Palace of Count Ksido, Khmilnyk

No matter how trite it may sound, Ukraine is an amazing region with a rich history, beautiful people, great nature and a great heritage.
You can endlessly list all the sights of Ukraine in various parts of it, from which it captures the spirit and causes pride in its land.
And we are proud of what, be sure!
In the expanses of our country there are absolutely all the wonders of nature, innumerable majestic historical buildings, fascinating for its architecture and its distant past.
Today, regardless of the place of residence, every citizen of Ukraine can perfectly spend his leisure time without leaving the chapels of our country.

In this article I would like to pay special attention to the pearl of the city of Khmilnyk - the Palace of Count Ksido. This landmark of Vinnitsa region ascends to heaven like a guard on Zamkova Hill, reminding the modern generation of distant times, tragic episodes in the history of our people and the achievements of the local region.
Those feelings, when before you a magnificent panorama from the top of Zamkova Hill and the whole city before your eyes as if in the palm of your hand, cannot be described in words.
Therefore, in order to enjoy the beautiful architectural ensemble, walk around the surroundings of the palace, learn a lot of interesting things about its history, spend an unforgettable weekend with relatives and friends, everyone is worth a visit here.
Unfortunately, the palace is not in the best condition as we would like, but I sincerely hope that because of the rapid development of tourism in our country, the unique structure will be restored in the near future.

The history of the palace of Count Ksido and the city of Khmilnyk

It should be noted that the first source in which the town of Khmilnyk is mentioned dates from 1362.
The historical document describes in detail the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who, following the results of the battle with the Tatar army, managed to conquer the city of Khmilnyk.

From the historical archives it is known that in 1399 Khmilnyk played the role of a well-fortified frontier town, following a massive change in the geographical and political situation.
The reason for this situation was the battle at the Vorskla River, which took place on August 12, 1399.
The battle took place between the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Golden Horde in the battle was also attended by the allies of the Tatar army.
In the end, the confrontation ended in a fabulous victory for the Tatar army and the complete defeat of the Lithuanian army.
Such an event radically changed the course of history and for a long period strengthened Polish influence in these parts.

In the first half of the 15th century, the town of Khmilnyk appeared as the possession of Prince Feodor Koribut Nesvitsky. The local lands belonged to Poland, craft and trade were actively developing here, which in turn contributed to obtaining the Magdeburg rights.
Peaceful life did not last long, in the 1500th year, the Khmelnik area was visited by Turkish troops, commanded by the sons of Khan Mengli Giray.
Such an unfriendly visit contributed to a significant strengthening of the castle and its territory.
Khmilnyk surrounded by a reliable stone wall around the perimeter, erected towers, dug a canal that was filled with river water that surrounded the whole city turning it into an island.
These precautions helped the local area to find peace and contributed to its further prosperity. Unfortunately, the quiet life did not last long, in 1584 the city was attacked by the Tatars, then at the peak of the aggravation of relations between the Poles and the Ukrainian Cossacks, military conflicts often occurred here. As a result, the city was owned by the Cossacks, the Poles, the Turks.

In 1774, when the military confrontations calmed down a bit, peace came around Khmilnyk, the last Polish king Stanislav-August presented the city itself and the lands along its perimeter to his nephew - Jusef Poniatowski.
But, soon the political situation changed. Poland ceased to exist, much of its territory and the city of Khmilnyk itself belonged to the Russian Empire.
Thus, Empress Catherine II presented the rich lands of Khmilnyk as a generous gift to Prince Alexander Bezborodku. If we analyze the historical data, during this period the local region practically did not develop.

As evidenced by archival data at the end of the XIX century, the estate was profitably sold to Count Vladimir Vasilyevich Levashov.
In 1898, when the count died, his estate was inherited by a daughter, Ekaterina Vladimirovna Levashova.
Over time, Catherine married officer Konstantin Ivanovich Ksido.
It was during this period that a beautiful palace was erected on the site of a military defensive structure, which has been preserved to this day.
He worked on the architectural ensemble, a popular one of that period, architect Ivan Aleksandrovich Fomin.
He perfectly managed to combine the sophistication of the lordly style and the grandeur of the knight’s castle.

Project Palace of Count Ksido, Khmilnyk

Palace of Count Xido, our days

Today, the palace is very popular among tourists and couples who sincerely believe that if you walk through the arched bridge with your soulmate, it will ensure a long and happy life.
The majestic, mysterious and at the same time exquisite architectural monument is the most interesting historical structure of the cozy town of Khmilnyk, which is worth a visit for everyone.
Here you can enjoy the magnificent panorama of the palace and its surroundings, stroll around the cozy park, retire on the banks of the Southern Bug River.
Unfortunately, the palace is not in the best condition as we would like.
Today, the construction requires a serious restoration, and the local government, as always, has no funds in the budget.
Here it is ... reality!
But let's hope that in the near future, local authorities will still provide funding for the restoration work of the palace.

What is the uniqueness of the city Khmilnyk?

In 1934, according to studies of Kiev hydrogeologists, who visited Khmilnyk with a single goal to find a source of drinking water for the local population, were very surprised by the result of their work.
They were able to detect brackish water unsuitable for everyday use, but very useful for medical procedures at a depth of 65 meters.
As shown by detailed studies of test samples, the water is saturated with inert gas radon in the permissible norms for the human body.
Thus, subsequently, several sanatoriums were opened on the territory of the town of Khmilnyk, where everyone has the opportunity to improve their health.
It should be noted that today Khmilnyk is the only radon resort on the whole territory of Ukraine, which is very popular in our country and abroad.

It is worth noting that only 7 kilometers from the town of Khmilnyk, relatively recently, the richest Viytivtsek therapeutic peat mud was discovered, which is also used in the medical procedures of the Khmilnyk health resort.

It is important to know that the city of Khmilnyk itself is on a crystalline radioactive shield, in the depths of which there is a huge accumulation of radium and uranium.
Therefore, it is not at all surprising that Adolf Hitler was so interested in the local land.
Indeed, it was not by chance that the most mysterious object from the time of the Second World War was erected on the land of Vinnytsia on the orders of the world tyrant - Hitler's headquarters.
According to one of the versions, it was here that scientific research was conducted that was the basis for the emergence of nuclear weapons.