Kam'yanets – the Pearl of Podillya

Kam'yanets-Podilsky, one of the oldest cities in the Ukraine, is considered as one of great cultural importance and has been chosen the first in the list of “The 7 Wonders of Ukraine” in 2008. A rocky island surrounded by the tight loop of the Smotrych River flowing in a picturesque canyon. Kamyanets-Podilsky is one of the examples of the harmonious blend of landscape and architecture...

The Old City is a prelude to the fortress. Even nowadays historians wonder what was built first – the city or the fortress? The remnants of ancient Roman buildings of the beginning of our era bring even more confusion. The Old City suddenly ends and a wonderful view of a magnificent fortress and picturesque scenery opens up.

That view is the best on the square right before the Turkish Bridge that leads to the entrance of the fortress. The latter itself was the site of many skirmishes over the years... In 1672 the Turks invaded and seized the fortress. They ruled for 27 years. Over 800 boys were sent to Janissary troops and most of local citizens were either killed or deported to the neighboring villages. One of the major tourist attractions nowadays - the Polish Cathedral - was  converted into a Turkish mosque and a minaret was built nearby. When the Turks left, the cathedral was restored to its original appearance, though the minaret remained intact and a gilded Madonna was located on its top.
The different peoples and cultures that have lived in the city have each brought their own culture and architecture.

Examples include present-day Polish, Ukrainian and Armenian markets, Polish or Russki Folvarky districts. Balloning activities in the canyon of the Smotrych River have brought tourists. Annual Cossack Games (Kozatski zabavy) and festivals (Terra Heroica in October, Last Capital in August) that consist of large-scale reenactments of historical battles and events, as well as 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, a large number for a provincial Ukrainian city.