One of the most mysterious objects in the history of the fortifications of ancient statehood is the High Castle in Lviv - the castle of legend ...

HISTORY

The history of the city and the construction of the High Castle is directly attributed to the great-grandson of the eldest son of Vladimir Monomakh - Mstislav. After unification in 1199r. Grand Prince Roman Mstyslavovych Galician-Volyn land area of ​​the modern city is in the center of the joint areas. Given the exceptionally well positioned strategically and suitable for defense terrain on the hill is the "miracle of nature" and "one of Sarmatia" and slope "that hardly breathe at such steepness" built stone towers connected trees' yanymy walls and surrounded by a wall and fence. Archaeological excavations on Castle Hill, conducted in 1975, found fragments of southwestern masonry tower diameter Φ 8,5 m thick walls and 1.55 - 1.6 m The tower consists of materials dating from the fracture 12-13 century. and refer to the times of the Grand Prince Roman Mstyslavovych. A large tower in the northeast pinnacle lock the tradition of large multi-residential tower dungeon and can relate to the mid-13th century., The King Daniel. With the construction of the fortress city actually is launched. In strengthening the city Tatars began to perceive a serious threat at the request of Khan "accursed and damned" Burundai in 1259 were "scattered strengthening" of the city. Son of Daniel King, Prince Leo, decides to move his capital from Halych to Lviv. To safeguard the capital of Prince restores damaged fortifications and defense achievements by leading art building in 1270 with the palace and castle stone walls, using the previous tower. And in 1287 a horde of "leper" Khan Telebuha not dare go on the attack stone fortress. Even set against Rus B. Zymorovych (chronicler of the city 17.) Had to admit the rulers of the Kingdom of advanced voyennonachalnykamy and inventors of new methods of war and defense.

Treasures of n Kings sleep deprivation neighbors and invaders such opportunity occurred. In 1340, he was poisoned "the prince of the kingdom of Rus' George II, the advantage of a Polish king Casimir III the Lions attacked and captured by the treachery of the castle. Robbing the royal treasury and taking coronation regalia, set fire to the wooden construction of the castle. Russian Boyar Council, which ruled Galicia led by boyar Detkom (1340-1349 years), in the 1342 restored wooden structures and the basic structure of the castle to the development of firearms unchanged. Since 1349 the castle came under Polish domination. High Castle with the advent of firearms in 15-17 centuries. undergoing modernization: the western entrance to the courtyard is covered by a small wall with a tower, build two additional towers. All towers are adapting to accommodate guns. This major reconstruction Rus locks that were held in the time of Poland. Ruthenian Castle, which towers over the "Polish" city stood for 600 years until 1869. The castle was destroyed, despite the protests of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, the construction of "koptsya" in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Union of Lublin (remaining fragment of the eastern wall and the tower, which is buried in the "koptsi").

The new owners, who were to rule in the city, wrote their version of history the city where the rulers of the n secondary role and they are not left no legacy. It is said to destroy a nation, we must destroy the memory of posterity their historical past, their origin, glory and heroics. Restoring the High Castle in Lviv called to return the historical truth: the Kingdom of Rus (which is the first half of the 14th century. Has continued the tradition of the Old and confirms the unity of the Ukrainian lands), and return to the glory and dignity of the Ruthenian kings, who "were under helmets zleliyani, from the end of the spear-fed. " High Castle is a layer (except the above) in our history: it retained princess Galshka Ostrog - founder of the first in Eastern Europe Ostrog Academy. In the castle lived German knights defeated at the Battle of Grunwald, at the Battle of the active involvement of L'n soldiers of the regiment. In the castle kept their regimental banners where spynayetsya lion on a rock, then died for the freedom of Ukraine Cossacks Maxim Krivonosa.

Brief Description of the castle

   High Castle is an example of the type of defensive castles. The castle is situated on a steep hill height 380 m above sea level altitude over the terrain in some places reaches up to 150 meters of the castle structure in terms reminiscent of the form of lute.

