#CULTROUTE Rakovets Castle of the XVII century - a fortress above the Dnister
On a high slope of the right bank of the river Dnister, near the village of Rakovets in the Horodenka district, the ruins of a once impregnable castle stand. The landscape features, which are advantageous from the point of view of defense and protection, have long been utilized by the local people. The picturesque Dnister Canyon was also used in the past as a powerful trade artery, acting at the same time as a natural border between Pokuttia and Podillia. Therefore, traces of defensive or guard structures are not accidental in this area.
It is believed that an older castle existed in Rakovets from the XIV century, and the village of Rakovets has been known since the middle of the XV century. However, existing written sources clearly record the appearance of Rakovets Castle, the ruins of which have survived to this day. In the mid-XVII century, the owner of local estates, Halychyna cupbearer Dominik Bieńowski, considering the growing threats after the Cossack wars and Tatar raids, decided to build a defensive fortress on the slopes of the Dnister. Already during the construction of the castle in 1657, its defensive capabilities were confirmed, as Cossack Colonel Anton Zhdanovych, marching along the Dnister to help Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky's ally, Transylvanian Voivode György II Rákóczi, failed to capture the stronghold. Therefore, in 1659, the ambassadors of the Halychyna Sejm requested additional funding from the king to complete the construction of the castle in Rakovets for Dominik Bieńowski.
The final construction work on the castle was completed in 1660, and a memorial plaque was installed on the wall to commemorate this event; unfortunately, it has not survived to this day. The castle resembled an irregular quadrangle, with dimensions of approximately 40 by 60 metres. The hexagonal tower, about 20 metres high, has survived to this day in its full height. This tower has a unique seven-tiered structure, and its architecture is similar to medieval keep towers. A distinctive feature of the hexagonal tower is its loopholes, which are arranged in a rare system that allowed soldiers to fire in different directions without changing their position.
As early as 1667, Rakovets Castle successfully withstood a Tatar invasion, but the incursions of the Ottoman army in 1672 and 1676 led to the capture of the stronghold on the Dnister. At the end of the XVII century, the castle regained its strategic importance, primarily as a logistics point for military and trade crossings over the Dnister. The final downfall of Rakovets Castle came in 1769, when, during the confrontation between the Bar Confederation and the reigning king, the stronghold was captured and destroyed by russian troops. Since then, the monument has been abandoned and no longer used for its intended purpose. The icon of the Holy Mother of God was likely transferred from the castle chapel to the local church at that time, where it is still kept today.
At the beginning of the XIX century, the new owners of Rakovets, the Dvernitskiy family, decided to set up a factory for the production of baking soda (potash) here, but in 1840, a fire broke out at the enterprise, leading to the closure of the factory. Interestingly, not far from the castle, in the old cemetery, there is still a chapel-burial vault of the Dvernitskiy family, built in 1835 by Tekla Skarbkivska Dvernitska in memory of her husband Michal Dvernitskiy, and his brother Mechandr.
Today, the ruins of Rakovets Castle are one of the region's tourist attractions, especially during boat trips on the Dnister River. At the same time, this architectural monument of national importance needs conservation and revitalisation.
This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Department of Investment Policy, Projects, International Relations, Tourism and City Promotion of Ivano-Frankivsk City Council and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.