Attractions of Pidhirtsi

The little-known Yablonovsky-Brunytsky estate in Pidhirtsi near Stryi is a well-preserved palace and park complex of the 18th-19th centuries, an architectural monument of local importance. It is now in private ownership and is being revived by volunteers as a tourist attraction.

The country palace in the ancestral estate in Pidhirtsi was founded in 1734 by Yuzef Aleksander Yablonovsky on the site of an old hunting castle that had existed here since the 17th century. The building was built by the architect Bernard (perhaps Bernard Meretyn) according to the principles of the French country house maison de plaisance. The palace was luxuriously furnished, had a library of 1,000 volumes and a gallery of portraits of Polish hetmans.

In 1815, Pidhirtsi became the property of the Brunytsky family, which owned the estate until 1939. At the end of the 19th century, Yulian Brunytsky reconstructed the palace in the Romanesque-Gothic style according to the project of the Chernivtsi architect Karl Romstorfer. The building was electrified and provided with water supply, dishes and products from the kitchen in the basement were lifted to the dining room by a special elevator. There were many farm buildings around, as Brunytsky was seriously engaged in agriculture, in particular, he created a nursery for fruit and ornamental trees.

The palace is surrounded by a park with an area of 8.2 hectares, which is a monument of horticultural art of national importance - it is considered one of the first arboretums in Galicia.

During Soviet times, the Yablonovsky-Brunytsky palace was turned into a boarding school, and later into a trout farm. For many years, the building stood empty and fell into disrepair, although it was privatized back in the 2000s.

Since 2014, the palace has belonged to three local families, who have been successively reviving the architectural landmark. A number of emergency works were carried out, the interiors of ten rooms were partially restored. The owners conduct tours and provide space for photo shoots.