Attractions of Zolochiv district

The Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Saint Joseph the Betrothed was built according to the project of the engineer Karol Romanus as a temple-tomb of the Rzevuskyi family (according to one version, the author of the project was Prince Vaclav Rzevuskyi himself).

Made in the Baroque style in the form of a rotunda, to which a 300-meter linden alley leads from the Pidhirtsi Castle. Figures of the Mother of God and Saint Joseph on columns are installed in front of the church. The main facade is decorated with a portico of 14 columns of the Corinthian order, on the attic of which 8 sculptures of saints by Fessinger and Leblas were installed (one of them was destroyed during the Second World War).

The interior of the Exaltation of Holy Cross Church has preserved frescoes by Lukash Smuhlevych and several Galician masters.

Since 1861, the temple was a parish church, in 1945 it was closed by the Soviet authorities. Currently, the church is under restoration, but you can get inside during services held by the Greek Catholic parish of the Church of the Blessed Mykola Charnetskyi and the New Martyrs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The Defense Church of the Holy Trinity was built in Olesko in 1481 in the Renaissance style. In 1625-1627, the then owner of Olesko, Ivan Danylovych, added two side chapels to the church, which were later consecrated in honor of the Most Holy Mother of God and Saint John the Theologian.

The church was heavily damaged during a fire in 1806, was rebuilt in 1809, but burned again in 1841 and was rebuilt in 1847. As a result of these events, the interior lost its original Gothic character and received support pillars that divide it into naves. In 1927, the church was once again modified during another restoration.

The main dominant feature of the building is the round defensive bell tower. The epitaph to Ivan Danylovych (1618) has been preserved.

In 1945, the Soviet authorities closed the temple and used it as a warehouse. In 1993, the church was handed over to the community of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Today, is the temple of the Holy Trinity of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The Museum-Kryivka of OUN-UPA Soldiers near the village of Havarechchyna was solemnly opened for the 65th anniversary of the UPA in 2007. It was at this place that on the night of February 17-18, 1947, Ivan Kernytsky (pseudonym "Krylatiy"), the representative of the regional district of the OUN, died in a battle with the Moscow invaders.

In a forest kryivka near Havarechchyna, the insurgents were preparing training materials and anti-election propaganda literature. A thorough reconstruction of the hiding place demonstrates the situation of a typical kryivka and the daily life of UPA fighters. The Gallery of Heroes was also opened, where portraits of fighters for the freedom and independence of Ukraine are presented and the history of the struggle of the UPA for the Ukrainian state is told.

A memorial complex was built nearby, a symbolic grave was filled and an oak cross with a commemorative tablet was installed.

Excursions are conducted by employees of the "Northern Podillya" National Nature Park.

Olesko Castle, which is part of the "Golden Horseshoe of Lviv Region", is one of the most famous castles in Ukraine. It is considered the only surviving stone fortress from the times of Ancient Rus' in Ukraine.

The medieval castle rises above the town of Olesko on a 50-meter hill, it is clearly visible from the road. Built in the XIII-XIV centuries. Galician-Volyn princes. The castle was first mentioned in 1327, when it became the property of Prince Yuriy II Boleslav. In the Middle Ages, the fortress was repeatedly attacked by Tatars, destroyed and rebuilt.

In the XVII century. Olesko Castle was owned by the magnates Danylovychs, who rebuilt it in its current form. In 1629 the grandson of Yan Danylovych, the future King of Poland Yan III Sobeskyi, was born here. Mykhaylo Khmil, Bohdan Khmelnytsky's father, served here.

The restoration of the castle after a strong earthquake in 1882 was carried out by the Polish Society for the Guardianship of the Castle in Olesko.

Since the 1970s, a branch of the Lviv National Art Gallery has been housed in Olesko Castle. In particular, the exhibition presents works by world-famous Ukrainian sculptor Ivan Pinzel.

The pearl of the collection is a huge (7.65 m x 7.3 m) battle canvas by Martino Altomonte "Battle of Vienna".

On the slopes of the hill is an Italian park with ancient and modern sculptures.

The magnificent monastic complex of the origin of the tree of the Cross of God (the former Dominican monastery) in the magnificent baroque style rises above Rozhenytsia Mountain on the outskirts of the village of Pidkamin.

The current architectural ensemble was formed in the 17th-18th centuries, however, according to one of the versions, the monastery was founded by Kyiv-Pechers monks back in the 13th century. The first mention of the wooden monastery of the Dominican Catholic order dates back to 1464, but it was soon burned down by the Tatars.

In 1612, the architect Pavlo Hizhitskyi and the engineer Hristian Dahlke began the construction of a new defensive monastery complex, which lasted for more than 80 years. The complex is dominated by the Church of the Ascension with a tall tower with a baroque spire, which can be seen from Pochaiv. The cells are adjacent to it, the bell tower, the chapel of Saint John Nepomuk (now the church of the New Martyr Nicholas) is located nearby. The complex is surrounded by walls with towers and bastions. In the center of the yard is a Corinthian column with the figure of the Mother of God (1719), and there is a 100-meter well on the territory. The monastery had a complex title - the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Cross of the God, the Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints. The main shrine was the miraculous icon of Our Lady of the Snows, which is now in Wroclaw.

