#CULTROUTE The history of the Reys Palace - from luxury to ruin

Palace of the Counts Rey, ХІХ century

On the outskirts of the ancient village of Psary, now Pryozerne, in the Rohatyn district, the ruins of the once famous and beautiful palace of the Rey family attract attention. In the XVIII century, the local lands belonged to the well-known noble family of Yablonovsky. The construction of the first palace dates back to that time, apparently carried out under Prince Joseph Yablonovsky of the “Grymal” coat of arms, who was the Galician sub-chamberlain and Terebovlia steward at that time. The first residence, probably built in the middle to second half of the XVIII century, in Psary was wooden with elements of classicism – several porticos with columns. At the same time, on the military maps of Austrian cartographers from 1779–1783, the Psary castle is mentioned once, and in another case, simply as a courtyard. Also, next to the structures of the defensive court, the map shows a park avenue and ponds, while one of the oldest trees of the park still grows within the site and is already more than six centuries old. It is evident that the construction of the residence in Psary lasted several decades. By the end of the XVIII century, some of the buildings of the complex, such as the granary and the carriage house (stable), which have partially survived to this day, were brick-built.

At the beginning of the XIX century, the estate in Psary came into the possession of the Glogowski family as the dowry of Jozef Yablonowski's daughter, Urszula, who married the royal chamberlain, Wincenty Glogowski. Their son Stanislaw, who later inherited his parents' estates in Psary, died childless at a young age, and so the local residence and its estates passed by right to his brother Ludwik. Around 1822, Ludwik Glogowski laid out or reorganized a magnificent park near the palace, inviting an Austrian or German gardener named Spitz to design it. At the same time, an entrance tower was built, which, although its entrance has been bricked up, has survived to this day.

Later, the Psary estates were inherited by Ludwik Glogowski's daughter from his second marriage, Wilhelmina, who was married to Count Stanislaw Rey. It was this couple who initiated the construction of a new palace in Psary, which later came to be known as “Rey Palace.” In 1880, Wilhelmina, or Countess Wilma as her relatives called her, decided to rebuild the old residence after her husband's death. For this purpose, the castle’s owner invited the famous Lviv architect Julian Octavian Zacharievich, who planned and designed the new palace. In 1882, the construction work was completed, and the owners were presented with a completely new architectural creation in the popular eclectic style. The main architectural idea of the palace was to recreate the Baroque style — Neo-Baroque (pseudo-Baroque) — with a composition of the classical trends of that time.

The grand palace, with its towers and steeply pitched roofs, bore a strong resemblance to a true castle, and some sources even compare its outlines to those of Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein Castle. The building was a two-storey brick structure, with an asymmetrical internal layout and enfilade planning. Its frontage comprised of three sections, adorned with stucco decorations and high cornices. The surviving elements to this day – such as the mosaic flooring, wooden staircases and window frames, as well as the arched vaults in the cellars – allow one to imagine the former splendour of its interiors.

After Countess Wilmina's death, her estates were divided among her grandchildren, and Count Ludwik Rey took possession of the palace in Psary. He became the last owner of this palace. Having survived the turmoil of World War I, the Rey family continued to live in the picturesque palace near Rohatyn until 1939. However, the arrival of the Soviets and World War II, when the palace was looted and used as barracks for Soviet and German troops, had a dramatic impact on the future of the monument. The count's family was forced to leave their estate and emigrate to France, and the abandoned palace fell under the so-called “nationalization.” In the post-war period, the communist authorities organized a collective farm pigsty here, and later a psychoneurological dispensary and even a dormitory for students of the zoo veterinary school operated here.

In fact, during the misuse of the palace complex, irreparable damage was done to this architectural monument. After Ukraine gained independence, the palace was granted the status of an architectural monument of national importance. However, even these measures to preserve the monument did not significantly slow down the destruction of the complex. From 1995 to 2004, the palace belonged to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, and a women's monastery operated there for a time, but in the early 2000s, the architectural complex was sold at auction. Frequent changes in ownership had a negative impact on the preservation of the Rey Palace. Today, this monument of national importance is in a state of ruin and neglect. Partial repairs to replace the roof did not significantly improve the situation. While the former residence remains in private hands, it continues to sink into oblivion, losing more and more elements of its cultural heritage with each passing year.

This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Executive Committee of Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.