tower fortresses, fragments walls 2 m thick, and foundations three other towers and moat is at the top high wooded steep Blind Mountain, at an altitude of 556 m above sea level, 4 km northeast of the city Dobromil, Lviv areas.
Tustan- Old Russian defense complex, customs and impregnable fortress. In the period from the 9th to the 13th centuries, there was a mighty Tustan castle, erected by tribal nobility white croats. Remains Fortress Tustan located near the village Urych, Skole district Lviv areas near the city Borislav.
Built in XIII century. Lock rises on a hilltop, above the river valley Already, in place more early wooden fortification. located near the village Kamenitsa, Transcarpathian area, 12 km northeast of Uzhgorod.
Built in Middle Ages magnates Othergets. Lock repeatedly rebuilt, today open as museum. Lock located in the very heart cities Uzhgorod, in Transcarpathia.
Serednyansky castle
Built in the XII century. Knights Templar. Lock forms a quadrangular donjon tower, whose height reaches 20 m, the thickness of the walls is 2.6 m. It is considered one of the main attractions of Transcarpathia, although it is in a very deplorable state. Serednyansky castle located in the village Average, Uzhhorod area, Transcarpathian areas.
First mentioned in documents 11th century. Lock rises on the mountain ulcan origin 68 m high and covers an area of 13,930 m². located in the city Mukachevo, Zakarpattia areas.
Built in XV century. Around castle were built earth ramparts and ditches, and on the south side it was protected by a river Latoritsa. long time lock used as a prison. Lock located in town Chinadievo, in Mukachevo area, Transcarpathian areas.
Erected in 1895 by Count Shenborn. In the past - residence and hunting house. Today (since 1946) in Shenborn Castle located sanatorium "Carpathians". Lock located on the southern slope wooded mountains, in the tract coastguard, namely in the village Carpathians, Mukachevo district, Transcarpathian region.
No strategic role didn't have a castle. It was the usual fortress feudal knight from where it was convenient to attack the merchants who were walking "salt way" river valley Tisza located on the river bank Borzhava, in the village Kvasov, Beregovsky area, Transcarpathian areas.
Once upon a time lock took the form quadrilateral with massive square towers on the corners. The length of the castle was 50 meters, and the width is 44.6 meters. The construction has reached our time in very ruined condition located at the foot Black Mountain towering over the city Vinogradov, Transcarpathian areas.
Built in XIV century after the assault "Kankova" in 1557 royal army. At first the palace was one-story, and only in the 17th century was built on second floor and towers located near Vinogradova, Transcarpathian areas on the way to black mountain, in a cozy park with exotic trees.
Located in the village Korolevo, Vinogradovsky district, Transcarpathian areas. In the IX-X centuries on the spot castle "Nyalab" was located Slavic settlement. At the end of the 12th century, settlement wooden was built royal hunting lodge, from which village Korolevo and got its name. In the XIV century, in its place was erected stone fortress. In 1672 the castle was almost completely destroyed after the suppression of the conspiracy of the magnates.
fortification, erected in XI-XII centuries. Lock was built as hungarian royal fortress for guard "salt way" from Solotvin and nearby areas. located in the city Khust, Transcarpathian areas.
Also known as Bronkovsky castle. For the first time the fortress is remembered in 1273. According to one version lock was fortified outpost. Until now, unfortunately, almost not preserved located near the village Bronka, Irshavsky district, Transcarpathian areas.
Erected in XVIII century. The only example of a rural estate of medieval architecture in Europe. Built on site castle XV century, from which in the basement palace remains ancient walls located near the village Long, Irshavsky area, Transcarpathian areas.
Built in the second half of the 16th century by Polish feudal lords Partridges. In the 17th century, after many reconstructions and reconstructions lock reached his heyday. During Polish-Turkish 17th century military, the fortress played a role outpost Polish forces. located near the city Nadvirna, Ivano-Frankivsk areas.
Chervonogorod first mentioned in historical chronicles in the 9th century as Castrum rubrum (Red Castle). Today is disappeared city located near the village Nyrkov, Zaleshchitsky districtana, Ternopil areas. Nearby is also Dzhurinsky waterfall.
Part 9. Castles and palaces of Transcarpathia
I have already written more than once that Transcarpathia is a unique region. Here, different kingdoms, empires and cultures collided, were born and died, often leaving behind the very cultural heritage that still carries the memory and spirit of the times of almost a thousand years ago. Castles, palaces, fortresses, fortifications - all this is in abundance here, in different states - from almost destroyed, to sparkling spiers and brightly painted walls. During the two days that we devoted to the castles of Transcarpathia, you can see a lot or almost nothing, however, in any case, you can get an idea. So go ahead :)
Mukachevo castle or Palanok castle.
