Ukraine is commonly famous by its beauties that you may find on Step2Love. But the little-known side of Ukraine – that’s its ancient architecture. And at the beginning of July Ukraine celebrates an Architecture Day.

Probably, the most interesting is Ukrainian architecture of Middle Ages and New Time, that combines some features of European architecture with special local traits. And among the different sumptuous ancient buildings of Ukrainian cities, the most curious, certainly, are the castles.

At the foothill of Carpathian Mountains, near the town of Mukachevo is located the Schoenborn Palace, the Hunting Residence of Count Schoenborn, the nobleman of Austria-Hungary. The Palace was built in 1890-1895 and mixed styles of Neo-Renaissance, Romanticism and Gothic. After restoration in XX century Schoenborn Palace became a little more romantic, its architectural details keeping their main functions became to play decorative role and to combine different geometric forms.

As a basis of Schoenborn’s project was taken an astronomical year and by Medieval tradition the numbers of a year are present in its architecture. So there are 365 windows according to 365 days in a year; 52 chimneys according to 52 weeks in a year; and 12 entrances according to the number of months.

The most remarkable is that Schoenborn Palace is preserved with its authentic finishing. The castle is surrounded by English landscape garden where it is so nice to go for a walk with romantic lady. Nowadays here is Ukrainian sanatorium.

Another unique example of Ukrainian architecture is a historical and cultural complex “Radomysl Castle” that was built in 1612 as a paper factory called “papirnya” (from Ukrainian “papir” – “paper”) and reconstructed nowadays with all historical characteristics in a Gothic style. Radomysl Castle is also surrounded by a landscape park.Today here is a Museum of Ukrainian Christian Household Icons where was gathered the biggest collection of icons in a world. Unique examples of local Household Icons amaze the visitors of Radomysl Castle, especially if they are Orthodox Christians like the most of our ladies on Step2Love.

And surely, the most popular of Ukrainian Medieval Castles is the Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle or, more precisely, the fortress. This is a monumental citadel of Kamianets that was built in the middle of XIV century as a town’s fortification.

The fortress is located in a scenic place, on a steep mountain that is surrounded by a dangerous canyon in the bottom of what flows the rapid river Smotrych. This landscape plus a system of defensive fortifications made Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle practically impregnable for the enemies. Thanks to this Kamianets Fortress was taken by enemies only twice during all its long history. In times of peace towers of fortress were also used as prisons and now are known by that here was prisoned one of the folk heroes, “Ukrainian Robin Hood”, Ustym Karmaliuk.

Today Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle is preserved like historical and cultural complex of museums with theatrical excursions where the tourists can become a medieval warrior and try to ride a horse, to shoot with the bows and the crossbows and to taste some of national dishes cooked by ancient recipes. And your romantic lady will definitely be delighted with a trip to this wonderful place what preserved Middle Ages to nowadays.

Discover romantic castles in Ukraine with your special lady from Step2Love!