The text describes the village of Zhovkva, founded by Hetman Stefan Zhovkva. There is also a reminder of the previously existing village of Vinniki, with the church founded there by Andrzej Wysocki. In the further part of the text, the history of Zhovkva is described. The text is also accompanied by photographs of, among others, the Zwierzyniec and Glynsk gates (Source: "Ziemia. Tygodnik Krajoznawczy Ilustrowany' Warsaw 1914, no. 31, pp. 5-8, no. 32, pp. 6-9, after: Wielkopolska Biblioteka Cyfrowa).

A modernised reading of the text

Żółkiew

The cradle of the Żółkiewski and Sobieski families, once a significant city of mighty Poland, remembering its glorious victories and fame, a participant in the fate and misery of the great hero from near Vienna, Żółkiew today is in a sorry state. Who would have thought, entering this poor town today, that it used to be a rich, ornamental town, a royal residence, that the fate of the Republic of Poland was often decided here, that it was here that the king surrounded by his senators held important war meetings in the castle, that it was here that monarchs of foreign nations were hosted, that it used to be a bustling and populous place, that noble secular and clerical dignitaries used to roam the streets, that it was here that the life of the state was in full swing...?

Walking through the streets of today's Zhovkva, you remember the great figures of our history, you recall the days of blood and glory... Today everything has disappeared... And when you enter the castle yard, you will see only the remains of the once magnificent Renaissance columns, you will see emptiness, you will be struck by the deadness - the remains of the towers will collapse any day now, the roof from the side of the gardens is full of holes, destined for total destruction.

You involuntarily ask yourself: is there no one left who would care to raise these unfortunate remnants, who would lend a hand to these unfortunate survivors... Are the monuments to the Republic of Poland's former glory destined to crumble together? Where are you former heirs, where are your hordes? Wake up!...

Zhovkva, district town in Galicia, at 50°4' lat. and 41°56' long. from F., 28 km north-west of Lviv. To the east and south-east lies Soposhyn, to the south Skwarzawa, to the west Glińsko, to the north-west Winniki. Vinniki. The Swina River, a tributary of the Raba River, flows through the town. The area of the town is 2,445 ha. Ten years ago, there were 795 houses, 7,145 inhabitants (1919: Gr. 1 430, Roman Catholic. 5785 Jews, 11 other religions; 5 120 Poles, 1 464 Ruthenians, 504 Germans, 5 other nationalities). The Roman-Catholic parish, founded by Stanisław Żółkiewski, Chancellor and Hetman of the Crown, by deed of 12 August 1629, includes the following villages: Bojaniec, Derewnia, Fujna Krechowska, Glińsko, Hucisko Krechowskie, Krechów, Kulawa, Kunin, Łapina, Łobelia, Macoszyn, Majdan, Polany, Mokrotyn, Optytna, Ruda Krechowska, Skwarzawa Nowa, Skwarzawa Stary, Soposzyn, Turynka, Wiązowa, Winniki, Wola Wysocka and Zameczek. The parish church was a collegiate church whose parish priest had to support 6 vicars, 2 mansions, a bachelor, a parish school teacher, an organist and cantors.

In the place where today the city of Zhovkva is located, there used to be the village of Vinniki, inhabited by Polish and Ruthenian people. As early as 1545, a modest church was built in Vinniki, founded by Andrzej Wysocki, the then heir to this land. Winniki spread out over the Swina river and a beautiful lake. Around 1550, Andrzej Wysocki, in his old age, gave them to his friend Stanislaw Żółkiewski, Voivode of Bełz, as his property - Winniki, Soposzyn, Macoszyn, Glińsko, Wola, Myśmienica and others. From that time on, the Żółkiewski family were the lords of this estate, except for Turin in the Lviv region, which was separated from the royal estate, and their property extended as far as Mierzwica, Mokrotyno, Kościejów and Zarudziece.

Married to Regina of Herburt in 1590, Stanislaw Żółkiewski set about developing his new estate. Fortune favoured him, and his virtuous wife helped him in his work. The great knight was able to reconcile his duties as a farmer with the hardships of war. After the Battle of Byczyna, Zygmunt III appointed Żółkiewski as starosta of Hrubieszów, and soon afterwards offered him the Hetman's baton.