An unconditional pearl, one of the five castles in Europe preserved in this form. Very beautiful and powerful, giving a lot of vivid images to artists and writers.
According to one of the legends, the castle stands on a hill, poured by hand by residents sheltered at the bottom of the town of Mukachevo. From there came the name of the city "Mukachevo", with the root of the word "flour", because the labor of people was hard labor, and turned into flour. The next photo is not mine, but I consider it necessary to insert it for a complete understanding of the grandiosity of the ancient fortress.
The reality turned out to be much less tragic, but no less surprising. The castle was built on an incomprehensible rock (rock outcrop), right in the middle of the Transcarpathian plain, and of volcanic origin.
The citadel has many tragic and heroic pages of its history. The exact time of construction is not known, but the castle was first mentioned in the documents at the beginning of the 11th century, that is, a thousand (!!!) years ago... distant worlds and the atmosphere of this giant portal to the past. Fiction!!!
With your permission, I will deliberately not give any historical references, limiting myself only to personal feelings.
I also remembered .... under the sonorous laughter of my wife, I refused to go down to the dungeon for a tour ... vdrun vampires ...)))) who watched Twilight will understand))))
Saint Miklos Castle.
Built on the border of the 14th and 15th centuries, the castle has a very beautiful legend. The years have carried the memory that a kind ghost lives in the castle, helping to find his soul mate - his love. And oddly enough, but in the castle there were many meetings that became the beginning of great love.
Shenborn hunting castle.
This place is either a castle or a palace. Being next to him, as if you find yourself in Europe of the 18-19th century. Or a piece of Europe itself turned out to be here by chance ... In any case, everything is not so. Owners of these lands in the 19th century, the Shenborn family was very fond of hunting. According to their instructions, in 1840 a wooden hunting lodge was built here.
Already 50 years later, on the site of a wooden structure, a palace grew up, which can be seen now, which has become one of the architectural gems of Transcarpathia.
One of the remarkable pages in the history of the castle was the interest during the Second World War from Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering to the castle. There were even negotiations between fascist Germany, the owners of the castle and the government of Carpathian Ukraine on the purchase. However, the deal did not take place.
In the post-war period, a giant sanatorium "Karpaty" was organized here. And now, not the nobles, but ordinary resting workers began to walk around the palace parks ...
Castle of the Knights Templar.
Famous order of chivalry. The sacraments of monks and the valor of knights, red crosses on white cloaks and holy relics ... all this is Western Europe, isn't it ... isn't it. The movement of knights also reached the western borders of modern Ukraine, having founded their castle - a stronghold at the end of the 12th century.
In the Middle Ages, Transcarpathia was an arena in the battle for the Hungarian crown of local feudal lords. And the castle also changed hands quite often.
Today, the state of the castle is depressing and, frankly, I don’t think it will improve. It's a pity. Beautiful place!
Uzhgorod castle.
One of the main attractions of Uzhgorod. The castle was already known in the 10th century, and all modern technologies and knowledge were used in its construction. Now it is a city museum where you can learn a lot of interesting things about the past of the city and the fortress.
The fortress is beautiful, but I remember the torture chamber in the castle dungeon the most!
The whole exposure is very natural and causes very noticeable goosebumps on the skin :)))
For dessert, I left the castle that I liked the most...
Nevitsky castle.
Many legends surround this colorful and terrible place. In the Middle Ages, a lot of horrors, miracles and savages happened. And everything seems natural for those distant times. Mentions of the Nevitsky castle date back to the 12th century.
One of the legends tells about a woman - the mistress of the castle, who, in order to strengthen the mortar that fastened the walls, ordered the addition of eggs and milk, including breast milk of nursing women. Babies began to die of hunger, crying and moaning were heard everywhere. But this seemed not enough, and the order was given to add human blood...
Another legend tells of a certain noblewoman who lived in this castle. Who loved to bathe in the blood of young girls. In one of the sources, I found a mention that this woman was even interested in and visited (???) Count Vlad Dracula.
There is a lot of fiction in this, of course. However, I'm sure no one will argue - the times were old, wild, and very interesting.
That's all for today.
Let's go to the mountains in the next episode!
