Castles of the Carpathians and Transcarpathia. Castles of Transcarpathia. Serednyanskaya Tower of the Templars
Castles in the Carpathians are a separate topic. There are generally quite a lot of castles in Ukraine, especially in the Ternopil region. This was due to the border position of the area at one time. The magnates were allocated lands with the obligatory condition of constructing a defensive castle. But our site is about the Carpathians, so 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 located on a plain in Transcarpathia, but given the short 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 Uzhan valley, on a ledge of a mountain rising above the Uzh River, rise the ruins of the ancient Nevitsky castle, to which a steep stone road leads along a serpentine road.
In ancient times, this castle occupied an important strategic position. From its walls it was possible to control the exit from the Uzhan 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 the village. Average in Transcarpathia
What makes the history of Srednyansky Castle especially exotic is the fact that it was built by one of the most mysterious Christian military orders - the Order of the Templars and, according to one legend, it was in this castle that they hid the Holy Grail. Members of this order, founded in 1096, played a leading role in many battles of the Crusades.
Built in the 12th century, the castle in the village. Srednye is the only castle in Transcarpathia that retains the features of the Romanesque style.
The hallmark of the city is the ruins of the Khust castle-fortress, glorified in legends - a monument of architecture and urban planning of the 12th-15th centuries. The city was formed around Castle Hill. The ancient street layout of Khust was based on trade routes that led to Galich, Lviv, Kamenets-Podolsky, Mukachevo, Hungary, and Transylvania.
Getting to the castle is easy - it is not too far from the railway station, and any local resident will show you the way. To do this you will have to overcome a long but not steep climb. From the hill there is an amazing view of the city and surrounding area, and in the distance, covered with haze, you can see mountains with a river flowing under them.
All the castles of Transcarpathia were always like forts-guards of this land. The skin from them has been used for hundreds of years - but never again! - having acquired legends. And no matter how rich historical science is, many of these myths still cannot be explained or simply explained...
Walled-up virgins and underground pits, crooked traces of the Dracula family and a mountain of torment - all the legends of Transcarpathia can be recounted. They are more familiar with the castle predilections of the histories of all the lands and powers that have been here, the myths of the castle-palaces, the hidden chambers of ancient fortified strongholds. Thus, over the course of history, dozens (not hundreds) of mystical prophecies have been formed, so that they do not give peace to the reality of the present day.
Uzhgorod Castle, Uzhgorod
The legend speaks of the cruelty of Count Drugeth in marrying his daughter. The girl was walled up alive in the castle walls for unknown danger - apparently the castle's hiding place was hidden by the khan, who had appeared as an enemy commander. For another version - for those who did not want to become the prince’s squad, but gave their heart to a simple lad. And the worst thing is that in the 17th century, when the Drugets ruled and when the Poles attacked Uzhgorod, they would have rightly immured people at the fortification wall. Nothing for the advancement of defense defense...
Nevitsky Castle, Nevitsk
Spread with legends about the unbearable filthy daughter-in-law, who stole some wines. Pogan-girls, as folk tales say, were nicknamed the Turkish princess, who ruled the castle. Vaughn ordered that eggs and milk be added to the defense muri for meat. The walls became stronger, and hunger began among the people... There is no other way to talk about the Nevichanskaya maiden, the young lady of the castle. Running into the Primus Slut, she jumped into the gap right there.
Dzherelo photo: myplanet.com.ua.
Templar Castle, Seredne
The monks-knights of the Templars, members of the Order of St. Paul, feudal lords, Uzhgorod magnates... failed to stand up to all their rulers and these historical conflicts that have befallen their lot in this history. The ruins of the fort could have told us, for example, about the beautiful and cunning lady: over there, it seems, if she was procrastinating. But the cunning did not lie to the girl from the murderer-father, who immured people in the castle dungeons. Before speaking, the Transcarpathian people confirm that underground passages undercut several castles of Transcarpathia - Uzhgorod, Nevytsky, Serednyansky and Mukachivsky.
