Zbarazh Castle Zbarazh Castle ( ) was a fortified defense stronghold . It dominates the crests of the Zamkova Hills of Ternopil Oblast in Western Ukraine next to the city ' s central plaza that was not in so distant past surrounded by marshland . The castle existence has been credited to last members of Zbaraski family undertaking of Krzysztof Zbaraski and Jerzy Zbaraski . Evidence of the City of Zbarazh formation can be seen in the Ruthenia fortress dating back to 1211 that was positioned somewhat away from current castle . Today this is a village of Zbarazky District located in the immediate proximity of Zbarazh itself and called . At that distant time the old castle and the province was ruled by Gediminids Landlords Zbarazky . Early Zabarzh Castle . The Zbarazky landlords erected a primeval wooden fortress in the town which nowadays is called Stary Zbarazh ( Old Zbarazh ) , a quarter mile away from their own mansion . Soon after it was incinerated during a skirmish with the tatars . All the fortification ' s protectors , including Vasyl Nesvizky , the grandson of Theodore Kaributas , were killed on the burning battleground . Another castle was constructed in the same location using the same materials , and its end was enacted in the same deadly way . It was set on fire during a nomadic attack in the year of 1589 while Yanush Zbarazky commanded the stronghold . Later in the beginning of the 17th century , his son decided to build a masonry structure in the new location receiving guidance from Western European architects . The first blueprints were drafted by Vincenzo Scamozzi for Krzysztof Zbaraski , but the project did not gain approval : it would remain more a palace then a marshal bastion . Scamozzi had envision his creation at first and described it in the tractate named " The idea of universal architecture " , which he later on partially embodied into stone in the city of Zbarazh . It appeared that this architect took " Utopia " of Thomas More too close to his heart . Therefore the contender won a different project by Hendrik van Peene , who was quite familiar with the landlords due to his previous work on Zbaraski ' s palace in Kraków . New Zabarzh Castle . An escarped bulwark emerged from the mounds of dirt up to high , and a terrace for the castle troopers was laid out of wide . A rectangular courtyard inside had been plotted . Behind the walls arched chambers were constructed , that nowadays house specimens of arms and wooden sculptures of Pinzel ' s students . An entrenchment around bulwark was very wide , in some parts it is as much as . In the middle of the fortress , regarding rules of " palazzo in fortezza " , was developed a palace in the architectural style of Renaissance with early Baroque elements . First ruination of the new fortification was endeavored by cossacks in 1648 . Polish sources reported their amount as much as 100 , 000 strong . But it would rather be an exaggeration . There was no business for such a ferocious army to siege a small castle . Nonetheless the landlords became determined increasing security of the military outpost . In the year of 1649 it was improved complying to a design of architect Dubois from Lorraine . During some period of time the stronghold was vacant , but later on its ownership was transferred to the Wiśniowiecki family . In 1675 it was overcome and burned by Turks , and soon afterwards followed a restoration by Dimitry Wiśniowiecki . That was exactly a moment when castle was turned into a palace , losing its strategic military designation . Nevertheless it did not stop Russian soldiers plundering a building in the years of 1707 to 1734 . Dmitry Wiśniowiecki having died in 1862 , the architectural complex became a property of the Potocki family . These were Joseph and later on Stanislav , Mayor of Kiev . Zbarazh remained under the control of the Potoki family until the middle of the 19th century . The castle was taken by the Cossacks in 1649 and the Turks in 1675 . The events of 1649 are dramatized by Henryk Sienkiewicz in his novel " With Fire and Sword " . Ivan Bohun was heavily wounded under the castle ' s walls . Peter the Great and Ivan Mazepa are known to have visited it in 1707 . Today ' s outlook . Having Ukrainian Independence been announced , the castle was included into a registry of national historical architectural heritage in the year of 1994 . The complex has a rectangular footprint , and surrounded on all sides by some marshland . This fortification demonstrated most advanced achievements of European marshal fortpost defense craft that included an escarped bulwarks , four bastions , and a moat encircling the building perimeter . Earlier , in the place of the palace , rectangular void was taken completely by the castles yard . The palace itself has two stories , being masonry built , with distinctive simplistic features of Renaissance era . The main