Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle

Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle
Кам'янець-Подільський замок
Khmelnytskyi Oblast
Seven of the castle's original twelve towers dominate over the surrounding Smotrych River canyon landscape.
Coordinates48°40′24″N 26°33′45″E / 48.67333°N 26.56250°E / 48.67333; 26.56250
TypeCastle
Site history
Built 
Map

Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle (Ukrainian: Кам'янець-Подільська фортеця; Polish: twierdza w Kamieńcu Podolskim; Lithuanian: Podolės Kameneco tvirtovė) is a former Ruthenian-Lithuanian[1] castle and a later three-part Polish fortress[2][3][4] located in the historic city of Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine, in the historic region of Podilia in the western part of the country. Its name is attributed to the root word 'kamin', from the Slavic word for 'stone'.

Historical accounts date Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle to the early 14th century, although recent archaeological evidence has proved human existence in the area back to the 12th or 13th century.[5] Initially built to protect the bridge connecting the city with the mainland,[6] the castle sits on top of a peninsula carved out by the winding Smotrych River, forming a natural defense system for Kamianets-Podilskyi's historic Old Town neighborhood.

Its location on a strategic transport crossroad in Podilia made the castle a prime target for foreign invaders, who rebuilt the castle to suit their own needs,[7] adding to its multicultural architectural diversity. Specifically, the complex consists of the Old Town fortified by King Casimir IV, the Old Castle rebuilt by Kings Sigismund I and Stephen Báthory, and the New Castle founded by Kings Sigismund III and Władysław IV.[2] However, in spite of the many architectural and engineering changes to the original structure, the castle still forms a coherent architectural design,[8][9] being one of the few medieval constructions in modern-day Ukraine that is relatively well preserved.[10]

Along with the Old Town neighborhood, the castle is listed as part of the National Historical-Architectural Reserve "Kamianets" and the National Environmental Park "Podilski Tovtry". The complex is a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site, nominated in 1989 by the Ukrainian representatives,[11] and also one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.[12] Today, Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle is the most recognized landmark of the city,[13] serving as an important regional and national tourist attraction.[14]

  1. ^ "Kam'ianets-Podilskyi historical". kampod.name (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2011-04-30. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  2. ^ a b Bochenek 1980, p. 93.
  3. ^ Welcome to Ukraine: About Kamianets-Podilskyi Archived 2013-05-13 at the Wayback Machine MIBS Travel
  4. ^ A trip to historic Kamianets-Podilskyi: crossroads of many cultures Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Roman Woronowycz, Kyiv Press Bureau.
  5. ^ Budzey 2005, p. 90
  6. ^ Solop, Viktor (December 11, 2009). "Fortress or castle?". Podilianyn (in Ukrainian). Kamianets-Podilskyi. p. 7. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  7. ^ Holovko 1973, p. 6.
  8. ^ Zharikov 1983–1986, p. 182.
  9. ^ "Great Ukrainian Castles". UAProperty.com. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  10. ^ "The fortress in Kamenets". Vinnytsia Oblast Universal Academic Library (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  11. ^ "Cultural Landscape of Canyon in Kamenets-Podilsk". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  12. ^ "National Historical-architectural Complex "Kamianets"". Seven Wonders of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2007-08-20. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
  13. ^ Budzey 2005, p. 89
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference bradt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).