Castles in the Carpathians are a separate issue. There are quite a lot of castles in Ukraine, especially in the Ternopil region. This was due to the border position of the area at the time. The magnates were allocated land with a mandatory condition for the construction of a defensive castle. But our site is about the Carpathians, therefore, we will first of all talk about castles located in the mountains. Or, at least, in the foothills of the Carpathians.
Castle in Mukachevo, in the foothills of the Carpathians
Perhaps the only more or less surviving castle in the region is located on a high mountain in the city of Mukachevo. The object belongs to the Carpathians with a big stretch, since the city of Mukachevo is already on the plain in Transcarpathia, but given the small distance from the mountains, it deserves to be visited on one of the trips to the Carpathians.
At a distance of only 12 km from the center of Transcarpathia - Uzhgorod - at the exit from the Uzhanskaya valley, on a ledge of a mountain towering above the river Uzh, the ruins of the ancient Nevitsky castle rise, to which a steep stone road leads in a serpentine.
In ancient times, this castle occupied an important strategic position. From its walls it was possible to control the exit from the Uzhanskaya valley, along which the trade route from Hungary passed through the Uzhotsky pass to the Galicia-Volyn principality and Poland. Archaeologists date the appearance of the castle to the end of the 12th century and associate it with the Galician policy of the Hungarian kings - the castle arose due to growing tensions between the two neighboring states.
Templar castle in Average in Transcarpathia
The fact that it was built by one of the most mysterious Christian military orders - the Knights Templar and, according to one of the legends, it was in this castle that they hid the Holy Grail, makes the history of the Srednyansky castle especially exotic. The members of this order, founded in 1096, played a leading role in many battles of the Crusades.
Built in the XII century, the castle in the village. Srednee is the only castle in Transcarpathia that retains features of the Romanesque style.
The hallmark of the city are the ruins of the Khust castle-fortress, sung in legends - a monument of architecture and urban planning of the 12th-15th centuries. The city was formed around the Castle Hill. The basis of the ancient scheme of Khust streets was the trade routes that led to Galich, Lviv, Kamenetz-Podolsky, Mukachevo, Hungary, Transylvania.
Getting to the castle is easy - it is not too far from the railway station, and any local resident will show the way. To do this, you will have to overcome a long but not steep climb. The hill offers an amazing view of the city, the surroundings, and in the distance, covered with haze, you can see the mountains, under which the river flows.
I have already written more than once that Transcarpathia is a unique region. Here, different kingdoms, empires and cultures collided, were born and died, often leaving behind the very cultural heritage that still carries the memory and spirit of the times of almost a thousand years ago. Castles, palaces, fortresses, fortifications - all this is in abundance here, in different states - from almost destroyed, to sparkling spiers and brightly painted walls. During the two days that we devoted to the castles of Transcarpathia, you can see a lot or almost nothing, however, in any case, you can get an idea. So go ahead :)
In Transcarpathia, Ukraine // se16.livejournal.com
Mukachevo castle or Palanok castle.
Mukachevo Castle or Palanok Castle in Transcarpathia, Ukraine // se16.livejournal.com
An unconditional pearl, one of the five castles in Europe preserved in this form. Very beautiful and powerful, giving a lot of vivid images to artists and writers.
// se16.livejournal.com
According to one of the legends, the castle stands on a hill, poured by hand by residents sheltered at the bottom of the town of Mukachevo. From there came the name of the city "Mukachevo", with the root of the word "flour", because the labor of people was hard labor, and turned into flour. The next photo is not mine, but I consider it necessary to insert it for a complete understanding of the grandiosity of the ancient fortress.
// se16.livejournal.com
The reality turned out to be much less tragic, but no less surprising. The castle was built on an incomprehensible rock (rock outcrop), right in the middle of the Transcarpathian plain, and of volcanic origin.
// se16.livejournal.com
The citadel has many tragic and heroic pages of its history. The exact time of construction is not known, but the castle was first mentioned in the documents at the beginning of the 11th century, that is, a thousand (!!!) years ago... distant worlds and the atmosphere of this giant portal to the past. Fiction!!!
// se16.livejournal.com
// se16.livejournal.com
With your permission, I will deliberately not give any historical references, limiting myself only to personal feelings.
// se16.livejournal.com
I also remembered .... under the sonorous laughter of my wife, I refused to go down to the dungeon for a tour ... vdrun vampires ...)))) who watched Twilight will understand))))
Saint Miklos Castle.
