Attractions of Vyshnivets

The Castle Church of the Ascension of the Lord was built in 1530 as the family tomb of the Vyshnevetsky princes. Ivan Vyshnevetskyi, Dmytro Bayda's father, was involved in its construction.

About 20 representatives of the Vyshnevetskyi family are buried in the church, including the Ovruch mayor Mykhaylo Vyshnevetskyi and his wife Raina Mohylyanka.

The temple has the shape of a ship and is distinguished by excellent acoustics. Inside are religious figures made by folk craftsmen.

In 1872-1873, major repairs were carried out, new bells were cast, and the iconostasis was gilded. Two icons of the Holy Mother of God, made in the ancient Rus and Byzantine styles, were donated by princes Kostyantyn and Mykhaylo-Servatsiy Vyshnevetskyi.

During the struggle against Orthodoxy, the Ascension Church remained the only Orthodox church in the entire district. In 1963, the church was closed and looted, only 26 years later it was returned to the Orthodox Church.

Currently, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord belongs to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

A luxurious palace in the style of classicism with elements of the French Renaissance was built in Vyshnivets by the last of the Vyshnevetsky family, the great Polish tycoon Mykhaylo Servatsiy.

Ukrainian, Polish and French architects worked on the construction for 30 years. The palace is based on the foundations of the medieval Vyshnivets Castle, which has been repeatedly rebuilt and expanded since the 17th century.

The Vyshnevetsky Palace consists of several volumes, united during the reconstruction at the end of the 18th century into a symmetrical U-shaped composition with axial and corner risalites. On the first floor, there was an 80-meter-long hall of mirrors - an exact copy of the Hall of Mirrors of Versailles, the main hall was decorated with white ceramic tiles with a blue pattern. 3 cascades of gardens descended from the palace to the river.

In 1744, the estate passed to the Mnisheks, relatives of the Vyshnevetskys. They turned the Vyshnevetsky Palace into a first-class tycoon's residence in the late Rococo style with a magnificent art gallery. The palace was considered the most luxurious in Volyn. Honoré de Balzac, who visited Vyshnivets in 1848, called it "small Versailles".

The last owners took little care of the monument, and it was especially damaged during the Second World War. Restored in 1950, but without interior decoration. Various institutions were located here.

Today it is a branch of the "Castles of Ternopillya" nature reserve. Since 2005, a complete reconstruction has been carried out, an exhibition is already placed in the restored halls, and excursions are held.

Separate buildings of the monastery of the Discalced Carmelites are located to the east of the Vyshnevetsky Palace, to the left of the central gate.

The construction of the monastery was carried out in the 1640s at the same time as the construction of the new Vyshnivets Castle, the monastery became part of its defense system.

In 1645, Ivan Vyshnevetskyi laid the foundation of the baroque church of Saint Michael, and his descendants, Mykhaylo Servatsiy, completed the construction. It was in the Michael Church that all Vyshnevetskyi, who professed Catholicism, were buried.

In 1648, the monastery was destroyed by the Cossacks of Maksym Krivonos, who captured Vyshnivets, but was soon revived. Closed in 1832, later fell into disrepair. The church was blown up during the Soviet regime. The cell building and the fence with the monumental gate in the Baroque style have been preserved.