Chortkiv Castle, Castle in Chortkiv, Ukraine

Chortkiv Castle is a pentagonal fortress of sandstone blocks on the left bank of the Seret River, below Vygnańka hill rather than on a height. Its walls, up to 2 m thick and 6–12 m high, enclose a three-storey Renaissance palace, 65 by 10 m, flanked by two surviving corner towers: a five-sided south-western tower and a four-sided north-western one.

The castle was built in the early 17th century by Stanisław Golski and replaced an earlier wooden fortress on the site. The structure withstood multiple attacks from Tatar raiders, underscoring its strategic role in defending the region.

The castle's name comes from Jerzy Czartkowski, the first owner of the town, and it later served as the residence of the Holski and Potocki families. The palace halls were decorated with secular frescoes, and the towers were converted into the palace's avant-corps in the first half of the 18th century. The site now belongs to the 'Castles of Ternopil Oblast' reserve.

The fortress is part of the Castles of Ternopil Oblast National Reserve and is accessible to visitors interested in medieval architecture. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes since uneven ground requires careful walking and the best views of the towers can be enjoyed from different positions around the site.

The legend of tunnels reaching Bilche-Zolote is not the only trace of the past: defensive ramparts ran west from the castle, and near the railway station remnants of a small fort were still visible shortly before the 1920s. In 2011–2012 the entrances to the palace's basement level were sealed with stone.