Map .

One of the coziest regional centers of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Ukraine does not have a lot of architectural memorials. It attracts you by a great many of flowers, clean streets, stretch of the lake that reflects in its surface the ancient temple and the castle. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Ternopil is mentioned for the first time in 1540, when Sygizmund I awarded Krakow castellan, great crown hetman Yan Tarnavskyy credentials for owning the territory of a modern regional centre and its suburbs provided that there will be built a castle in the tract of Sopilche (or Topilche). It should protect south and eastern borders of the kingdom from Tatar invasions. 

However people had settled here much earlier. In Ternopil and its suburbs there were discovered signs of the primitive people sites. That is why it is assumed that city territory has been inhabited already in the 10^th century B.C. Old Russian fortification named Sopilche was destroyed during the winter campaign of Batyy to Carpathian Mountains in 1240-1241. In a course of time it was rebuilt and from 1349 was under the rule of Poland and Lithuania as the whole Western Ukraine did.

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My site about Ternopil Castle.

Ternopil castle is not one of those in romantic style. Do not expect to find here some heroic ruins.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Building of the castle began in 1540 and lasted nearly 8 years. A fortress was used by for Tarnavskies' and their successors, Ostrozkies, Zamoyskies, Konyetspolskies, King Maria-Kazymir, Sobieskies, king’s son Yakub-Kostyantyn, and finally Pototskies, to protect their owning from Turks and Tatars. 
After the Turkish invasion in 1672 the castle was in ruin; only on the beginning of the 19^th century count Korytovskyy rebuilt castle into a palace. In 1843 Ternopil’s last owner, Ye.-M. Turkul handed it down to the city and it was used as quarters.

Burnt in 1917, during WWI, castle laid in ruins for the long time till it was restored in 1951. It is situated in western part of the city near the lake.

It seams to be the architectural dominant of the whole Ternopil region. The temple, which was owned by Dominican monks, now is managed by Ternopil Greek Catholics. 

The Dominician church was built in 1749-1779 according to the project of architect Jan de Witte, whose name is concerned with fortress in Kamyanets-Podilskyy. It’s a building of the late Baroque taste which is distinguished by vividness of the clear composition and harmonious proportions.
The vault of the central nave was painted by Polish painter-monumentalist, Stanislaw Stroinski. Frescos of the side naves were made by his disciple, Jozef Chojnicki. In 1908-1910 there was restored a cupola and renewed paintings of the interior. However, they have not been preserved till nowadays. There are monastic quarters adjoined to the church that together perform a unique architectural complex. A small side entrance is interesting because of its dynamic baroque plastic. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Temple’s façade once was decorated with sculptures.

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Some words about the temple, which is situated above the big <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Ternopil Lake. It is an old and ancient one. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

At the beginning of the 16^th century (according to other sources even earlier, in the 15th century) on the basis of even more ancient temple, history of which takes it roots in the times of Danylo Halytskyy, there was built a church of Exaltation of the Holly Cross. In 1987 nearby there was discovered a burial, which had features of an Old Russian obsequies.

The church, which is also called "church above the lake" was of a defense character. On the stone plate above the church entrance there is an inscription in Slavic characters that confirms the date, when the building of the bell tower was finished, which is July 28, 1627.

The church was damaged during both wars and restored in 1959.