Stara Ushytsia

Remains of the ancient Bakota Saint Michael Cave Monastery, known since 1362.

During the study of the preserved cells and the rock monastery church, an inscription, probably from the 11th century, was discovered, which mentions the founding of the monastery by Abbot Hryhoriy in honor of Saint Michael. It is considered the oldest on the territory of Podillya. It was a part of the great ancient Rus city of Bakota, which is mentioned in the XI-XIII centuries as the most important political and administrative center of the Dniester Lowlands, then Podillya, which was part of the Galicia-Volyn principality.

According to legend, during the invasion of the Tatar horde, the monks who hid in the caves, refusing to renounce their faith, were stoned alive.

The revival of the monastery in the 14th century was facilitated by the Lithuanian princes Koriatovychi (Koryatovychi), however, after the uprising of 1431, Bakota lost the status of a city, and soon the mention of the monastery disappeared from the annals.

The settlement of Bakota existed until 1981, when it was completely flooded with water during the construction of the Novodnistrovskaya HPP. The collapse of White Mountain in 1996 destroyed most of the caves with ancient Russian frescoes. The few ruins of Saint Michael's Church and the remains of caves can be seen only in one place on the mountainside.

A breathtaking panorama of the Dniester opens from here.

Every year on Makovey (August 14) in the revived Bakota Michael Cave Church, festive services are held with a large number of people.