New castles, palaces, forts and fortresses are always welcome in my collection. Mukachevo Castle and Khotyn Fortress are both located in Ukraine and the cards were sent by Olena and Julija.
Mukachevo castle is a valuable military-architectural monument of Ukraine. The castle was erected at the crossroads of ancient trade and military routes that led from Poddunaysky land to Kievan Rus, and from salt mines of Semigradiye to the Czech Republic, Moravia and Poland.
The purpose of building the castle was to protect and control the trade routes. The exact date of construction is unknown.
Improvement and reconstruction of the castle dates back to the reign of Podolsky Prince Fyodor Koryatovich. During the years of his reign in Mukachevo (1396-1414), he managed to turn a small castle into a strong fortification, and made it his residence.
After the death of Fyodor Koryatovich, the castle belonged to numerous owners.
In 1633, the castle was bought by Transylvanian Prince Dierd I Rakoczi. With the help of two French engineers, reconstruction of the old castle began. A lot of improvements were added during all 78 years of the dynasty of Rakoczi.
For centuries, the walls of the castle were under sieges of numerous conquerors. But only a few of them could capture it. The fortress survived several sieges. One of them and the most memorable lasted almost two and a half years - from the summer of 1685 until the winter of 1688.
In July 24, 1711, after the defeat of Ferenc II Rakoczi, the castle again passed into the treasury of the Austrian Emperor. In the 18th century, the castle lost its military significance and, in 1789, it was turned into a prison for political prisoners.
In May 2, 1848, insurgent people seized the castle and freed the prisoners. In 1897, the prison was abolished. The castle was abandoned for a long time. In 1922-1926, it was partially renovated and was used as military barracks.
In Soviet times, Mukachevo castle became a museum.
Today, it is one of the main sights in Zakarpattia region of Ukraine. - in: http://ukrainetrek.com/mukachevo-city/castle_palanok
The Khotyn Fortress is a fortification complex located on the right bank of the Dniester River in Khotyn, Chernivtsi Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. It is situated on a territory of the historical northern Bessarabia region which was split in 1940 between Ukraine and Moldova. The fortress is also located in a close proximity to another famous defensive structure, the Old Kam'yanets Castle of Kamianets-Podilskyi.
Construction on the current Khotyn fortress was started in 1325, while major improvements were made in the 1380s and in the 1460s.
The fortress is a large tourist attraction for the area and Ukraine. In 2007, the fortress was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine. It is also a National Ukrainian Architectural Preserve as of 2000. - in: wikipedia
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