"Palanok Castle Mukachevo

One of the oldest Ukrainian fortresses in Ukraine is the famous Palanok Castle in Mukachevo. Its medieval walls still hold many secrets and legends. The structure is located on a mountain of volcanic origin, and the city was actually built around an impregnable fortress on a flat area.

Today, the castle's doors are open to every tourist. Guided tours are held here, and those who are well versed in the history of the fortress can buy a ticket and just walk around the castle.

Chronicles have not preserved the exact date of the fortress's construction. The castle was first mentioned in documents dating back to the 11th century.

The fortress is a true veteran and a warrior who bravely defended his homeland until almost the 20th century. The longest of the enemy sieges was the Austrian one, which lasted from 1685 to 1688. At that time, the castle belonged to the Hungarian princess Ilona Zrinya. 15 years after the memorable siege, the castle again became the center of the national liberation struggle. Hungarians and other peoples of Transcarpathia resumed their struggle against the Austrian Empire. This time, the princess's son Ferenc Rákóczi led the peoples in the battle.

In 2008, a sculpture-monument of a turtle eagle was erected above the castle in memory of the Hungarian struggle. According to legend, in 1703 the bird brought a saber to Ferenc Rákóczi.

In 1998, a monument to Koriatovych was erected in the courtyard of the fortress. According to popular beliefs, leaving coins at the foot of the sculpture and touching the thumb or forefinger of the "prince's hand" will bring unexplored riches.

Palanca means "palisade" in Italian - a fence fortified with oak logs. Once upon a time, the moat of the castle hill was surrounded by such an oak palisade. Various craftsmen lived behind this fence: carpenters and blacksmiths who worked in the fortress. Since then, the castle got its name.

The territory of Palanok Castle covers almost 14 thousand square meters. Such medieval buildings are more than just the residence of a ruling prince or the property of a wealthy baron. The castle can be compared to a small settlement where aristocrats, soldiers, craftsmen, servants, and others lived behind the wall.

The fortress has three terraces with three levels, which characterize the considerable age of the building: Upper, Middle, and Lower Castles. The first one is the oldest building. The younger terrace is 6 meters lower. The Lower Castle was built in the 18th century and is 10 meters lower than the Middle Castle. The latter now functions as a museum.

The castle has many secret passages and cellars where peasants and their cattle used to hide during the siege.

A deep well was built in the courtyard of the Mukachevo castle, which is allegedly connected by secret passages to the banks of the Latorytsia River. The well was dug by order of the Podillia prince Fedir Koryatovych, the owner of the castle in the 14th and 15th centuries, who significantly expanded and fortified the fortress.

According to legend, the prince made a pact with a demon for a bag of gold to help him dig a deep hole with water. However, Koryatovych's treasury was empty, and one of his assistants advised him to cheat-the devil did not specify the exact number of gold coins, so he could throw at least two coins into the bag. The devil was indignant and in a terrible rage rushed to the well saying: "You will not drink water from it anyway!" Since then, rustles and strange sounds can sometimes be heard in the well. They say it's a deceived devil fussing around.

Museums with various exhibits are open on the territory of the fortress. People work here:

• Exhibition of Easter eggs.
• The Historical Museum, which presents expositions of the 20th century, stands of Fisher-Mukachevo, Budkeramika, and works of the local knitting factory Mriya.
• The Museum of Transcarpathian Life of the 19th century, where you can see elements of everyday life, irons, tools, huts and other things of the 19th century.
• The Museum of Old Postcards with Photos, where guests can see lithography, greetings from Mihai Munkácsy, old photos of Greek Catholic churches, the former Peace Square, Rakoczy Palace, and many other unique treasures.

Everyone can enter the fortress. There are ticket offices at the entrance where you can simply pay for the entrance and walk around the castle or book a tour.

The castle has not only museum exhibitions. There are also souvenir shops and cafes. On the Lower Terrace you can sit, relax, enjoy delicious coffee or drink hot wine.

Palanok Castle is located on the southern outskirts of Mukachevo, at 5 Kurutsiv Lane. The mountain on which the fortress was built is clearly visible from the city center. The fortress can be reached by many local taxis.

Mukachevo can be reached by train from Lviv or Chernivtsi.

Museum opening hours: Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:00 to 18:00. Monday is a day off. Contact information: +38 (03131) 4-15-79.