Chervonohorod Castle

Chervonohorod Castle is a historic defensive structure and former palace located in the Chervone tract near the village of Nyrkiv within the Chortkiv Raion of Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine. Situated on a steep hill in the deep basin of the Dzhuryn River, the site originally featured a brick quadrangular castle with corner towers built in the early 17th century by Lviv castellan Mikołaj Daniłowicz. Throughout its history, the fortress witnessed significant conflict, including seizures during the National Liberation War led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky in 1648 and by the army of Turkish Sultan Mehmed IV in 1672. These repeated military engagements eventually caused the original medieval structure to fall into disrepair.

In the 19th century, the site underwent a major transformation under the ownership of the Poniński family. Starting in 1778, Karol Poniński converted the ruined castle foundations into a residence, a project later expanded by his son Kalikst. Kalikst dismantled existing low towers to construct taller, more voluminous ones in the pseudo-Gothic architectural style. Before World War I, the resulting palace was renowned for its exquisite Italian-style terrace, stone colonnade, and extensive landscaped park. However, the building suffered heavy damage during World War I and was never fully restored. The destruction was completed during World War II, and the site became a tragic location in February 1945 when Polish defenders were attacked by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.

Today, Chervonohorod Castle exists only as a ruined architectural monument of local importance. Only two heavily damaged towers remain standing, with one suffering a partial collapse in 2013. The property is currently owned by the Ternopil Eparchy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Despite its dilapidated condition, the ruins remain a notable landmark near the Dzhurynskyi waterfall and other historical structures, representing a layered history of defense, aristocratic residence, and regional conflict.