Zolochiv Castle

Within the town of Zolochiv, on Ternopil’- L’viv route, there is Zolochiv Castle. If you are interested in ancient castles or their legends, you are well advised to use a touristic route arranged in L’viv Oblast and well known as “Zolota Pidkova”, which consists of three attractions: Oles’k, Pidgorets’k and Zolochiv Castles.

You will certainly enjoy visiting the castle in Zolochiv. It is surrounded by high walls and its 5-pointed bastions crown watchtowers, which in former times were used for their purpose. Zolochiv Fortress suffered from Tatars and Turks assaults up to the year of 1599, when a noble family of Sobes’ki completely rebuilt the castle-fortress. That time a dirt-wall appeared, rounded by boulders of stone. Despite fortifications, every detail in castle’s interior remind of paradise. Yet in the 17th century Zolochiv Castle was a royal residence, thus, under the direction of Yan III, the Polish King, a two-storied palace in Renaissance style with sewerage and fender heating was built. The royal family used to visit the castle. The king has erected Chinese (Pink) castle and a beautiful garden around the building for Maria Kazamira, his wife.

The residence is in a good shape; therefore while visiting it you might feel yourself as a real member of a royal family. Go along a wooden bridge situated above a deep ditch to an arc located further, so you could see a beautiful garden, which was decorated and moderated by gardeners the same way it looked several centuries ago: alleys and green lawns harmonize accurately with fountains of stone, sculptures and clipped bushes. Everything is made in the style of late Renaissance. Stone flags with emblems of previous owners on watchtowers remind us of the royal origin of the castle-fortress.

In Zolochiv Castle everything draws your attention. You will notice two stones. You might think, they are simple stones, but do not pass them by! These stones had been found in the forest near Novoselky village and carried to the garden in Zolochiv Castle. A gothic inscription, which is undiscovered up to these days, is carved on one of the stones. The second one has two interlaced wreathes to symbolize the life and the death. In the middle of the stone there is a hole. So, if you turn your finger in the hole towards the blackthorn wreath, a material dream comes true; if to turn the finger to the floral wreath – a romantic dream will be realized. Do not miss your chance!

Chinese Palace is of a great significance, as it is one of rare examples of eastern architecture on the territory of Ukraine. You can visit a museum of eastern culture, where the rarest exhibits from China, Japan, India, and other countries are presented.

You may freely visit Big Palace with interior in the style of Renaissance; the royal family had a rest in its rooms and, though, they are decorated in a plain and laconic way, their lacquer wooden furniture, modelled fireplaces and many other things reproduce greatness of past times.

Zolochiv Castle is an architectural, historical and cultural sight, one of gems of Western Ukraine, which should definitely be included into your touristic route along lands of L’viv region.