Castle Walls built with natural stone and brick, wall thickness 1.6 m, the ratio of stone and brickwork 2:1. Castle had seven defensive towers - the most north-eastern tower "noble" had 5 floors, South East "Tramps" 4 floors. Entrance to the castle disguised inbound zahabom with a gate in front of which was a defensive ditch with a drawbridge. To penetrate with zahabu at the castle had to grab another rectangular tower defense, because through the tower entrance was on the west yard. The castle itself is divided princely palace in the great western and eastern small yard. Eastern court is an additional strength of the fortress: Before the prince's palace was a defensive ditch with a drawbridge, which covered the entrance gate. Princely Palace was adapted for defense, had three storeys up and circle pivnyts. Were in the palace chapel, treasury, armory and dwelling space. The castle also had an escape route.

In the most powerful fortress of the Kingdom of Rus Rus authorities kept insignia Kings - coronation regalia, including: two crowns, which were decorated with precious stones and pearls, two gold crosses, interspersed with pieces of wood from the Holy Cross, a royal robe and throne all in gold and stones and a large royal tent. The royal treasury were stored as gold, silver, pearls, a large arsenal of weapons and "wife and guard day and night without sleep bearing protection." In the castle chapel of the "Three Saints" - part of the right hand of John the Baptist that John nalozhyv the head of Christ in baptism in the Jordan River. The fortress was performed guardian and heart of the city - hence the city began, which later was called "Nayblahoslovennisha and God hranyma have gardens, Rus abode of kings".

Scientific research illustrations and descriptions of the castle revealed a number of features which could not logically interpret previous researchers. The main reason is that they do not have analogues in the defense of the medieval building in Poland. Rus kingdom in his nation for more than half a century ahead of Poland, which was fragmented in the principality. Poland became a kingdom in 1320, when the Russians ruled the Kingdom of the grandchildren of the first King of Rus'. In-depth study of historical information, archaeological research, and illustrative documents literate and appeal to the techniques of defensive architecture of Asia Minor, the era of the Crusades, allowed convincingly reconstruct these features. This was the basis and made it possible to confirm the date of construction of the High Castle (the date mentioned in the chronicles of the 17th century. "Triple Lviv" Lviv mayor Boris Zymorovycha) in 1270, when Prince Lev moved the capital of the Kingdom of Lions (detailed description in the "Bulletin" of the Institute "Укразахідпроектреставрація" number number 15)

High Castle in history

With the High Castle temperature "later originated ten legends enchanted castle medieval historians, chroniclers Castle is located on the Mountain" single in Sarmatia ", which is" wonder of the world "and a" defensive and feel "of the slope that" hard to breathe in such stremneni "and and "stands for fear the enemy" and "visible for ten miles."

Castle drew artists and sang a Latin poets:

Spertyy at the walls, suddenly with high suhorba menacing castle,

As can be seen from far away around it ...

What are the neighboring countries gradually, this mee there seye

As you all picked up at once, pleases the heart and vision ...

Towers reached your spikes in the clouds of blue,

Rev. hrebenyasti roofs would "cry yutsya and winds ...

(Sebastian Klenovich "Roksolyaniya")

High Castle occupies a prominent place in European history and the vast majority of them were Polish kings. This little boy was walking eventual winner of the Turks at Vienna Jan Sobieski, dreaming of future victory. At Castle Kings ardent fans held their royal wives. By order of the king in the castle kept arbitrary Duelists, face princely origin and other dignitaries who were kept in a special "noble tower", which had p "Five floors (this tower-dungeon mentioned above). In the castle visited the Russian Tsar Peter the Great in 1704 impressed the rate of Karl XII, where he inspected the city and developed a plan to assault him.

According taken in 2000. provisions "of the Riga Charter of authenticity and reconstruction of the historical" objects in the context of cultural heritage preservation, "item number 6 of the Charter stipulates admissibility reproduction instances of the historical" objects, such as "when the history and culture of the region specific memory" symbolic sight of ... value ... "