Tustan, Medieval hillfort in Urych, Ukraine

Tustan is a medieval hillfort in Urych in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine. The site sits among tall sandstone cliffs that rise above the wooded valley.

Tustan was a cliff fortress and customs post on the salt route from Drohobych to Transcarpathia. It is first mentioned in 1340, when Casimir III seized it, and a papal bull of 1390 lists it among castles granted to the new Galician diocese. In 1539 the king gave the rock to Mikołaj Bliżyński on condition he maintain the castle. The last record dates from 1565, when tolls were still collected there.

The name Tustan is possessive in type, reconstructed from a personal name Tustan meaning "strong, sturdy, brave". A folk etymology recorded by the Polish historian Stanisław Sarnicki in 1585 derives it from the phrase "тут стати" — "to stand here". The fortress was also a customs post where salt and cattle tolls were collected.

The climb to the rocks follows a forest path and requires sturdy footwear. Those who want to examine the rock faces more closely should allow time for a longer walk.

Thousands of small cavities in the rock show where wooden beams and platforms were once fixed. These holes make it possible today to understand the original construction of the vanished fortress.