St. Miklos Castle in Transcarpathia, Ukraine // se16.livejournal.com
Built on the border of the 14th and 15th centuries, the castle has a very beautiful legend. The years have carried the memory that a kind ghost lives in the castle, helping to find his soul mate - his love. And oddly enough, but in the castle there were many meetings that became the beginning of great love.
// se16.livejournal.com
// se16.livejournal.com
Shenborn hunting castle.
This place is either a castle or a palace. Being next to him, as if you find yourself in Europe of the 18-19th century. Or a piece of Europe itself turned out to be here by chance ... In any case, everything is not so. Owners of these lands in the 19th century, the Shenborn family was very fond of hunting. According to their instructions, in 1840 a wooden hunting lodge was built here.
// se16.livejournal.com
Already 50 years later, on the site of a wooden structure, a palace grew up, which can be seen now, which has become one of the architectural gems of Transcarpathia.
// se16.livejournal.com
// se16.livejournal.com
One of the remarkable pages in the history of the castle was the interest during the Second World War from Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering to the castle. There were even negotiations between fascist Germany, the owners of the castle and the government of Carpathian Ukraine on the purchase. However, the deal did not take place.
Shenborn hunting castle in Transcarpathia, Ukraine // se16.livejournal.com
In the post-war period, a giant sanatorium "Karpaty" was organized here. And now, not the nobles, but ordinary resting workers began to walk around the palace parks ...
All the castles in Transcarpathia were once built as guardian fortresses of this land. Each of them for centuries of existence - even non-existence! - overgrown with legends. And no matter how successful historical science has been, many of these myths still cannot be substantiated or refuted ...
Immured virgins and underground groans, bloody traces of the Dracul family and the mountain of torment - all the legends of Transcarpathia cannot be listed. Moreover, the history of all countries and authorities that have been here, the myths of castles-palaces, the secrets of fortifications that disappeared in antiquity, were added to the castle passions. So over the centuries, dozens (if not hundreds) of mystical tales have been formed, which still haunt the imagination of contemporaries.
Uzhgorod castle, Uzhgorod
The legend about the Uzhgorod castle tells about the cruelty of Count Druget towards his daughter. The girl was immured alive in the castle walls for unconscious treason - the issuance of castle secrets to her beloved, who turned out to be an enemy governor. According to another version - because she did not want to become the wife of a prince, but gave her heart to a simple guy. And the worst thing is that in the 17th century, when the Drugets ruled and when the Poles attacked Uzhgorod, there really was a custom to wall up people in the fortress walls. Allegedly in order to increase the defense capability of the structure ...
The castle in Nevitsky is shrouded in legends about the insufferable filthy girl and daughters-in-law, whom he allegedly protected. The rotten girl, as folk legends say, was called the Turkish princess, who ruled in the castle. She ordered that eggs and milk be added to the defensive walls for strength. The walls were fortified, but hunger began among the people ... Another story tells about the Nevichanskaya maiden, the young mistress of the castle. Running away from a forced marriage, she threw herself into the abyss right here.
Monks-knights Templars, monks of the Order of St. Paul, feudal lords, Uzhgorod magnates... The Serednyansky castle could not resist all its owners and those historical collisions that over seven centuries fell on its fate. The ruins of the fortress could tell us, for example, about a beautiful and cunning young lady: they say she once lived here. But even cunning did not save the girl from the murderer-father, who walled up people in the castle dungeons. By the way, Transcarpathians still say that some underground passages connected as many as four castles of Transcarpathia - Uzhgorod, Nevitsky, Serednyansky and Mukachevo.
Mukachevo Castle, like a living fairy tale, rises on a large lonely volcano that has long since fallen asleep forever. Nevertheless, they still talk about him as a "mountain of torment" poured by the hard work of the peasants. Another story about torment says that people suffered during construction because of the steep mountain, on which stones had to be pulled. There are also many legends about the castle well, where, they say, the devil himself found water in order to later destroy Prince Koryatovich.
About the castle of Saint Miklos they say that a walled human skeleton was found within its walls. It seems that in the Middle Ages, people thought that a person immured in the castle walls becomes the patron-keeper of the fortress and did not consider this case to be murder. But a more romantic history of the castle is connected with lovers - Count Imre Tekeli and Princess Ilona Zrini. It was here that they first met and fell in love... At least, that's what the legends say, thanks to which the fortress was dubbed the "castle of love." Now the fortress is being actively revived and receives guests.
