Galich

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Halych is a city founded about 5 km from the ruined ancient city of Halych, the center of the Halych-Volyn principality, the most powerful stronghold in the southwestern Old Rus lands. The first mention of the city, which some researchers consider to be mythical, dates back to 899, according to a list of Hungarian chronicles from the late 13th century, authored by an anonymous notary of the Hungarian king Bela III. The name of the city gave the region of Galicia its name. Halych reached its greatest rise under Prince Yaroslav Osmomysl (1153-1187), who was sung in the Tale of Igor's Campaign. In 1367 Halych received the Magdeburg Law.

Today Halych is the administrative center of Halych district of Ivano-Frankivsk region with a population of about 6210 people (01.01.2017). It is located 29 km by rail and 26 km by road north of the regional center of Ivano-Frankivsk. The H09 highway runs through the town.

Modern coat of arms of Halych: The small coat of arms of Halych is supported on both sides by a griffin and a lion. The griffin is the guardian of the earth and heaven. The lion is a symbol of strength and power. The small coat of arms of Halych: the ornament from the Church of the Prophet Elijah and the Church of St. Panteleimon intertwined with a yellow and blue ribbon symbolizes the affiliation of the Galician lands to the entire Ukrainian state. The Magdeburg Law Tower indicates that the city had Magdeburg Law. The ancient coat of arms of Halych and the Galician land from the 14th century: A black eagle, ready to fly, on a white (or heavenly) field with a crown on its head.

Near the city of Halych, the Limnytsia, Lukva, and Hnyla Lypa rivers flow into the Dniester River. The banks of the Dniester near the city are fortified with reinforced concrete slabs. There are two bridges on the Dniester in Halych. The automobile bridge was built in the 1980s, and the old metal bridge from 1900, which is one of the architectural landmarks of Halych.

Watch the following three videos about the origin of the city's name, archaeological research, and history

Today's Halych is located 110 km from Lviv and 24 (26) km from Ivano-Frankivsk. The H09 highway runs through the city (it starts in Mukachevo, passes through Khust, Tyachiv, Rakhiv, Yasinia, Yablunytskyi Pass, Ivano-Frankivsk, Burshtyn, Rohatyn, and ends in Lviv). The regional center is 29 km away by rail.

In 2017, Ukraine celebrated the 650th anniversary of the granting of Magdeburg rights to the city of Halych (1367).

The following architectural and historical monuments and museums are worth visiting:

Ancient Halych National Reserve;
Galician (Starostynskyi) Castle;
The Church of the Annunciation of the Carmelites in Bilshivtsi;
Church of the Nativity of Christ of the XIII-XV centuries in Halych;
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foundation of the Assumption Cathedral in the village of Krylos;
The Chapel of St. Basil the Great on the foundation of the ancient Assumption Cathedral in Krylos;
TheChurch of St. Panteleimon in the village of Shevchenkove;
The Church-Chapel of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate;
The Church of St. Prince Volodymyr of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine;
Galicia burial mound in Krylos;
TheSword and Ralo monument between Krylos and Halych;
The princely well in Krylos;
The main square of Halych - Christmas Square;
Monument to King Danylo Halytskyi;
monument to Taras Shevchenko;
Monument to Afghan soldiers;
Monument to the victims of Talerhof;
Museum of the History of Ancient Halych - once the summer residence of Greek Catholic Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in Krylos;
Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Prykarpattia in Krylos;
Museum "Nature of the Land of Hal ych" in Halych;
Museum of Karaite History and Culture and Karaite Cemetery in Halych;
Halych National Nature Park and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
In order to preserve the historical memory of navigation on the Dniester, as well as its founders in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the General Directorate of the Ancient Halych National Reserve decided to install a memorial sign on the banks of the Dniester River. The unveiling ceremony was one of the events to mark the 24th anniversary of Ukraine's independence (2015). The memorial sign of navigation on the Dniester was unveiled near one of Halych's most interesting landmarks - an old metal bridge (built in 1910) on the right bank of the Dniester. The memorial sign was blessed by the Dean of Halych (UGCC), Fr.