The year 1594 came, and with it a war conflagration, stirred up by the Tatars, engulfed Winniki as well. The daring Tatars, having completely destroyed the village of Myśmienica in the area of today's Glińsk, attacked Winniki, burning and taking what they could. It was probably then that two wooden churches, founded by the Wysocki family, burned down - one dedicated to the Holy Trinity, where there is now a military hospital, and the other to the Virgin Mary, now a Dominican monastery.

Stanislaw Żółkiewski now wanted to protect the inhabitants from possible future attacks and to this end decided to turn Vinniki into a fortified town, surrounded by a wall, girt with ramparts and palisades. Work began energetically in 1595. Although already the following year, 1596, the hetman had to set off on a new expedition against the Cossacks, after all, construction continued under the supervision of his wife, Regina. The walls grew, the remains of which are still standing today, and beautiful stone buildings were built. After the victory over Nalewajka's army, the hetman returned to his beloved town and here he ordered the Tatar, Turkish and Cossack captives to build a large hill, and on it he erected a magnificent temple, which adorns the town to this day.

The church of Zhovkva is built in the Italian style, in the shape of a cross, the arms of which are adorned with two chapels: those of the Virgin Mary and of St Anne. Outside, on the upper cornices, Polish eagles can be seen, while all around there are sculptures depicting Polish knights. Construction of the church was completed in 1620.

When the castle was built is difficult to pinpoint; it probably stood as early as the 16th century. Erected on the banks of the Swina River, the castle gained a great deal as a fortress. The shape of the overall fortification was not regular, nor did it betray the skills of the engineering art. It seems that Żółkiewski reckoned with the buildings that already existed, and ran the fortification rather hastily. There were four roads and four gates leading to the town, two of which are still in relatively good condition: the Zielinecka gate in the shape of a bastion facing south towards the garden, called the Zielinecka, with a cross vault and a square ground plan, and the Zielinecka gate. It still has a huge chain used to close the streets, and is decorated with three helmets, or rather visors carved from stone. The Lviv Gate and the Jewish Gate, or Turin Gate, have today disappeared without a trace.

On 21 February 1605, Sigismund III granted a separate privilege to the town of Zhovkva, according to which the townspeople were completely free to govern themselves according to the Magdeburg Law, could hold fairs and markets on certain days, were free from any duties in Lithuania and Poland, and were allowed to build. Thanks to this privilege, the town was able to develop quickly and successfully. The first mayor in 1603 was Paweł Szczęśliwy, the councillors were Paweł Stacherowicz and Wawrzyniec Niemczyk. From then on, the reeve and four councillors were elected annually.

Żółkiewski's care for the town did not cease; in fact, it continued to grow. In 1612, on 21 June, the hetman issued a foundation act for erecting a Russian Orthodox church dedicated to the Nativity of the Lord (where the Basilian church is situated now). In this deed, he decides how many clergymen there are to be, how many church servants, how funerals are to be celebrated, how bells are to be rung, etc. He reserves equal council rights for Ruthenians in the municipal office.

In the years 1612-1618, Armenians settled in Zhovkva, and by engaging in industry and trade, they contributed to the enrichment of the town. Jews were allowed to build a synagogue at that time. The town started to develop more and more brilliantly; industry and trade flourished, craftsmen joined guilds and had their own rights and privileges. Everyone knows their responsibilities, but also enjoys the freedom granted by the wise Hetman.

The year 1620 came, and with it the heroic death of one of the bravest sons the Polish land had produced at that time. Stanislaw Żółkiewski died on the battlefield, he died, as befits a brave and valiant hero, he fell on the field of glory. Only 1 ½ miles separated him from the borders of Poland. He could have escaped with his life, especially as his comrades-in-arms gave him a horse to save himself by running away. However, he chose a heroic death.

At the end of November 1620, the late hetman's wife Regina Żółkiewska brought these dear remains to Żółkiew to be laid to rest in the vaults of the collegiate church. The weeping of subjects and loved ones was joined by the ringing of bells, setting everyone to praying fervently for the Hetman's soul. Jakób Sobieski spoke over the coffin.

On 7 June 1621. Regina Żółkiewska bequeathed to the collegiate church in Żółkiew one of the manors located on the Żółkiewski land with the obligation to hold a memorial service every Friday for the soul of the hetman and all his companions killed together with him at Cecora. Work on the fortification of the town, started by the hetman, continued to progress until it was finally completed by the widow of the great hetman in 1621. Four huge drawbridges led into the town, four magnificent gates: Glinska, Lwowska, Zwierzyniecka and Jewish closed the entrances to the fortress. Shortly after the completion of the works in 1621, the city was attacked by the Tartars, but thanks to vigorous defence they were repulsed.