In 1944, the monastery was closed by the Soviet authorities, a concentration camp for Ukrainian clergy was organized on the territory, where, in particular, Mykola Tsehelskyi, proclaimed a blessed martyr of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, was held. Later, a closed psychoneurological boarding school was established within the monastery walls, and the church was turned into a stable and even later into a garage. Grain was stored in one chapel, mineral fertilizers in another, and prison guard dogs were fed in another.

In 1997, the revival began with the efforts of a small brotherhood of Greek-Catholic monks of the Studite statute, and restoration is underway. In October 2022, the monastery bell tower restored with the funds of the European Union was consecrated.

Pidhirtsi Castle is the most beautiful castle of the "Golden Horseshoe of Lviv Region", a vivid example of the transition from defensive to palatial architecture of noble residences of the Renaissance era.

It was built according to the project of the Italian architect Andrea del Aqua and the military engineer Guillaume de Beauplan (author of the famous "Description of Ukraine" and compiler of the "General Map of Ukraine") for the Crown Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski on the northern outskirts of the ancient Rus Plisnesko Hillfort.

It was one of the most beautiful palaces on the territory of Eastern Europe, embodying the fashionable type of aristocratic residence at the time, which combined luxurious housing with bastion fortifications (the so-called palazzo in fortezza).

After the War of Liberation, the Sobieskis, who owned the castle since 1648, restored the palace and decorated the interiors. Grand balls were held here with the participation of European monarchs. The Russian Tsar Peter I, who visited here in 1711, took several sculptures by Italian masters to St. Petersburg and soon began the construction of the Petropalace. In 1728-1779, the new owner of Pidhirtsi, Wacław Rzewuski, carried out a large-scale reconstruction of the castle, began collecting a collection of sculptures and paintings, and also organized a private theater. At that time, Pidhirtsi became famous as the "Galician Versailles".

The last owners - princes Sanguszko - turned their residence into a museum, but at the beginning of the First World War they had to save the collection. In 1939, Roman Sanguszko took a rich collection of works of art to Brazil and created the Sanguszko Foundation, which is managed by his descendants.

During Soviet times, the palace was looted, the interiors were destroyed by fire, and a tuberculosis sanatorium was placed in the premises. In the Soviet TV series "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers", Pidhirtsi Castle played the role of the city hall, where a ball was held for the city elders, where a brave Gascon delivered the queen's diamond pendants (many believe that it was the Louvre or Versailles).

Now the Pidhirtsi Castle Museum-Reserve is a branch of the Lviv National Art Gallery. Since 1997, restoration and creation of a museum has been underway. A courtyard with a well, a terrace on the bastions, an exhibition of old photographs in the casemates, as well as the dungeon of the castle with the "White Lady" exhibition, which is dedicated to the legend of the ghost of the Pidhirtsi castle, are open to visitors.

The unique wooden church of Saint Archangel Michael in Kuty was preserved thanks to the students of the University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine, who managed to raise funds for its complete reconstruction in 2008. Until that time, the temple was in a deplorable condition.

This masterpiece of sacred architecture was created by the carpenter Hryhoriy Hebych from Sasiv in 1697. The temple is three-log, measuring 13.3 by 6.1 meters. In 1865, an arched gallery was added around the perimeter, which gave the Saint Michael's Church a romantic look.

Today, the Church of Archangel Michael has acquired its original appearance. The funds collected by the students were spent on covering the roof of the church, installing a fire protection system and alarm equipment. The following year, a small area around the temple was paved with cobblestones. Also, the old iconostasis of the 17th century, which was kept in the Olesko castle until now, was returned to the church. The solemn opening of the restored temple took place on September 26, 2010.

The memorial cemetery of the soldiers of the Halychyna SS division and the First Ukrainian Division of the Ukrainian National Army was opened in 1994 near Zolochiv, not far from the place where the division broke out of the encirclement in 1944.

The remains of more than 500 soldiers, including not only the division's fighters, but also Soviet soldiers and Wehrmacht servicemen who died in the battles near Brody, were reburied at the cemetery.

A chapel was built at the cemetery, on the walls of which four memorial plaques are mounted, which tell about the combat path of the "Halychyna" division.

The wonderfully preserved Zolochiv Castle is one of the key objects of the "Golden Horseshoe of Lviv Region" tourist route. It represents the neo-Dutch type of defensive structures and belongs to the monuments of the "palazzo in fortezzo" type, that is, it combines the functions of defense and housing.

The Renaissance fortress in Zolochiv was built in the first half of the 17th century by the Polish magnate Jakub Sobieski, the father of the future king of Poland Jan III Sobieski. It is a rectangular citadel with four bastions at the corners and walls along the perimeter, inside which there are residential and economic buildings.

In 1686, by order of King Jan III Sobieski, the castle was restored and decorated with works of art. His mistress for a long time was the wife of King Marie Casimire.

Since the XIX century, the castle began to decline, later used as a prison by the Austrian, Soviet, Polish and German authorities. At the end of the XX century. restoration was carried out.

