Medzhybizh Fortress

Majestic fortress known as White Swan stands, as if being lost in time, by confluence of the South Bug and the Buzhok Rivers in Khmel’nyts’k region. It is an ancient fortress in a small Medzhybizh town, which reminds a swan in reflection of the rivers. Once, walls of the fortress were impregnated with a mix of crushed brick and limestone solution, consequently its colour was white; that is why from afar the fortress resembled a white swan. It bears the same name up to the present day (in Ukrainian “Bilyi Lebid”); though since those times that whiteness has vanished and the rivers are not so wide now.

In 1362, the Koriatovych princes started to build Medzhybizh Fortress. That time it was smaller than the present one and today we can observe only its Donjon tower. Gradually, the next owners of the erection widened and strengthened the fortress as it was necessary to defend against the Tatars. On the whole, the sight we can see for this moment is a merit of Syniavs’kyi Polish gentlemen, who used to be the owners of the town for about 200 years and benefited development both a fortress system strengthening and the town itself. They were great strategists and rulers.

In the 16th century in Medzhybizh lots of crafts flourished prospering arrangement of fairs, tournaments, trade with many cities including L’viv. Thus, two times a year the fortress revives to the sounds of swards and tramp of horses, murmur of traders, as it is the period to hold festivals with knightly tournaments. An ancient festival “Drevniy Medzhybizh” dedicated to the Independence Day of Ukraine takes place in August. At the beginning of January, after Christmas there is “Zymova Vezha Festival” to be held. Both of the festivals are quite colourful and interesting for tourists. You’ll have opportunity to see different battles, games, amusements, folk-concerts, fairs, master classes of traditional crafts. Each year the festival program differs from the previous ones so visitors can expect to be surprised: competitions among archers, arbalesters, contests of costumes and dances, a staged assault of the fortifications and the others.

You can expect wonderful views of Medzhybizh and its beautiful lands from the observational tower. Till the present day three towers, two buildings of the castle, its church, an arch bridge to enter and fortifications have been preserved. All of these served not only to defend, but also to live in; remains of the luxury prove it: wide windows, stone arcs, fireplaces, portals built of white stones, figured attic, ceramic. In the working space of the caste there is a local history museum, which tells about the past of Medzhybizh.

Also you’ll see ruins of a C17th temple, dungeons and fortification towers, used as shooting points. The fortress is a strategically though-out construction that withstood lots of attacks. Despite the World War II destructed the fortress, it did not fail and today it is considered to be one of the brightest sights of Western Ukraine. Presently, lots of elements of the construction are under reconstruction.

Also Medzhybizh is renowned as a centre of pilgrimage as this is a place where Israel Baal Shem Tov (Besht), a philosopher and a founder of orthodox tendency in Judaism, lived and died. Today, this is a centre of Hasidism, and lots of houses on the street, leading to the grave of Beshta, belong to those who profess Hasidism.

Whatever you like in Medzhybizh, knightly tournaments, fortifications, a synagogue with the grave of Beshta, you are surely to discover something new as far as every corner of Ukraine is inimitable.