Kamianets–Podilskiy Castle – one of 7 Wonders of Ukraine

National Historical – Architectural Reserve “Kamianets – Podilskiy” is listed in the UNESCO list of world heritage by UNESCO Culture. In August 2007 this complex was declared one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.

Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle was thought to have been founded during the second half of the 14th century.

The first accurate historical accounts of Kamianets-Podilskyi castle date back to the mid-14th century, when most of the territories of western Kievan Rus were under control of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Tatarians were defeated in Blue Waters in 1362 by Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd’s forces. The fortress was left to dukes’ nephews – Alexandr, Yuriy, Boris, Konstantine and Fedor. During Lithuanian dukes’ ruling, the castle was experiencing a challenge and began to acquire its own unique look thanks to donations of small gentry and merchants, and the Popes, who send to Kamianets “alms of St. Peter”.

Due to strives between Vytautas’ heritors after his death, the fortress passed to control of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1434-1793). Later during small time, it was part of the Ottoman Empire. This period was marked with attainment of deemed strategic and became center of Polish voivodeship  and was granted the status of royal city.

In Polish ruled time, Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle took final look thanks to numerous of modernizations, the main of which was reconstruction of fortress in 1621 under the direction of engineer Theophilus Schaumberg for artillery defense adaption.

In 18th century Turkey was forced to return Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle to Poland, according to Kamianets Karlovitskogo peace treaty. From that moment castle lost its religious significance for Christianity, but the Polish authorities continued to maintain its combat readiness, allocating funds for its reconstruction.