Kamyanets-Podilsky castle

Kamyanets-Podilsky, one of the oldest cities in the Ukraine, is considered a phenomenon of great cultural importance. A rocky island skirted by the tight loop of the Smotrich River flowing in a picturesque canyon, served as a unique pedestal on which over more than a thousand years both well-known and anonymous masters created a miracle in stone. Kamyanets-Podilsky is striking for the harmonious blend of landscape and architecture. The Old City's past is full of mystery. The precise age of Kamyanets-Podilsky has not until recently been ascertained. Some historians claimed that the city was founded at the beginning of our era by the Dacians during the Roman-Dacian wars. Allegedly, it was named Petridava or Klepidava (from the Greek "petra" or the Latin "lapis" meaning "stone" and the Dacian "dava" meaning "city").

In 1196, early Old Rus chronicles mentioned Kamyanets as one of the cities belonging to the Gali-cian-Volhynian principality. The city survived the tide of Batu Khan invasion. Ruins of the 12th-13th -century fortifications were unearthed in the grounds of the castle, while in the central section of the Old City the restorers encountered wooden dwellings of the same period destroyed by fire. In the 14th-18th centuries, due to the favorable geographic position, Kamyanets-Podilsky was coveted by numerous invaders who considered the city a fine stronghold. After a short period under the rule of the Lithuanian feudal lords from 1374 to 1430, ) the city labored under the Polish j yoke (1434-1793). Polish masters marked their protracted rule by building numerous churches, dwellings and fortified structures which, to a great extent, defined the general aspect of the city. Turkish rule, short as it was, 1672- 1699, also left its imprint on the city's architecture. As early as the beginning of the 15th century, the main principles of the city planning and construction were established in accordance with Old Rus tradition which predominated over both West European and Muslim architectural traditions. During its century-long history, the city greatly suffered from destruction and rebuilding. However, the old section has in the main preserved its unique architectural aspect.

In 1977, to preserve the historical and architectural heritage of the city which numbers over 200 monuments, Kamyanets-Podilsky was proclaimed a historical and architectural preserve.

You cannot imagine Kamyanets-Podilsky without the famous Old Castle, a unique fortified structure of the 11th-18th centuries. The Castle was laid out on a rocky cape near the narrow isthmus, which was crossed by the main road to the Old City. Stone fortifications of the 11th century, which replaced the even older ones didn't resemble the present-day stronghold of eleven towers united by high walls. Remnants of Old Rus fortification were found in different sections of the Castle: e.g., the remains of the wall with loop holes in the Denna Tower, and the ruins of the Small Oval Tower - in the middle of the Castle court near the Laska Tower.

Many historical events and names of prominent figures are associated with the Kamyanets Castle. In 1711 Peter the Great visited the Castle and was very impressed by its fortifications. There are also many legends about the Papska Tower which is also referred to as the Karmalyuk Tower.

Monuments of civil architecture in Kamyanets-Podilsky are represented by several monumental structures, as well as by varied housing estates. The oldest of them is the building of the Ukrainian Polish magistracy situated in the Central Square, former Ukrainian (later Polish) Market. The Market Square was begun prior to the Batu Khan invasion, while the city hall appearance was the result of the construction work in the mid-or the latter half of the 14th century. The city hall in Kamyanets is the oldest one preserved in the Ukraine. Its exterior appearance manifests different architectural idioms, subsequently applied to the original Gothic-style structure.

One of the construction periods in the mid-18th century was associated with the activities of Jan de Witt, a military engineer and architect, commandant of the fortress. Another structure beautifying the market square is the Triumphal Gate which leads into the grounds of the Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. The Gate was erected in 1781 in honour of the visit of the King Stanislas II Augustus. The inscription under the arch reminds our contemporaries of this event. The author of this arch executed in the late Baroque style may also have been Jan de Witt.