Fortress "Tustan", defensive complex in Urych

Defense complex in the village Urich was built an ancient times. The fortress stands on a high rock formed from sandstone that rose out of the ground in the Carpathians Mountains near Urych village.

Lviv oblast
Drogobych district
Urych village
You should drive through the village Skhidnytsia
or highway Kyiv-Chop from Urich.
You can see in the village a sight to the castle and museum.
http://zymaghory.com/tourism/tustan/eng

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State historical and cultural reserve “Tustan”

“And Urych stone and chained up in it
rooms, gates and cellars.
Or giants, or robbers house this is,
No one knows at all”

Ivan Franko. 1884

Tustan is one of the most popular and accessible place that travel agencies offer to guests at Skhidnytsa, Truskavets or Slavske resort.

Fortress Tustan is an ancient defensive complex, based on a huge sand stone rocks that rose out of the ground in the Carpathians Mountains near Urych village in Skolivskyy region, Lviv oblast. The famous spa resort Skhidnytsa is a few kilometers away.

The history of Tustan starts from ancient times. Up to present the fortress has acquired numerous legends and fictions that guides tell to visitors of the museum. From archeological findings near Tustan is known that in І millennium BC on the rocks was found pagan sanctuary. Tustan was founded as a wooden fortress in the second half of IX century. It lasted to the mid of XIII century when the necessity in it existence was not primary anymore. Tustan was a very strategic point and defended western frontiers of Kievan Rus and later the Principality of Galicia–Volhynia. Historians mentioned it in written sources and put it alongside with such famous places as Lviv, Galych, Przemyśl, Lubaczów, Terebovl etc. Besides important defensive value the fortress was customs and border center in the Carpathian region as well. Trade routes passed through this place to Transcapathian and European countries, and mainly salt from Drohobych was exported to those countries.

With the laps of time Tustan lost its importance as customs and defensive outpost and declined. Beginning from XVIII century Tustan attracted attention of numerous tourists, travelers, ethnographers and historians. This land acquired a lot of legends and stories, to some of natural creations were even given names — “Four Giants”, “Eagle”, “Three fingers”, “Four Spear”. At one time this place visited Danylo Halytskyi (mostly famous as Daniel I of Galicia), Casimir the Great, Ivan Vahylevych, Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrainka.

Tustan is also known from the film “Zahar Berkut”, shot on the base of Ivan Franko’s story “Boryslav laughs”. In due time in Tustan hold rallies devoted to T. Shevchenko’s birthday.

During World War II near the rocks were hiding places of soldiers of Ukrainian Insurgent Army (or Ukrayins’ka Povstans’ka Armiya or just UPA).

Festivals and other events

Festival of medieval culture “Tu Stan!” takes place every year near the village Urych in Tustan. Everyone can watch medieval battles, performances, laser shows, and taste dishes of that period of time.

Excursions to Tustan

There are excursions to Tustan from Skhidnytsa, Truskavets, Morshyn, Bukovel, Slavske.

Tour operators

“The Carpathians pearl” - Skhidnytsa;
“Europe Tour” - Skhidnytsa.

How to get to this place

You may choose the road from Skhidnytsa to Urych, but it must admit that the road surface is crushed stone.
There is the highway Kyiv – Chop with hard road surface, but there are places with not enough quality.