Dzherelo photo: mapio.net, author - SergeyUA.
Palanok Castle, Mukachevo
The fairy tale is alive, hanging on the great Samotno volcano, which has long since fallen asleep forever. Tim is no lesser, everyone talks about him as about the “mountain of torment” that the villagers suffered through the hard work. Another story about the torment is that people suffered during waking hours by trudging across a steep mountain, due to the need to pull stones. There are also a number of legends about the castle well, where the devil himself knew what to do and then brought misfortune to Prince Koryatovich.
Dzherelo photo: photo-mandry.com.ua.
Castle St. Miklos, Chynadijevo
They say that a human skeleton was found immured in its walls. It seems that in the Middle Ages people thought that the person immured in the castle walls was the patron-guardian of the fort and did not respect it by killing it. The richly romantic history of the castle is connected with the deceased - Count Imre Tekeli and Princess Ilona Zrina. It was here that the stench first got together and shook one another... Hire, so it seems, the legends, the leaders of such a fortress, dubbed the “Castle of Kohannya”. Now the fortress is actively reviving and receiving guests.
Dzherelo photo: tourinform.org.ua.
Khust Castle, Khust
The true legend about my song has historical roots. She is related to the family in which the woeful Count Dracula was born. Dracula's mother - Vlad the Impaler - was truly from these lands, which were divided between Ukraine and Rumunia, and were called Maramorosh. And Dracula's grandfather , Bogdan iz The family of Sas, the Maramorsky voivode, lingered in the castle for a long time. Are they really the ones who then found their treasures here and did evil things? Hardly, although the version is intriguing.
Trying a graphic design for the castle. Dzherelo photo: wikipedia.org.
Castle Kankiv, Vynohradiv
Nina is a very spluttering friend, she lost a lot from her. The ruins and crossroads are lonely to stand on, but you still want to poke around them. Vinogradiv legends say that the castle was rebuilt during the hours of the glorious Ugric king, known as St. Stephen. But soon this castle became no longer a target for warfare and war - and then it fell.
Dzherelo photo: ua-travels.livejournal.com, author Yaroslav Kozak.
Nyalab Castle, Korolevo
Also without knowing the mercy of history. Those heavy moors never saved their outlines. There is a legend about him - among the most romantic ones, about King Vladislav and the beautiful Caroline. It is amazing that the legend is not tragic - the sustrich, the kohannya, the lovers and the children follow one after another in it. It is unknown what happened to the royal homeland further away - the tragedy befell them during one of the Tatar raids. They say that the nobles made friends with the princes here under the castle walls and fell asleep forever.
Dzherelo photo: hram-ua.com.
Vyshkovsky Castle, Vyshkovo
This incredible castle near Vishkovo (a village not far from Khust, with a unique architectural monument -) in the song of the whole picture with the forts of Khust, Vinogradova and the Queen. This is also called the “salt” castle - the cry to bury the extraction of salt in Transcarpathia. Castle legends are associated with twelve robbers who occupied the mountain where the Vyshkivska fortress stood. The robbers were worried about the villagers, and they kidnapped one ruler’s daughter and took her to the castle. She cursed, she prayed, she begged... And such a storm covered the castle that it devastated her. The ruins themselves lost the fort.
Minta Castle, Kvasovo
If you want to get some extra money in Kvasovo over the Borzhava River, hurry up. Just a few more rocks, and from this new one we may not lose anything. People seem to think that if only one unfortunate rich man is procrastinating here. Dying, cursing his goodness. And no one could get away with it or seize the castle... So the stronghold disappeared for centuries.
Dzherelo photo: zamki-kreposti.com.ua.
Borzhavsky Castle, Vari
The remains of the Borzhavsky castle near the village of Vary were collected in 25 villages from the town of Beregov, known to their people. This place is on the border with Ugorshchina. Due to the transfers, Khan Batiy lost the castle, and it became the same in 1241. Legends tell the tragic story of the unlucky love affair between the Borzhavian prince Chornohora and the Galician princess Miloti. The unfortunate princess loved someone else - and through a tragic breakdown of circumstances, she died under the hour of the Ugric attack, right under the hands of the khan.
