Khotyn Fortress. One of the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine”: a medieval stronghold above the Dniester and the site of the 1621 Battle of Khotyn

Khotyn Fortress above the Dniester in the morning
Khotyn Fortress and the Dniester from above
Khotyn Fortress at sunset
The walls and towers of Khotyn Fortress among the meadows
Khotyn Fortress on the bank of the Dniester
Khotyn Fortress above the Dniester in the morningKhotyn Fortress and the Dniester from aboveKhotyn Fortress at sunsetThe walls and towers of Khotyn Fortress among the meadowsKhotyn Fortress on the bank of the Dniester

Khotyn Fortress is one of the mightiest strongholds of Eastern Europe: tall stone walls and pointed towers stand on the rocky bank of the Dniester. Beneath its walls in 1621, the Cossacks of Hetman Petro Sahaidachny, together with the army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, stopped the army of Sultan Osman II. The fortress, 25 km from Kamianets-Podilskyi, is one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine and familiar to viewers from dozens of films.

Why visit

  • One of the mightiest fortresses of Eastern Europe: tall walls and towers on a cliff above the Dniester
  • The site of the 1621 Battle of Khotyn, where Sahaidachny’s Cossacks stopped the army of Sultan Osman II
  • One of the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine”, 25 kilometers from Kamianets-Podilskyi – ideal for a day trip
  • The filming location of dozens of movies – from “D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers” to “Zakhar Berkut”
  • Views of the wide Dniester from the walls and hills, especially striking at sunset
  • The fortress courtyard, towers and walls can be explored on your own or with a reserve guide

Good to know

Ticket prices
Admission is UAH 140 for adults and UAH 70 for children and students. Free admission for preschoolers, people with Group I–II disabilities, children with disabilities, World War II veterans and combat veterans – with a document.
Opening hours
The fortress is open every day. Until October 31 – 9:00 to 18:00, box office until 17:00; from November 1 to April 1 – 9:00 to 17:00, box office until 16:00.
Guided tours
Guided tours cost UAH 400 per group; admission is paid separately.
Best photo spots
The classic angle is from the hill by the entrance: the fortress against the Dniester. In the evening the setting sun lights the walls beautifully.
Good to know
The fortress stands on a steep bank, there is a descent to the gate, and the grounds have cobblestones and stairs, so you will need comfortable shoes.
Getting there
Khotyn is 25 km from Kamianets-Podilskyi, and the fortress stands above the Dniester on the edge of town. The easiest way to get there is by car or on a tour.

The stone fortress on the right bank of the Dniester was built in the 13th–14th centuries and became one of the most important defensive and trading posts of the Principality of Moldavia – it guarded a crossing over the river. Over the following centuries the stronghold changed hands many times and survived many sieges. The most glorious page of its history is the Battle of Khotyn in 1621. Nearly 40,000 Cossacks led by Hetman Petro Sahaidachny came to the aid of the army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and together they held off the army of Sultan Osman II for several weeks. The siege ended with the Treaty of Khotyn, and the victory at Khotyn became one of the most celebrated in Cossack history. Today it is the Khotyn Fortress State Historical and Architectural Reserve. The walls, about 40 meters high, the towers and the courtyard can be explored on your own or with a guide, and around the old castle the earthen bastions of later 18th-century fortifications have survived. The fortress is a favorite filming location: “D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers”, “The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe”, “Taras Bulba” and “Zakhar Berkut” were all shot here. The walls and hills look out over the wide Dniester, and at sunset the stone walls turn golden.

Tours that visit this place

Kamianets-Podilskyi and Khotyn. Two fortresses from the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine” over a weekend from Kyiv

Kamianets-Podilskyi and Khotyn. Two fortresses from the “Seven Wonders of Ukraine” over a weekend from Kyiv

Next: Nov 13 at 23:30

3 days (Fri 23:30 – Sun around 22:00)

from6,690UAH