The museum exhibits are located in the Grand Palace (a residential building with complex communications) and the Chinese Palace, which is made in a rare Eastern European style. The construction of palace toilets is of great interest to visitors.

In the yard there are stones found on the outskirts with mysterious Gothic writings (XV century), which the legend connects with the activities of the Knights Templar.

In front of the gate the castle ravelin (advanced fortification) was restored. Inside there is a cafe "Ravelin" and a souvenir shop, on top there is an observation deck.

Zolochiv Castle Museum-Reserve is a branch of the Lviv National Art Gallery.

The Brody Museum of Local History is located in an old tenement house on the central square of the city. The building was built in the 18th century for a Catholic monastery, then various administrative institutions were located here. A branch of the Brody Historical and Local Lore Museum is the Fedun family estate-museum in the village of Klekotiv.

The museum exposition in seven halls highlights the history of the region from the earliest times to the middle of the 20th century. Also presented is a photo gallery of attractions of the district, a panorama of "Brody of the XVII-XVIII centuries".

Of particular interest are materials devoted to the struggle for Ukraine's independence during the ZUNR period, as well as the activities of the OUN-UPA.

Employees of the Brody Historical and Local Lore Museum conduct tours of the city and Brody Castle.

The monastery of the Catholic order of Capuchins opposite the Olesko castle was built at the expense of Volyn Voivode Severyn Rzhevuskyi.

The project was developed by Podillya architect Martyn Dobravskyi. Construction was completed in 1739. The monastery complex consisted of the church of Saint Anthony, built in the Baroque style, and a square cell building with an inner courtyard.

In 1939, the monastery was closed. After 1945, an agricultural school was located here. Currently, the complex belongs to the Lviv National Art Gallery named after Borys Voznytskyi and is used as a storage facility, access is closed.

Ceramic workshop "ArtGava" of the potter Ivan Lukovsky in the village of Havarechchyna seeks to revive the traditions of this center of the famous Havarechchyna black-smoked ceramics, known for its stable black color and metallic luster.

The art of firing Havarechchyna ceramics has been passed down from generation to generation since ancient times. At the beginning of the 20th century, more than 40 potters and almost 70 kilns worked in Havarechchyna. But during Soviet times, this craft in the village almost disappeared. It was only thanks to the initiative of the "Lion Society" and individual enthusiasts that the ancient fishery was restored.

Ivan Lukovsky's workshop of Havarechchyna ceramics offers visitors to get acquainted with the technology of making ceramic dishes according to traditional local technology. Workshops on making clay products are held in the workshop. Excursions in Havarechchyna and dinners with fire-cooked dishes are offered.

The "Blue Windows" karst lakes (Blue Well, Khovanets) are located on the territory of the Northern Podillya National Nature Park among the hills that form the Voronyatsky Ridge.

They are located on the edge of the forest 2 kilometers southeast of the village of Yaseniv, 4 kilometers east of the village of Pidhirtsi. There are three lakes here, two of which are very close, and the third is a little further to the east. The lakes are natural monuments of local importance, although they do not have nature conservation status.

The name "Blue Windows" comes from the bright turquoise color of the water, which is most likely due to the dissolution of limestone rocks. The color of the water changes depending on the season. The depth of two unique reservoirs is approximately 3.5-3.8 meters. The water is cool and clear. The powerful perennial beeches of the northwestern edge of the Podillya Highlands adorn the blue water bodies.

In winter, the "Blue Windows" karst lakes do not freeze.

The Annunciation Basilian Monastery in Pidhirtsi, or simply the Pidhirtsi Monastery, was founded in the 17th century on the hill on which the ancient Rus city of Plisnesk (10th-13th centuries) stood during the early Middle Ages.

Back in 1180, Princess Olena, daughter of Prince Vsevolod of Belz, founded the first monastery at this place. The defensive ramparts of the hillfort have been partially preserved around. The baroque Saint Onufriy church with a sundial on the facade was built in 1750. A magnificent three-dimensional iconostasis with sculptures by Pavlo Hizhytskyi has been preserved.

In 1861, the first memorial service for the death of Taras Shevchenko in the western Ukrainian lands was held here.

Now the complex belongs to the Greek Catholic Church. The full name of the monastery is the Monastery of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the rank of Saint Basil the Great.

Excavations are underway on the site of an ancient Rus temple.

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the former Church of the Ascension) was founded in Zolochiv in 1730 together with the monastery and the collegium of piary.

After the liquidation of the Order of piary by the Austrian authorities in 1788, the church was closed, and warehouses were placed in the building. In 1838, the Roman Catholic parish moved here from the Resurrection Church, which was transferred to the Greek Catholics.

In Soviet times, it was the only functioning church between Lviv and Zbruch.

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is made in the magnificent late baroque style. During the restoration in 1878, a quadrangular tower with a clock made of hewn stone was erected on the main facade, a veneered pediment, a roof covered with galvanized sheet metal, and five stone sculptures were installed in the niches. The vaults of the nave and apse are richly decorated with carvings and paintings.