In 1622, the town shone with joy. It was in this year that Jan Żółkiewski, son of the hetman, returned from Tartar captivity, and at the same time King Sigismund III, on his return from Lviv to Warsaw, stayed in the Żółkiewski castle for a few days. However, the happiness of seeing the rightful heir did not last long because first the town was struck by a terrible epidemic (1622-1625), which wreaked terrible havoc among the inhabitants, and then (1625) Jan Żółkiewski died as a result of wounds received at Cecora.

The body of the son rested next to his father in the basement of the collegiate church under the great altar, and a year later Regina Żółkiewska closed her eyes, after a life full of virtues and sufferings. And the third time Jakób Sobieski spoke over the grave, freshly opened. He spoke tearfully and poignantly: "Hardly a third year has passed, and a third funeral is already being held. We have laid to rest here for ever a father and son, and now we give to a spouse a wife, and for a son a mother". In 1625, through Stanisław Żółkiewski's daughter Zofia, the wife of Jan Danilewicz, Voivode of Ruthenia, Żółkiew passed into the hands of the Danilewicz family. Under the new rule, the town slowly began to return to its former state, started to grow in wealth and eventually became a strong fortress.

On 1 March 1627 Sophie Danilewicz founded St Lazarus hospital in the Lviv suburb, allocating 1000 zloty for this purpose. The annual income from the capital, a large garden outside the Lviv gate, free logging and other donations were sufficient for the needs of the hospital. The foundation act of the church was supplemented in 1651 by the addition of one preacher, whose duty was to preach on all Sundays and holidays. For 12 years Zhovkva lived under the wise rule of the Danilevichs, after which it passed into the hands of the Sobieski family. In 1627, Teofila's daughter brought the Zhovkva estate into the house of Jakub Sobieski as a dowry. Thus, Żółkiew, Złoczów and Olesko formed a huge key of the Sobieski estates. On 17 August 1629, Jan Sobieski was born. Strange signs in heaven and on earth accompanied his birth. At that time, heavy clouds and lightning with frequent thunderstorms passed over Olesko, as if they wanted to foretell what this child would be like for his enemies, as if they were foreshadowing this future thunderbolt in the hand of God on the impudent henchmen. At the baptism in Olesko, the marble table slab on which the child was laid was said to have cracked. From 1631, Sophia Danilevich was permanently staying at the Zhovkva castle, taking a keen interest in the castle affairs. When her death cut her life short in 1634, her son Stanislav laid her body in the basement of the collegiate church. Stanislav Danilewicz became the heir of Zhovkva after Zofia's death because his sister Teofila stayed more often in Zloczów and Olesko. However, he was not able to look after his beloved Zhovkva for long.

In 1636, he was killed in battle against the Tatars on the Ukrainian steppes. His body, dearly paid for, was brought to Poland and deposited next to the ashes of Stanisław Żółkiewski. After the death of Stanisław Danilewicz, Żółkiew became the property of the Sobieski family, brought into this house by Teofila Danilewiczówna in 1637. Thanks to the new heirs, Żółkiew immediately became one of the most important Polish towns as the seat of the royal family. Jakób Sobieski, a man of extraordinary virtues, took great care of the town. Industry, trade and handicrafts began to grow rapidly, although there was no shortage of obstacles to the town's economic development. One such factor was the earthquake which struck the town on 1 February 1637. The second major obstacle was the Tatar invasion in 1639, which destroyed not only the neighbouring villages but also Zhovkva itself. It was not until 1642 that the townspeople did well. At that time, thanks to the efforts of Jakub Sobieski, the burghers of Zhovkva sent their plenipotentiaries to the Sejm in Warsaw in order to obtain from King Władysław the approval of the guild rights.

From that time on, the brotherhoods developed freely in all respects, prosperity increased, although in 1643 a terrible fire disaster struck the town, destroying 40 houses and 7 farms; of course, there were also casualties. It was Jakób Sobieski and his wife Teofila who energetically rebuilt the destroyed castle. They soon managed to restore the town to its former state, sparing no expense. However, Jakob's sudden death on 12 June 1646 put an end to everything; the work he had begun would be continued by his noble wife Teofila, followed by her brave sons.