The most interesting legend about the Khust castle has certain historical roots. It is connected with the family in which the notorious Count Dracula was born. Dracula's mother - Vlad Tepes - really comes from these lands, which are now divided between Ukraine and Romania, and were once called Maramorosh. And Dracula's grandfather, Bogdan from the Sas family, the Maramorosh governor, could well live in the castle. But is it true that his grandson then hid his treasures here and did evil deeds? It is unlikely, although the version is intriguing.
The Vinogradov fortress is now just a fascinating memory, little of it remains. The ruins and the cross stand alone on the Black Mountain, but you still want to touch them. Vinogradov legends say that the castle was built during the time of the glorious Hungarian king, whom we know as St. Stephen. But over time, this castle became only an object of struggle and wars - and then it fell into decay.
The royal castle also did not know the mercy of history. Its powerful walls did not even retain their outlines. But the legend about him is among the most romantic, because it is about King Vladislav and the beautiful Caroline. It is surprising that the legend is not tragic - a meeting, love, marriage and kids follow one after another in it. It is only unknown what happened to the royal family next - the tragedy befell them during one of the Tatar invasions. They say that the noble couple with the princes somewhere under the castle walls fell asleep forever.
This non-existent castle in Vyshkovo (a village not far from Khust, famous for its unique architectural monument - a wooden Reformed Church) had a certain common feature with the fortresses of Khust, Vinogradov and Korolev. It was also a "salt" castle - designed to protect salt mining in Transcarpathia. Castle legends are associated with twelve robbers who once occupied the mountain where the Vishkovskaya fortress stood. The robbers mocked the peasants, and a daughter was stolen from one owner and brought to the castle. She cursed, and prayed, and asked ... And suddenly such a storm covered the castle that it destroyed it. Only ruins remained of the fortress.
To see the remains of Minta Castle in Kvasovo over the Borzhava River, you should hurry. A few more years and there might be nothing left of him at all. People say that once there lived one unfortunate rich man. Dying, he cursed his good. And no one could either get it or capture the castle ... So the stronghold disappeared for centuries.
The remains of the Borzhava castle in the village of Vary are located a 25-minute drive from the town of Beregovo, famous for its healing thermal waters. It is almost on the border with Hungary. According to legend, Batu Khan destroyed the castle in 1241. Legends tell the tragic story of the unhappy marriage of the Borzhavian prince Chernohor and the Galician princess Milota. The unfortunate princess loved another - and in a tragic combination of circumstances, she died during the Hungarian attack precisely at the hands of her beloved.
The castle in Bronka (28 km from Irshava) has almost not been preserved at all, only barely noticeable ruins of walls and foundations have remained from it. Nobody knows the time of its appearance. It could also be the period of the ancient state of Dacia, which later became part of the Roman Empire. The treasures of the Bronetsky castle are shrouded in tragic legends, its fate and death, even about why the fortress fell, only its ruins know for sure. Not without tragic love: the knight-robber Brinda allegedly died here, cheating on his beloved with another. The unfortunate girl took revenge by denouncing him to the authorities. Together with Brinda, the secret of the treasures he stole, which the Transcarpathian Robin Hood hid somewhere in the armored dungeons, perished.
The remains of the Slavic settlement (8-9 centuries) on the outskirts of the village of Belki, Irshavsky district (this is one of the largest villages in Ukraine with a rich history, located 10 km from Irshava), only a folk legend has remained. The peasants built a castle on the mountain to escape their enemies. They called that mountain Gorodishche. When the village was attacked by a powerful Tatar horde, women and children dug an underground passage under the castle while the men held the line. So everyone was saved - but the castle, they say, fell into the ground, now even traces of it are no longer visible.
In addition to the classical fortresses of Transcarpathia, well-known similar architectural structures, but of a different type, are of interest - in particular, the Dolzhansky castle-palace and the hunting castle-palace in the Beregvar tract (Shenbornov Castle).
Countless legends have been preserved about the disappeared and mythical fortresses of Transcarpathia. These are, for example, the mysterious Cat's Castle near Chernecha Mountain (Mukacheve region) and the Owl's Castle in the village of Antalovtsi near Uzhgorod. There are legends among the people about the Castle of the Gentile on Mount Stremtura near Irshava, the Beylev Castle (Beylovar) in the village of Belovartsy, Tyachevsky District. They also talk about the Galaborsky kashtel (that is, the castle-palace) in the village of Galabor near Berehove and other settlements, castles and fortifications in Ardanov, Malaya Kopan, Vyshkov, Dedovo, Velikiye Beregy ... Transcarpathia is shrouded in legends, as if in a cradle - and it is they were and are an indispensable feature of this mysterious land with a magical unique charm.
