On Friday, April 17, a partial collapse occurred on the main wall of the Khotyn Fortress, according to Khotyn Mayor Andriy Dranchuk.
“A partial collapse occurred on the main wall. And this collapse is quite significant. Everyone is safe! Most importantly, no one was injured. The team from the State Historical and Architectural Reserve “Khotyn Fortress” and State Emergency Service personnel responded promptly, restricting access for tourist groups near the site of the incident,” Dranchuk wrote on Facebook.
He added that the State Historical and Architectural Reserve “Khotyn Fortress” is documenting the incident and preparing the necessary official documents. The Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine have been informed.
The Khotyn Fortress is one of Ukraine’s most famous historical and architectural landmarks, located in the city of Khotyn in the Chernivtsi region on the high bank of the Dniester River. Its construction spanned the 13th to 18th centuries, and the fortress acquired its modern appearance as a result of several phases of reconstruction during the periods of the Galicia-Volhynia Principality, the Moldavian Principality, the Ottoman Empire, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The fortress is considered one of the key fortifications in Eastern Europe and is listed among the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine.”
The structure is widely known for the Battle of Khotyn in 1621, when the combined forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ukrainian Cossacks halted the advance of the Ottoman army. The complex includes massive defensive walls and towers, an inner courtyard, a prince’s palace, and a church. Thanks to its well-preserved medieval appearance, the Khotyn Fortress is one of the most visited historical sites in Ukraine and is often used as a venue for cultural events and the filming of historical movies.
