Attractions of Chortkiv

The Dominican Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and Saint Stanislav in Chortkiv was built in the Neo-Gothic style at the beginning of the 20th century according to the project of the architect Yan Karol Sas-Zubzhytskyi on the site of the old cathedral, built in 1610 by the master of the city Stanislav Holsky as his burial place.

Initially, the Saint Stanislav Church was part of the defensive Dominican monastery complex, surrounded by walls with towers and loopholes, but before the First World War it was completely rebuilt (a fragment of the defensive wall remained on the back side).

The Dominican church in Chortkiv is considered one of the most beautiful neo-Gothic buildings in Ukraine. The architect Sas-Zubzhytskyi, being a supporter of historical stylizations, vividly embodied in this church the characteristic features of his own architectural style of "Visualian Gothic". The lower part of the church is made of stone, and the upper part is made of red brick. The figures of the saints were made by sculptors Cheslav Stovp and Diaman Stankevych.

During the Soviet rule, the Saint Stanislav Church was closed, but in 1989 it was returned to the Dominicans.

Since 2009, the temple in Chortkiv has been a sanctuary (holy repository) of the icon of the Mother of God of the Holy Rosary (Theotokos of Chortkiv).

The Church of the Ascension of the Lord is located near the Chortkiv railway station.

It was built in 1717 on the site of a burned-down church founded in 1630 in the suburb of Dolishnya Vyhnanka.

This three-log wooden church is considered one of the best examples of Podillya folk architecture. The Church of the Ascension was built by Chortkiv folk craftsmen without a single nail, and impresses with its monumental forms. The interior has many carved details.

The Ascension Church belongs to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The wooden Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Chortkiv is an example of Podillya folk architecture, the oldest surviving church in Chortkiv.

Assumption Church was founded in 1538 on the initiative of the city brotherhood, whose members were local craftsmen. It was rebuilt in its present form in 1635.

This type of church is called "house" - they were built like ordinary residential houses-huts without architectural decorations. Wooden log cabins are covered with a common shingle roof. 

A wonderful carved iconostasis of the 18th century has been preserved.

Assumption Church belongs to the parish of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The Museum of Bolshevik Terror, Political Prisoners and Repression in Chortkiv is located in the premises of the diocesan administration of the Buchach Eparchy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The initiative for its creation belongs to the former UPA liaison officer, public activist Mariya Shtepa.

In the basements of the former monastery of the Sisters of Mercy (now the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary Church), where during the Soviet occupation the NKVD detention centers were located, the "Calvary" exhibition is located. The interior of the prison cell has been recreated here, the hiding place of the repressed Greek Catholic Church has been reconstructed, and a church chapel has been equipped.

The exposition "Repressed Church" collects materials about the blessed Bishop Velichkosky. Authentic items from the 1940s, photos of the repressed, as well as symbolic pieces of land from places sprinkled with Ukrainian blood in the fight against the Russian occupiers are presented: Baturyn, Berestechko, Kruty, Uman, Makivka, etc.

A separate exhibition "The Chortkiv Offensive" tells about the offensive military operation of the Ukrainian Galician Army in 1919, which became one of the most significant events of the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918-1919.

The stone Chortkiv Castle at the foot of the Vygnan mountain was built in 1610 by the new owner of these lands, Stanislav Holsky, on the site of the wooden fortress of the Princes of Chartkivsky.

The pentagonal fortification with towers at the corners, inside which the palace and farm buildings were located, was considered a typical defensive structure of its time, but it had an unfortunate strategic position - the Chortkiv Castle was repeatedly destroyed. In particular, in 1648 it was stormed by the troops of Maksym Kryvonos, and in 1672 it was captured by the Turks.

In the 19th century, the representatives of the Potocki princely family tried to restore the Chortkiv Castle, for some time it was owned by the order of Carmelite sisters, but it remained uninhabited and gradually fell into disrepair. During the 20th century, it was used as a warehouse. Until recently, it was owned by one of the city's utility companies.

Currently, Chortkiv Castle is under the protection of the National Reserve "Castles of Ternopillya". Archaeological research and conservation work are underway. It is planned to create a museum and a cafe.

The Chortkiv Museum Residence (formerly the Chortkiv Local Lore Museum) has been located in the building of the former children's library, not far from the Chortkiv Castle, since 2022.

The residence was founded in 1976 as a non-profit local history museum. Initially, the institution was located in a building from the first half of the 20th century on Zelena Street. The museum's main collections include over 10,000 items.

The Chortkiv Museum Residence features exhibitions dedicated to different periods of the region's history. In particular, various archaeological materials tell about the life of people in ancient times, about ancient crafts and industries.

The history of the Ukrainian army and the national liberation struggle in the Chortkiv region is highlighted. A separate exhibition tells about the consequences of the Bolshevik terror and the expulsion of the Nazi occupiers.

The nature department of the museum displays the flora and fauna of the region.

The Church of the Holy Intercession in Chortkiv is one of the new churches of the city, which is distinguished by its rich decoration.

It was built in 1905 at the expense of parishioners on the site of a wooden church. The building of the Intercession Church in the classical style was built according to the project of the Lviv architectural company under the leadership of the architect Mykola Shashkevych and the Chortkiv builder Andriy Drazhnovsky.

According to legend, after the consecration of the Church of the Holy Intercession, a miraculous spring broke out in the yard, over which a chapel was built in honor of the Mother of God. In 1944, another miracle happened: a German shell hit the church, severely damaging it, but the icon of the Mother of God remained intact. And in 2004, there was an apparition of the Mother of God over the chapel of the Queen, built on the site of a new spring.

The 40-meter bell tower with a gilded dome was built in 1996.

There is a bathhouse on the territory of the temple.

