The Zhovkva Castle ( uk, Жовківський замок; pl, Zamek w Żółkwi) occupies the principal square of the town of
Zhovkva in
Ukraine. It was founded by Polish Hetman
Stanisław Żółkiewski as his fortified residence. Construction began in 1594 and was mostly completed in 1606.
The castle had a typically
Serlian entrance
arch
An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it.
Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...
and was encircled by
moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...
s (up to 17 meters in width). One wing of the building accommodated the
arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
and
stables; another was immediately contiguous to the city wall. In 1606, a garden was laid out next to the
hetman's residence. It contained a
menagerie
A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern Zoo, zoological garden.
The term was first used in 17th-century France, in reference to ...
with
wisents,
deer, and
chamois
The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...
. The palatine
chapel was consecrated in 1640.
The golden age of the Zolkiew Castle was the late 17th century when it passed through inheritance to
Jakub Sobieski and then to his son
John III, a native of Zhovkva. It was there that the king celebrated
his victory under the walls of
Vienna. In the 18th century the castle's facade was decorated with the statues of its owners from the Zolkiewski, Daniłowicz,
Sobieski, and
Radziwill families.
After the
partition of Poland the castle fell into disuse and was auctioned off. During the 19th century the chapel and some other structures were dismantled or rebuilt to accommodate a local school. The castle sustained further damage during the
First World War. Some restoration was undertaken just before the
Second World War, but much more was required following the end of hostilities.
Замок Жолкевських 5611.JPG,
Zhovkivsky Castle.jpg,
Жовківський замок з ратуші.jpg,
References
* ''Лильо І. М.'', ''Лильо-Откович З. М.'' Прогулянка Львовом. Путівник — К.: Балтія Друк, 2005. — 224 с.: іл.
* Памятники градостроительства и архитектуры Украинской ССР. Киев: Будивельник, 1983—1986. Том 3, с. 152.
{{Castles in Ukraine
Castles in Ukraine
Zhovkva
Houses completed in 1606
Buildings and structures in Lviv Oblast
1606 establishments in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth