In 1605, a minor nobleman from Zhovkva — Mykhailo Khmelnytsky, father of the future hetman — entered the service of Ivan Danilovych, the owner of …
Perched on a hill amid the forests of the Lviv region stands a castle that does not look abandoned — but does not look alive …
The castle’s founder named it “Korab” (Ship). A rectangular structure amid ponds and marshes — and there is indeed something ship-like about this image: a …
The initials “JSKKSK” are carved into the bastions of Zolochiv Castle. These are the initials of the patron — Jakub Sobieski, Crown Chamberlain and Starost …
There is a date carved into the gatehouse tower of Svirzh Castle: “1530.” It is not the year the castle was founded, nor the year …
1392. Polish king Władysław Jagiełło granted the area to Grand Duke Švitrigaila. 1430. Švitrigaila granted the castle to his courtier, Jeło-Maliński. Then came the Maliński …
On July 3, 1766, a storm swept over Khust. The first bolt of lightning set the roof ablaze. The garrison feared the fire would reach …
Most castles were built on hills or cliffs — wherever nature offered an advantage. Mikołaj Sieniawski, in 1534, chose a marsh. Thousands of oak piles …
On April 15, 1540, Polish king Sigismund I granted Grand Crown Hetman Jan Amor Tarnowski permission to found a town and build a castle in …
The town is called “Ostroh” — from the Old Rus’ word “ostrih”: a sharpened-stake fence, a palisade around a fortification. In other words, the town …
The town of Nadvirna got its name from the castle. The Kuropatwa magnates lived in the fortress — and their “dvirnia” (servants) settled nearby. The …