Intercession Church belongs to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Chortkiv is located in the former church of the nunnery of the Sisters of Mercy. The monastery complex is an architectural monument of local importance.

The Monastery of the Sisters of Mercy was founded in Chortkiv in the late 17th - early 18th centuries, but its heyday fell on the middle of the 19th century, when the order received an inheritance from the last owner of Chortkiv, Jeronimas Sadovsky.

In front of the church, a sculptural composition with the figure of Jesus Christ in the center is installed, and around the building are carved stone figures of the Stations of the Cross.

After the arrival of Soviet power in Chortkiv, the basements of the monastery were used for some time as temporary detention cells of the NKVD. Now the "Calvary" exposition of the Museum of Bolshevik Terror, Political Prisoners and Repressions is open here, which is located in the neighboring building of the administration of the Buchach Diocese of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

The main synagogue in Chortkiv is an ancient building, built in the 17th century, during the reign of King Yan III Sobieski.

The opening of the synagogue was connected with the fact that several rich Jewish families appeared in Chortkiv.

Inside the temple was richly painted, the altar was decorated with gold.

Before the construction of the new synagogue, the old one served as the residence of Chief Rabbi Chortkiv.

The Father Markiyan Shashkevych Literary and Local Lore Museum has been operating since 1993 in the premises of the Chortkiv Gymnasium, which also bears the name of this outstanding Ukrainian writer and public figure. The initiators of its creation were teachers Stefaniya Hrynda and Anna Savka.

The main exposition of the room-museum is dedicated to the life, creativity and public activities of Markiyan Shashkevych. The central exhibit is a portrait of Shashkevych, painted by a local artist Stepan Shevchuk.

The basis of the museum's literary collections are documents, copies, newspapers and magazines, fiction, scientific and journalistic literature from the library of the gymnasium graduate Dmytro Shtogrin. There are rare, rare publications. Separate expositions contain materials about the graduates of the gymnasium: priests, OUN-UPA figures, fighters of the "Galicia" division.

Another interesting exposition of the museum is ethnographic materials: furniture, household items, clothing, shoes.

The Museum of Magdeburia and Self-Government in the Tower of the New Town Hall of Chortkiv was created on the initiative of the mayor of Chortkiv, Volodymyr Shmatko, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Chortkiv and the 100th anniversary of the construction of the town hall. For this purpose, the second floor of the administrative building was restored to its historical appearance.

The museum's exposition is dedicated to the era of Magdeburg Law, when Chortkiv had broad autonomous powers, and its development was determined by local officials. The museum pays special attention to Ludwik Noss, the burgomaster, who made a significant contribution to the development of the city, strengthening its economy and preserving its cultural heritage.

The history of Chortkiv's development between 1883 and 1913 is told, in particular, by art objects created by the talented Bilenko couple from the Kyiv region. The walls of the museum are decorated with antique clocks, symbolizing the relentless movement of time and the sustainable development of Chortkiv. Among the exhibits is a three-volume book on the history of Chortkiv by Petro Fedoryshyn, which describes in detail the city's past, its significant events and figures.

The tower of the New Town Hall also houses the visit-center of the Chortkiv tourist information center. There is a souvenir shop. It is planned to open an observation deck on the tower.

The building of the new City Hall in Chortkiv was erected in 1926-1930, when the old town hall on Rynok Square ceased to accommodate the growing administrative apparatus of the magistrate.

The constructivist building with a low clock tower was built under the direction of the Polish architect Yuzef Kuntsevsky. In addition to the magistrate, the police and fire department were located here.

The New Town Hall building is now used for its intended purpose - it houses the Chortkiv City Council. The restored tower houses the Museum of Magdeburia and the Tourist Information Center.

A monument to Taras Shevchenko was erected on the square in front of the town hall.

The new synagogue in Chortkiv was built in 1909 by the Viennese architect Hans Geldkremer.

At this place was the residence of Rabbi David Moshe Friedman, the founder of the Chortkiv Hasidic dynasty.

The building in oriental style is decorated with two side towers. In 1910-1914, the chief rabbi from Vienna or Paris held annual services here, which attracted Jews from many cities of Ukraine, Russia and Eastern Europe to Chortkiv.

Currently, the synagogue building houses a center for scientific and technical creativity and leisure for student youth.

The bright half-timbered building of the Old Town Hall with a clock tower and a weather vane in the shape of a rooster is the hallmark of Chortkiv. It is surrounded by wooden shopping arcades, which are still used for their intended purpose - they house shops and other commercial establishments.

The Old Town Hall in Chortkiv was built in 1905-1908 on the initiative of the then mayor Ludwik Noss. After the First World War, the newly built shopping arcades continued to be developed as a trade and administrative complex. Together with small shops, the magistrate was located here until the New Town Hall was built in the city.

The building is made in the half-timbered (frame) style, which is characteristic of the medieval architecture of the northern regions of Western Europe. The tower houses a Swiss clock with four dials, made in 1887 by the Munich firm "Johann Mannhardt". The clock mechanism is still in working order. It can be viewed during tours of the tower, organized by the Chortkiv Tourist Information Center.

The "Lemkivska Svitlytsia" cafe, located in the Old Town Hall, offers national Lemko dishes (after deportation from Poland, one of the large Lemko communities settled in Chortkiv).

The building of the People's House was built in Chortkiv on the eve of the First World War at the expense of the Polish community of the city.

The People's House served as a center for the development of culture and sports - the building had a theater stage and a sports hall. An amateur theater group and a military-sports society "Sokil" operated at the People's House.

Ukrainian actress and singer Kateryna Rubchakova (Kosakivna) took her first steps on the theater stage here. in her name, the Chortkiv district cultural center, which is now housed in the building of the People's House.

A monument to Kateryna Rubchakova is installed in front of the house.