entry way is emphasized by a balcony with a stone console . The outer corners of the palace are decorated with a field stone . Facades were risen in the Renaissance style as well . Gatehouse was aligned straightforward with the castle main entry . Pentagon bastions have been preserved partially . In everyone of them there are a tunnels connecting the castle yard and chambers . An exposition . Exposition halls of the castle has been housing significant collection of arts and artifacts informing tourist and visitors of Zbarazh District history . In 1980 the church , being itself an architectural heritage of the year 1755 , accommodated District Museum of Natural History . It was founded as public entity by the Chief District Representative Department of Education Voityna Peter Denysovich . In the April 1982 it was transformed into government establishment and was serving to the needs of Ternopil Oblast ' s Museum of Natural History . First executive officer became Voityna Peter . In the year of 1989 Zbarazh District Museum of Natural History was headed by Matsipoora Annatoly Viktorovych . Due to a transferring the churches from the state control to respectful parishes supervision , the museum was moved into a gym that at that moment was situated in the castle The art collection foundation at a time accumulated 4 , 277 items of primary fund and 1 , 401 items of auxiliary documents and artifacts . Major contributors to the cause were organization employees as Voityna P . , Malevych A . , Pohaudiy I . , Matsipoora A . , Mackarchuk N . The fund was enriched by materials of archeological excavations , ancient arms , paintings and sculpture artwork , numismatic collection , retro - clocks and furniture , old prints , pieces of worship , rugs and embroidery , items of everyday needs . In 1994 taking into account significant historical , architectural and creative importance of the castle legal act # 78 on February 8 , 1994 ruled inception of State Historic Cultural Preservation in the District of Zbarazh . For eight years of existence the fund became a part of architectural complex and filled in expositions in the halls of the museum . By a resolution of the Zbarazh board meeting on December 25 , 2002 all the infrastructure and museum holding were given in service to the State Historic Architectural Preservation in the District of Zbarazh . Using materials of art collection foundation were compiled primary expositions in the Zbarazh castle palace . These are archeological and ethnographic exhibits , as well as hall of sacred arts . State Historic Architectural Preservation expanded and enriched the museum tradition and complemented achievements of District Museum of Natural History . Every year exhibition was being enriched with items from state historic preservation fund , constant improving introductory tours is practiced , and control of excursions quality is being enacted as well . In accordance with the decree issued by the President on January 15 , 2005 # 35 / 2005 state preservation received a status of " Zamky Ternopolya " National Preservation . Nowadays the 17th century Zbarazh Castle is a center of " Zamky Ternopolya " preservation and a notable landmark of the district and the whole region . Today ' s museum collection consists of 50 , 000 items of exposition . All of them unveil a history of Zbarazh countryside in various epochs and development periods . Zbarazh Castle exposition consist of eight distinctive exhibitions . There is an overall list of them by the area of interest : Most ancient history of Zbarazh countryside presented in archeology . All the artifacts collected on this particular subject constituted a presentation of Paleolithic Era , Bronze and Iron Age , Chernyakhov Culture , epoch of early Slavs and Kievan Rus ’ . Most notable artifacts are shown off originating in Trypillian Culture found near the village of Bodaky , Zbarazh District . Area of interest exhibits . Archeological excavations of Cucuteni - Trypillian culture near the village of Bodaky executed by National Preservation together with Saint Petersburg Institute Material Culture Russian Academy of Science , Ukrainian scientists and archeologists . Results of the research have yielded enough material to assemble a traveling exposition of Zbarazh countryside for presentations abroad . To the date of writing this note , it visited Varna , Orléans and Tours , Granada . The Battle of Zbarazh entered into annals of Ukrainian history as one of the most patriotic stages of Revolutionary War for Independence . In the 1649 Zbarazh became an arena of combat straggle between Polish military and Cossack squadrons spearheaded by Bohdan Khmelnytsky . Precisely for this reason in the castle palace was created a Hall of Cossack ' s Fame . You would find there many busts of renown warriors . Besides those sculptures , there is a portrait picture - show of