Royal residence
High Castle was founded in the 13th century by the first king of Kievan Rus, Danylo Galytsky. At first it served as the residence of the ruler. However, living at such a height turned out to be not very convenient. Therefore, Danylo soon built a so-called Low Castle and moved there. High Castle, however, remained an important fortification. Among other things, the royal treasures were stored there.
Reincarnation
At first, the castle was made of wood. In 1340 the city was captured by Polish troops under the leadership of Casimir III. The treasures that were stored there were stolen, the wooden structure was burned, and a stone fortress was erected in its place.
Mountain in the middle of the city
Castle Hill, where High Castle is located, has a height of 413 meters above sea level. At the same time, it is situated in the heart of Lviv, which is very unusual. Thanks to such location of the hill, visitors can see the panorama of the historic center in full view.
Castle without castle
Many tourists expect to see the magnificent structure on the top of the Castle Hill. However, only a small fragment remained from the ancient construction. For the first time the castle was destroyed by Swedish troops under the command of Charles XII. At the beginning of the XIX century, the castle was almost completely dismantled (its stones were used for the construction of new buildings of the city). Only a fragment of the southern wall has survived until the present time. In 1835, the city park was founded here.
Two terraces
There are two terraces on the castle hill. At the beginning of the 20th century, in honor of the Union of Lublin an artificial hill was created on the upper terrace. The mentioned observation deck is located on its top. On the lower terrace there are picturesque park alleys. Here you will see a monument to Maxym Kryvonis, a colonel who captured the castle in 1648 and perished here, as well as an artificial cave, which entrance is decorated with sculptures of lions, taken from the town hall.
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