Fortress
Fortress - night view
Roman-Catholic church
Smotrich river
City information
Location
Kamenets-Podolsky is a city located on the Smotrych River in southwestern Ukraine, to the north-east from Chernivtsi. Formerly the administrative center of the Kamianets-Podilskyi Oblast is now the administrative center of the Kamianets-Podilskyi Raion (district) within the Khmelnytsky Oblast (region), after the administrative center of the oblast was moved from the city of Kamianets-Podilskyi to the city of Khmelnytskyi in 1941.
History
Kamianets-Podilskyi was first mentioned in 1062 as a town of the Kievan Rus' state. In 1241, it was destroyed by the Mongol Tatar invaders. In 1352, it was annexed by the Polish King Casimir III, and became the capital of Podole Voivodship and the seat of local civil and military administration. The ancient castle was reconstructed and substantially expanded by the Polish kings to defend Poland from the southwest against Ottoman and Tatar invasions.
Main sights to visit
The different peoples and cultures that have lived in the city had each brought their own culture and architecture. Examples include the Polish, Ruthenian and Armenian markets. Famous tourist attraction includes the ancient castle, and the numerous architectural attractions in the city's center, including the cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, the city hall building, and the numerous fortifications.
Since the late 1990s, the city has grown into one of the most attractive tourist centers of western Ukraine. Annual Cossack Games (Kozatski zabavy) and festivals, which include the open ballooning championship of Ukraine, car racing and various music, art and drama activities, attract an estimated 140,000 tourists and stimulate the local economy. More than a dozen privately owned hotels have recently opened.