Dzherelo photo: mapio.net.
Bronetsky Castle, Bronka
(28 km from Irshava) the area was not preserved at all, as the visible ruins of walls and foundations lost ice. No one knows the time of his appearance. This was the period of the ancient power of Dacia, which later became the Roman Empire. Tragic legends tell the tales of the Bronetskogo Castle's sorrows, its share and destruction, stories about those for whom the fortress fell, no one knows for sure about its ruins. There was also a tragic kohanna: here the robber Brinda died, having married his kohana to another. The unfortunate girl took revenge with a denunciation against the new ruler. At once, the cache of stolen treasures disappeared from Brinda, like the Transcarpathian Robin Hood hovering here in the armored dungeons.
Ukrainian Carpathians And Transcarpathia- this is the territory with centuries-old history, with their traditions, legends And rituals. These places are famous for their locks, palaces and ancient fortresses, from the gray of centuries towering above the beautiful forests, fields and impassable mountains.
Talking about 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 a branch of the Lviv Art Gallery is located. The following famous films were also filmed on its territory: "The Three Musketeers", "King Stach's Wild Hunt", "Time to Gather Stones" And "Boris Godunov". Olesskylock located near the village Olesko, Bussky area, Lviv areas.
Well preserved Renaissancecastle, surrounded defensive structures. This is where 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 is museum-reserve, department Lviv Art Gallery located in the city Zolochev, Lvovskaya region.
Monument defense architecture Built in the 15th-17th centuries. Initially lock was built as fortress, but after reconstruction in the 17th century it lost its original appearance. The film was also filmed on its premises. "Three Musketeers" is located in a village in Svirzh, Lviv region.
Erected in 1880 according to the design of the French architect Ludwig de Verny with the participation of the Polish architect Julian Cybulski. Previously, on the site of the palace there was a small estate that belonged to Alfred Józef Potocki. The Potocki Palace is located on Kopernik Street, 15 in Lviv.
Built in the 16th century Stanislav Herburt. After the section Poland was dismantled by order Austrian government. The octagonal entrance tower fortresses, fragments walls 2 m thick, and also foundations three other towers and ditch is at the top high forested 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. Leftovers Tustan fortress are located near the village Urych, Skolevsky district Lviv region, near the city Borislav.
Built in XIII century. Lock rises on top of a hill, above the river valley Already, in place more early wooden fortification. located near the village Kamenica, Transcarpathian region, 12 km northeast of Uzhgorod.
Built in Middle Ages tycoons Drugethi. Lock repeatedly was rebuilt, nowadays open as museum. Lock located in the very heart cities Uzhgorod, V Transcarpathia.
Serednyansky Castle
Built in the 12th century. Knights Templar. Lock forms a quadrangular donjon tower, the height of which reaches 20 m, the thickness of the walls is 2.6 m. It is considered one of main attractions of Transcarpathia, although it is in very deplorable condition. Serednyansky Castle located in the village Average, Uzhgorod area, Transcarpathian areas.
First mentioned in documents 11th century. Lock rises on the mountain in ulcanic origin 68 m high and covers an area of 13,930 m². located in the city Mukachevo, Transcarpathian areas.
Built in XV century. Around castle were built earthworks And ditches, and on the southern side it was protected by a river Latoritsa. Long time lock used as a prison. Lock located in the town Chinadievo, V Mukachevo area, Transcarpathian areas.
Erected in 1895 by Earl Schönborn. In past - residence And hunting house. Today (since 1946) in Schönborn Castle sanatorium located "Carpathians". Lock located on the southern slope wooded mountains, in the tract Beregvar, namely in the village Carpathians, Mukachevo district, Transcarpathian region.
