Ostroh Castle

Ostroh Castle is an outstanding monument of fortification architecture, majestically rising atop a 20-meter hill above the Viliya River. Its history traces back to a wooden fortification destroyed by the Mongol-Tatars in 1241. Later, the mighty Stone Tower (14th century) was erected on its site, becoming the heart of the complex and serving as a donjon. Throughout the 14th–16th centuries, the castle was the family residence of the Princes of Ostroh, one of the most influential magnate houses of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The fortress ensemble also includes the Round Tower (16th century) and the Epiphany Cathedral, and it was previously surrounded by a deep moat. Architectural elements, such as the Stone Tower, are three-tiered structures made of sandstone and brick, reinforced with buttresses. In 1913–1914, the castle was saved from destruction and restored thanks to the initiative of the Brotherhood of the Princes of Ostroh. Since 1916, the Ostroh Local History Museum has been operating inside the Stone Tower, preserving valuable collections related to the history of the region and the princely family.