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View of the castle in the mid-19th century., photo 1848, Domaine public
Source: M. B.Stechynskyi, "Okolice Galicji"
Photo montrant Zlatý Potok Castle
Zlatý Potok Castle, photo Mykola Vasylechko., 2014
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0, Source: Wikipedia, Conditions d\'autorisation
Photo montrant Zlatý Potok Castle
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ID: POL-000484-P

Zlatý Potok Castle

Potok Złoty | Ukraine
ukr. Zołotyj Potik (Золотий Потік)
ID: POL-000484-P

Zlatý Potok Castle

Potok Złoty | Ukraine
ukr. Zołotyj Potik (Золотий Потік)
Variants of the name:
Замок у Золотому Потоці

Zlatý Potok Castle is a historic fortress located in the zbaras region of the Ternopil region of Ukraine. It was built between 1568-1631 and was situated on a not very high hill above a gentle valley of a small stream. The construction was initiated by Braclaw voivode Stanislaw Szczęsny Potocki and his wife Maria Amalia Mohylanka-Potocka. It was part of the fortification system of Sigismund III Vasa. It was founded on a square plan, with five-sided towers with outward projections, a three-storey gate from the north and a residential building erected on a rectangular plan. It was a single-storey building, the details of which - like those in the castle - had Renaissance forms. However, its splendour was determined by the massive walls and moat on the south-west side, which made the fortress difficult to access. In the 17th and 18th centuries it remained in the possession of the Potocki family, and in the second half of the 17th century it was even the main residence of Jan Potocki.

The castle's splendour was interrupted by the Turkish invasion in 1672. At that time, troops led by Sultan Mehmed IV captured the fortress after two days of defence. After the Peace of Buchak in 1673, the castle returned to Polish hands. In August 1676, due to a new Turkish offensive, the Turkish-Tatar army retook the castle. At that time, the walls were partially blown up first. Subsequently, the Turkish-Tatar army burned and severely damaged the fortress. The resisting castle crew was also executed. A local legend probably refers to these events, according to which the defenders did not have enough water during the long siege of the fortress by the enemy. At this critical moment, a spring was discovered in the dungeons of the castle, the water of which seemed to be getting to the defenders on its own from a stream flowing out of the fortress.

During its history, the castle changed owners several times and was rebuilt several times. In the 18th century, it belonged to the well-known representatives of the Potocki family - Mikołaj Wasyl Potocki, Ignacy Potocki and Aleksander Potocki. It remained in the hands of the Potocki family until the 1830s. It then passed into the hands of Ludiwek and Ignacy Skwarczyński, and later the Olszewski family.

It was the Olszewski family who proceeded to build a palace near the castle. They used many of the castle's details, including the marble window frames. It was a rectangular, one-storey building with very deep cellars for living quarters, covered with a low hipped roof. The main façade of the palace was built in classicist style, while the courtyard and the left side façade had neo-Gothic accents. The central hall and the lounge adjacent to the large salon on the right had Renaissance fireplaces carved from white stone from Stefan Potocki's castle. However, driven to bankruptcy, they had to sell the castle, which successively passed into the hands of Jan Strojewski, the Friedman Hassids of Chernivtsi and possibly also Antoni Maslewski. In 1875, the next owner of the castle, Rabbi Sadogurski, eventually purchased it by Vladimir Hipolit Gniewosz (1838-1908). A well-known politician and social activist. He tried to restore the importance of Zlatý Potok by moving the court, tax office and prison to the castle. He also placed his library of around 2000 items and a portrait gallery here. A portrait of Wlodzimierz Gniewosz by Julian Fałat also hung here. It remained in the hands of the family until 1939. Before that, however, it became a meeting place for the local intelligentsia. At their disposal was a small restaurant, a game room and even a courtyard where they were supposed to play tennis. However, in 1935 a fire broke out in the palace, which led to its destruction. During the First World War it was partially destroyed and the art collection was taken to Moscow. After the war, the castle walls were partially demolished using the material to build a mill. A fire also destroyed the castle in 1935, but the Gniewosz family rebuilt it, the work being completed in 1938. The first conservation work was also carried out on the castle walls.

During the Second World War, the castle was severely damaged and was used, among other things, as an NKVD infiltration camp. However, it quickly fell into disrepair. It was not until the 1960s that efforts were made to restore it. In the 1990s, the castle was handed over to the Kyiv National Museum, which continues its restoration and opens it to the public.

Today, the gate tower, three corner towers and part of the walls are preserved; the residential part is in ruins. The three corner towers, the gate tower and the walls have been preserved to this day. The palace itself is in poor condition. In 2008 it was included in the National Reserve "Castles of the Ternopil region", at that time numerous conservation and preservation works were carried out, among others a part of the northern wall was enclosed.

Related persons:
Author:
Bartłomiej Gutowski
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