Akkerman fortress located in Belgorod-Dnestrovskiy city (Odessa oblast) is a historic and architectural monument of the 13th-15th centuries. It is one of the most preserved fortresses on the territory of Ukraine. Also Akkerman fortress is the largest fortification in the country.

All the buildings of the fortress are surrounded by fortress walls, the length of which reaches 2.5 km. The initial number of towers was 34, 12 of which were hollow, battle towers. The rest towers were bastions and half bastions. They were later turned into artillery platforms. Photos by Alexander Lipilin.

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Tags: Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi city · fortress · Odessa oblast

The house #17/2 located on Shelkovichnaya Street in Kiev is a former mansion of a famous merchant and philanthropist Semen Semenovich Mogilevtsev built in 1901 by the talented architect Vladimir Nikolaevich Nikolaev. Kievites named it “The Chocolate House” for the characteristic color and rich decoration of the facades.

The mansion is a two-storey building with a large basement and an attic over an extension. The plan of the house is typical for rich mansions of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. The main facade, facing Shelkovichnaya and Pilip Orlik streets, is decorated in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The appearance of the building is preserved almost in its original form. Photos by macwrangler.

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Tags: Kiev city

Neo-gothic style Roman Catholic Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross was built in Fastiv in 1903-1911. Today, this architectural monument of national importance is the main sight of the city. The church was constructed at the expense of representatives of the Polish gentry.

The author of the design was architect W. Dombrowski. Main feature of the church is the asymmetry of its western facade. The asymmetric structure of the facade of the building is explained by the influence of art nouveau style.

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Tags: church · Fastiv city

Yeni-Kale is an ancient fortress located in the Crimea on the shore of the Kerch Strait. The fortress was built by the Ottomans in 1699-1706. The name is translated from Turkish meaning “new castle” (yeni – new, kale – fortress). Currently Yeni Kale is on the territory of Kerch city.

Yeni Kale was of great strategic importance. Located at the narrowest part of the strait the fortress, armed with powerful guns, controlled the passage of ships between the Azov and Black Seas. The construction was led by Goloppo – an Italian who had converted to Islam. Also several French engineers took part in the construction. Photos by Alexander Lipilin.

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Tags: Crimea Republic · fortress · Kerch city

Podgoretsky Castle is a well-preserved Renaissance palace surrounded by fortifications. The castle is located in the east of Lviv oblast in Podgortsy village. Together with Olesky and Zolochevsky castles it forms the “Golden Horseshoe of Ukraine” (tourist route of Lviv region castles).

The castle is a square from the east, south and west surrounded by lines of fortifications. At the site of today’s castle there were more ancient fortifications mentioned in 1530. Present Podgoretsky castle was built during 1635-1640.

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Tags: fortress · Lviv oblast

The following two similar wooden churches are located in the neighboring villages – Kraynikovo and Sokirnitsa, near the town of Khust, Zakarpattia oblast.

Both of them belong to so called Maramorosh architectural school also known as “Wooden Gothic”. Photos by av-otus.

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Tags: church · Zakarpattia oblast

This wonderful city standing on Black Sea coast is often called the “Pearl of the South”. Odessa has special architectural style and special ambiance.

Fortunately, most of the marvelous buildings that went up in Odessa during the 18th and 19th centuries were only partially damaged during World War II. That means Odessa retains the charm of yesteryear. Photos by horoshiyblog.

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Tags: Odessa city

Massandra Palace is one of the most interesting monuments of 19th century architecture located near Yalta city of Crimea Republic.

The palace was built in the style of French chateaux of the Renaissance. The elements of different styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism) were used in the interior decoration. Photos by holy-mozart.

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Tags: Crimea Republic · Yalta city

Olesky castle is the oldest castle that has been preserved in the western Ukraine. It is located near small town of Olesko, Bussky district, Lviv oblast. Olesky castle is oval in shape and dominates Olesko town standing on 50-meter natural hill. Photos by Alexander Lipilin.

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Tags: fortress · Lviv oblast

Genoese fortress in Sudak (south-eastern Crimea) was constructed from 1371 to 1469. The fortress has the buildings of 6-15th centuries: the defensive walls and towers, castle, churches.

In the 11-12th centuries, the town became a major center of international trade. Since the end of the 13th century, Italian city-republics of Genoa and Venice were struggling for the town, and in 1365 it came under the control of the Genoese. The bulk of surviving to the present day architecture refers to the Genoese period. Photos by Konstantin Brizhnichenko.

Tags: Crimea Republic · fortress