No strategic role didn't have a castle. It was ordinary fortress feudal knight, from where it was convenient to attack merchants who were walking "by salt" river valley Tissa located on the bank of the river Borzhava, in the village Kvasov, Beregovsky area, Transcarpathian areas.
Once upon a time lock had the shape quadrangle with massive square towers on the corners. The length of the castle was 50 meters, and the width is 44.6 meters. Until our time, the building has reached very ruined condition located at the foot of 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 it built on second floor And towers located near Vinogradova, Transcarpathian region, on the way to Black Mountain, in a cozy park with exotic trees.
Located in the village Korolevo, Vinogradovsky district, Transcarpathian areas. In the 9th-10th centuries in place Nyalab Castle was located Slavic settlement. At the end of the 12th century fortification a wooden one was built royal hunting lodge, from which village Korolevo and got its name. In the 14th century, a building was erected in its place stone fortress. In 1672 the castle was almost completely destroyed after suppressing the tycoons' conspiracy.
Fortification, built in XI-XII centuries. Lock was built as hungarian royal fortress for guard "salt path" from Solotvina and surrounding areas. located in the city Khust, Transcarpathian areas.
Also known as Bronkovo Castle. The fortress was first mentioned in 1273. According to one version lock was fortified guard post. Until our times, unfortunately, almost not preserved located near the village Bronka, Irshavsky district, Transcarpathian areas.
Erected to 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 remain ancient walls located near the village Long, Irshavsky area, Transcarpathian areas.
Built in the second half of the 16th century by Polish feudal lords Kuropatwami. In the 17th century, after many rebuildings and reconstructions lock achieved his goal heyday. During Polish-Turkish During the 17th century 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.
All the castles of Transcarpathia were once built as guardian fortresses of this land. Each of them spans centuries of existence – even non-existence! - became surrounded by legends. And no matter how successful historical science has been, many of these myths still can neither be substantiated nor refuted...
Walled-up maidens and underground groans, bloody traces of the Dracula family and a mountain of torment - all the legends of Transcarpathia cannot be listed. Moreover, the castle passions were supplemented by the stories of all the countries and authorities that visited here, the myths of castle-palaces, the secrets of fortifications that disappeared in ancient times. Thus, over the centuries, dozens (if not hundreds) of mystical tales have been formed, which still haunt the imagination of contemporaries.
Uzhgorod Castle, Uzhgorod
Countless legends have been preserved about the disappeared and mythical fortresses of Transcarpathia. This, for example, is the mysterious Cat Castle near Chernecha Mountain (Mukachevo region) and the Owl Castle in the village of Antalovtsy near. There are also legends among the people about the Pagan Castle on Mount Stremtur near Irshava, Beylev Castle (Beilovar) in the village of Belovartsy. They also talk about the Galabor kastel (that is, a castle-palace) in the village of Galabor near Berehovo and other fortifications, castles and fortifications in Ardanov, Mala Kopan, Vyshkov, Dedova, Velyki Berega... Transcarpathia is shrouded in legends, as in the cradle - and they are were and are an indispensable feature of this mysterious region with a magical, unique charm.
Castles of Transcarpathia are architectural monuments of incredible beauty and significant historical value. They were built at different times, by different rulers and even by masters of different nations. This is their value and attractiveness. There are more than a dozen castles in Transcarpathia. Some of them have survived, alas, only in the form of ruins. And individual castles are still impressive and put you in a romantic mood.
Schönborn Castle
Where: village of Karpaty, Mukachevo district, Transcarpathian region
The palace of the Counts of Schönborn - also called Beregvar - served as the residence and hunting lodge for this noble family. It was built in the neo-romantic style, with a combination of Gothic and Romanesque architecture, and looks as if it came straight out of the pages of an adventure-romantic saga about princesses, heroes and dragons.
Schönborn Castle (photo by Oleg Zhariya)
In 1946, the Schönborn Palace was turned into a sanatorium. Since then, it has been no less famous in Ukraine and the world as a mineral resort. In addition, during the Soviet era, Count Schönborn’s castle was often used as a backdrop for filming: “The Snow Queen” and “Seventeen Moments of Spring” were filmed here.
