Mukachevo castle Palanok history
Mukachevo castle is a valuable military-architectural monument of Ukraine. The castle was erected at the crossroads of ancient trade and military routes that led from Poddunaysky land to Kievan Rus and from the salt mines of Semigradiye to the Czech Republic, Moravia and Poland. The purpose of building the castle was to protect and control these caravan routes.
The exact date of construction of the castle is unknown, also unknown are the names of its first builders. Archaeologists suggest that people were living at Castle Hill from the prehistoric times. Initially, there existed a small fortified settlement, and then it was replaced by various wooden castles of the leaders of the Slavic tribes.
In 9th-10th centuries various fortifications were constructed there for the protection of the Carpathian Mountains borders of Kievan Rus. Later, there arose the feudal castle. Improvement and restructuring of the castle dates back to the reign of Podolsky Prince Fyodor Koryatovich. During the years of his reign in Mukachevo (1396-1414) he managed to turn a small castle into a strong fortification, and made it his residence.
The castle consisted of Predzamcha and the main courtyard, where there was a square residential tower (donjon). All the houses and outbuildings were surrounded by a dry moat and stone wall of a fortress with four round towers (three of them survived until our days).
After the death of Fyodor Koryatovich there were numerous owners of the castle. In 1629 the commandant of the castle John Balling held major repairs and strengthening of the castle as evidenced by the inscription on a stone slab preserved in the upper left wing of the castle.
In 1633 the castle was bought by Transylvanian Prince Dierd I Rakoczi, who started the reconstruction of the fortress. Later with the help of two French engineers the reconstruction of the old castle was started and the construction of external defense began. Improvements of the castle continued for all 78 years of ruling in it the dynasty of Rakoczi.
For a long time on the Castle Hill and at its base a fortress complex of various buildings was formed. For outside defense treated water moat, earthen ramparts, a palisade and a stone wall with loopholes. Within this shape, at the base rock, was the so-called settlement of defenders, where, besides the soldiers lived artisans and common people. A high palisade of thick oak logs on the inside of a water ditch was called Palanok, hence the name of the castle.
On the hill with the height of 68 meters, year after year and century by century various buildings were constructed and improved placed on three terraces of the ledge to the south and formed 4 separate lines of defense by the beginning of 18th century. The total area of the castle was 13,930 sq. m.
For centuries, the walls of the castle were under the sieges of numerous conquerors. But only a few of them could capture it. The fortress survived several sieges. One of them and the most memorable lasted almost two and a half years - since the summer of 1685 to January 1688.
In July 24, 1711 after the defeat of Ferenc II Rakoczi the castle again passed into the treasury of the Austrian emperor. In the 70 years of 18th century the castle lost its military significance and in 1789 was turned into a prison for political prisoners.
In May 2, 1848 insurgent people seized the castle and freed the prisoners. In 1897 the prison was abolished. The castle was empty for a long time and was going to ruin. In the years of 1922-1926 it was partially renovated and adapted for military barracks.
In Soviet times, Mukachevo castle was playing a role of museum. Today it is planned to set up a tourist complex in the castle.