Cossacks ’ chieftains painted by Stanislav Kovalchuk Honored Artist of Ukraine . Sacred Arts of Zbarazh countryside are represent three expositions . Castle palace three exposition halls house a collection of icons belonging to the period of 17th — first half of 20th century , that originate in Zbarazh District worship establishments . All the specimens of this assemblage were mindfully preserved by the employees . First category artist - instaurator of oil paintings Magynsky Vladimyr recovered most of them to the original state . Quite interesting is a property of parishes , that is situated in the halls of Sacred Arts securities . In particular , these are lithography and old prints , ritual and church service literature , ceremonial regalia of Christian worshiping . Another feature deserving visitors ’ attention is an exposition of Ivan Prasko ' s personal belongings ; archbishop Ukrainian Greek - Catholic Church of Australia , Oceania and New Zealand ; born in the City of Zbarazh , he was a minister during 1950 – 1994 period of time ; died in 2001 , but his individual items were returned to his homeland with father Michael Bedry ' s help and were saved in the castle repositories . In the separate exposition hall has been shown off sacred arts sculptures created by both Pensel ' s students as well as talented artist Antony Osinsky in the middle of 18th century . Their work material was a wood ; polychrome technique was taken advantage of , as well as metal leaf layering of gold and silver applied . At one point of time these sculptures decorated Saint Antony ' s temple , but now they have become a museum collection cynosure of the castle palace . The icons and sacred sculptures collection , that were chosen out of State Historic Preservation fund , notably represented Zbarazh Castle out on a show of " Saved Relics " at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev transpired during April - May 2000 . Ethnography and a way of live in Zbarazh countryside represented by three palace show halls . A rare collection of Galych and Volyn embroidery have been situated there . Runners and tablecloths fabricated in different techniques on homemade and factory canvases using geometrical , floral , and zoological ornamentations . Alongside in the exhibition halls there are specimens of sacred art embroidery and gender specific folk dress code of Zbarazh District in history . A story of most popular country craftsmanship and its evolution tells us an exhibition containing articles of everyday living at the last guarder of 19th – beginning of 20th century . These are things produced with homemade canvas , figure loom rugs , earthenware and carpenter goods , wickerwork of straw , osier , and bast . Prominent feature of Zbarazh Castle is Ukrainian Honored Artist Vladimir V . Lipyichuk ' s sculpture collection . It constitutes more than forty authorial artifacts crafted out of lime - tree . Some items are represented by a plot of particular genre . Others are combined into duplets or triplets by common name or quotation . Lipyichuk ' s art work is an attempt to embody characters from well known and cherished writing of Taras Shevchenko , Ivan Franko , Lesya Ukrainka . Fans of modern Ukrainian art also demonstrate acute interest to creations of Taras Levkiv , Honored Artist of Arts , native of the Village of Malla Beresovytsya of Zbarazh District . Separate focus of attention require collection of arms that being housed in two castle exposition halls . It was assembled out of specimens from Stone Age era , Iron Age , epoch of early and late Middle Ages , as well as period of First World War . A torture chamber . There is a historical chamber of torture opened in Zbarazh Castle recently . In the dark and humid cellars of the fortress next to the dungeon walls now has been installed ancient devices that used to inflict suffering . All the hellish instrument have been manufactured using original blueprints . The charts were looked for in old archives . All the equipment is in working conditions . The subject of instrument of torture is a very peculiar topic . They were engaged mostly in the period of Inquisition , that had been widely practiced on the territory of modern Spain , Italy , and Germany , and latter on with the spreading of Catholicism in Ukraine as well . There was a decision made to show off this equipment in the cellars of Zbarazh Castle . Between the items of exposition there is a chair of witch . There is only three hundreds years passed by since last time women sat in it for suspicion in practicing an enchantment craft . Chiefly these were most of the good looking females . The interest to this artifact is particular , but there was no one trying to sit in the seat itself though . As of this moment in the chamber of torture there are up to ten devil ' s mechanisms , but the exposition has been promised to be enriched .