Travel to Khotyn Fortress

Hello everyone YaPovtsam!

Long time I did not spread new Photos from various places of interest) to repair. It happened to me this summer for two months to live and work in the beautiful city of Chernivtsi (regional center of Western Ukraine). And, of course, on the weekends, I thoroughly researched all the attractions of both the city and the region. Fortunately, Bukovina is rich in all kinds of interesting things. Today I have prepared for you material about Khotyn fortress, which I wanted to get for a long time. I will begin with a description of the city Hawtin and go to the fortress. Have a nice trip!

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Hawtin, attracting tourists from around the world, one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, recently celebrated its 1000th anniversary. The city is located in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine, the administrative center of Khotyn district, on the right bank of the Dniester. It is a small town with a population of about 11 000 inhabitants. Buildings mostly one-story, but the main roads are paved and are in fairly good condition.



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City - Khotin (Hotin), is either the name of the founder of the settlement, or from the Slavic "Hawtin," that is coveted. Indeed, Hawtin was desired by many - this land for their more than thousand-year history included at least a dozen principalities, kingdoms and empires.



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At first it was a small, built by Eastern Slavs on the site of the ancient settlement of wooden fortress to protect them from the many conquerors. Next, while it existed unfortified settlement. On its territory, archaeologists found the remains of poluzemlyanochnogo housing with stoves, heaters, which date from the IX-X centuries., And at a depth of 1, 2-1, 4 m was identified cultural layer VII-VIII centuries.



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Especially large settlement Hawtin was in the XI-XIII centuries., When he was part of Kievan Rus. Then he held the territory of more than 20 hectares. Historians have substantiated the thesis that the castle and the city Hawtin originate from the beginning of XI century.
After the Mongol conquest of Russia Khotina role as one of the most important outposts of Galicia-Volyn principality in southwestern further increased. His strengthen guarding an important crossing on the Dniester and constrained predatory raids of the steppe nomads. Prince Daniel Galitsky, even though he was forced to submit to the Golden Horde, did not give up fighting it.



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It is hard to build new and strengthen old fortress. In fulfillment of his will, in Khotyn in 40-50-ies of the XIII century. instead of wooden built stone fortifications. The first stone fortress was small. It was located on the Cape, where today is the north tower, and extends south to the current Commandant palace.



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For centuries it was repeatedly rebuilt and expanded, the invaders destroyed and again rebuilt. Although the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Fortress gradually lost its military significance, under its walls continue to simmer battle. She repeatedly stormed the Russian troops.



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In 1739, they come into Hawtin after the victory over the Turks in the Battle of Stavchanami, which bravely fought against the enemies of Ukrainians, Russians, Georgians and Moldovans. The great Russian scientist, poet Mikhail Lomonosov, admiring the courage of his countrymen, wrote "Ode to the victory over the Turks and Tatars on the Taking of Khotin in 1739". While in the battles of Hawtin took part classic Georgian literature, poet David Guramishvili.



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In 1826, the city Khotin was granted the coat of arms: a golden field of silver three-towered citadel, followed by a silver top ravnoramennym cross over two crossed swords - symbols of edge protection from enemies. On the front of the tower of the crescent moon on the pole, and on the staffs of both the extreme towers - stuck Bunchuk.



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In 1832, the fortress was built the new church of St. Alexander Nevsky. Where it is in Nasoyan time. In 1856, the government abolished the status of Khotyn fortress as a military facility.



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At the fortress, surrounded by strong defensive walls, you can go through the gates of Bendery. The Citadel itself is, as it were in a valley surrounded by hills and waters of the Dniester. The height of the walls is impressive (about 20 meters). Citadel is connected with the surrounding area only one inbound wooden bridge over a moat. Bridge over the ramparts leads to the gate tower of the castle. The five towers of the citadel - Entrance (Gate), Blacksmith, Commandant, North and East. The height of the walls, connecting them - 40, thickness - 5 meters. In the center of the courtyard - a well depth of 65 meters width of nearly 3, it still has water.



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There is also located the prince's palace, the house of the commandant of the fortress, castle church, the barracks building and the entrance to the cave. In the cave there is no electric light, sunlight to almost misses. Inside the fortress you can see the ruins of a mosque, a military school and the customs of the XVIII century.



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The Khotyn Fortress survey conducted many popular feature films: "Viper", "Zakhar Berkut", "Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe," "The Three Musketeers," "The Black Arrow", "Walled City", "Arrows of Robin Hood."



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Khotyn fortress, by and large, is a monument of Russian history, although the geometric pattern of brick, laid on the towering cliff walls, resembles Ukrainian embroidery pattern.



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Hawtin has been known since the tenth century. In X-XI centuries. as part of Kievan Rus in the XII century. - Galitsky, with 1199 - Galicia-Volyn principality. From the XIV century. At various times he was ruled Moldova, Genoa, Turkey and Poland.



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In May 1600, after the troops of the ruler of Wallachia and Transylvania, Michael the Brave captured Suceava, the ruler of Moldova Jeremiah Movila and his family (an uncle of the future Metropolitan of Kiev Petro Mohyla), with the environment and the former governor of Transylvania, Sigismund Bathory (nephew of the Polish king Stefan Batory who Khotyn Castle was given to the property), I took refuge in Khotyn fortress, which at that time was under the rule of Poland.



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In 1621 under Hawtin took Khotyn battle



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In 1713 during the Great Northern War Hawtin captured troops of the Ottoman Empire, selecting the city from Moldova. Hawtin about a hundred years remained Turkish, there was held a strong garrison. However, during the Russian-Turkish wars of the Russian troops took possession Hawtin four times - in 1739, 1769, 1788 and 1807.



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Over the centuries, the strengthening of VX used chronicles Tivertsy tribe, and looked like a typical capes settlement. Construction of stone fortifications Khotina usually associated with the Galicia-Volyn principality and named Daniel Galitsky.



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Archaeological excavations revealed stone walls of the castle of the XIII century., The remains of white-stone church, traces of residential development. The castle occupied the northern part of the castle hill, about a third of the length of the modern citadel. In the south of the castle was fortified trading quarter, surrounded by ramparts and wooden walls. The greatest underwent restructuring in the 2nd half of the XV century, being a part of the Moldavian Principality. Castle greatly expanded to the south, elevated levels of the court.



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Castle courtyard was divided into two parts: the northern courtyard used by the command, the southern - the garrison. Between the two parts of the courtyard is the commandant of the palace, whose walls are lined with decorative "checkerboard" of red brick and white stone blocks, and the slits of windows decorated pozdnegotichnym frame of stone. In 1538 Khotyn Castle captured Polish army during the storm blown up by mines southern fence wall. When Moldovan ruler Petru Rares in 1541-1546, the ruined part rebuilt, fence walls pushed further south, and in the middle of a new wall arranged entrance tower.



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The Turks began in 1711 with the large-scale work on the creation of external line of defense, with a total area of ​​22 hectares. Controls the operation of the French military engineers. New strengthening consist of stones scarp shaft Battle terrace, a wide and deep moat and stone counterscarp. Shafts fortified bastions, entrance tower, which was three before entering arranged ravelins. On the territory of the new fortress built barracks, warehouses, mosque.



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That's all, folks! Thank you for attention. I hope you enjoyed these photos and then you will want to visit this place yourself. And believe me - it's worth it!
Then I have plans to introduce you to the wonderful city of Chernivtsi, but it will be a little later. In the meantime - enjoy the views of the ancient Khotyn.



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