It is interesting that the building of Schönborn Castle was created according to the astronomical principle: each element of the structure, except for the practical one, has a symbolic meaning: the number of windows is 365 - according to the number of days of the year. Another bricked-up window in case of a leap year. There are 52 chimneys in the palace (how many weeks are there in a year). There are 12 entrances - according to the number of months, and 4 towers in the corners of Schönburn Castle correspond to the 4 seasons.
Top view of the castle of the Counts of Schönborn (photo Romawa Revival-After-Murder)
Schönborn Castle has its own romantic and scary legends. One of them says that once a very jealous count, the owner of the estate, forced his wife to prove her fidelity in a strange way - to go down from the Falcon Rock, a steep stone wall opposite the palace. The woman did this without being injured, thus proving her honesty. But then she left the count for such a disdainful attitude towards her life. And after death she returned to the palace in the form of a ghost - a woman in black.
But on the territory of Schönborn Castle there are other interesting things: in particular, the “Source of Beauty” - a pump room with healing mineral water.
The easiest way to get to the castle of the Counts of Schönborn is by car or rail.
Mukachevo Castle "Palanok"
Where: Mukachevo city, Transcarpathian region, st. Pidzamkova
Palanok Castle, or as it is also called, Mukachevo Castle, is one of the most valuable historical and military-architectural monuments of Transcarpathia from the 14th to 17th centuries. The first mentions of the castle in documents date back to the 11th century.
At different times, Palanok Castle belonged to famous historical characters: Prince Fyodor Koryatovich II, Count Nikolai Esterhazy, and the princes of Rakoczi.
Castle of palanoks (photo Wikipedia)
The most famous and most mysterious object of the Mukachevo Castle is the 85-meter well. The legend says that when during one of the sieges of the castle (and Palanok has seen many of them in his time), it became necessary to dig a well - the workers could not get to the water for a very long time. The devil came to Prince Koryatovich and offered to fill the well with water in exchange for a bag of gold. And since the prince did not have not only a bag, but even a bag of gold, the count’s guilty subjects advised: the devil did not specify what the bag should be. Therefore, they threw the last two gold coins into the bag and gave it to the unclean one. But the devil was offended by such a fraud, and with the words “Don’t drink water anyway,” he jumped into the well. And until this time, every evening there is a terrible howl from resentment.
The deepest well in Transcarpathia is in Palanok Castle (photo mukachevo.net)
Now on the territory of the Mukachevo Castle there is a state historical and architectural reserve. Large groups of tourists walk here every day, and especially on weekends. Therefore, if you want to explore Palanok more or less alone, come early on a weekday.
Uzhgorod Castle
Where: Uzhgorod city, Transcarpathian region, st. Kapitulna
Uzhgorod Castle is also a majestic landmark among fortifications. The first mentions of it are in documents of the 9th century. Then it was a wooden structure. And at the turn of the 10th-11th centuries a stone fortress was already erected.
Uzhgorod Castle from a bird's eye view (photo from the website of the Transcarpathian Museum of Local Lore)
Uzhgorod Castle is the most outstanding exhibit of the Transcarpathian Local History Museum. At the same time, it is the oldest and most valuable historical and architectural structure of the city of Uzhgorod. At the end of the 16th century, the castle finally acquired its modern appearance. On three sides the fortress is surrounded by a dry ditch cut into the rock, 15-20 meters wide and 5-10 meters deep, and on the east there is a steep cliff. The fortress has an area of two and a half hectares. The palace itself stands on the edge of the steep northern slope of Castle Hill. This is a massive two-story building in the Renaissance style. And the palace has over 40 rooms.
Knightly tournaments are held on the territory of the Uzhgorod Castle - during the “Day of Museums” (photo from the website of the Transcarpathian Museum of Local Lore)