Folk legends retell that this fortress was first built during the life of Jesus Cross. Archaeological excavations have shown that people have lived here more than five thousand years ago. Place it was so desirable that applicants to possess it lacked ever. And the city by popular etymology called – desired or desirable – in short, Hawtin.

Anyone who owned a city controlled as the only way out of the forest of old bank of the stream to crossing the Dniester, just at the foot of the cliff, which rose by changing over time, its architecture and design strength. A control of the road, let alone crossing the big river has always been very profitable. Because Khotyn have wanted.

At the end of the fourteenth century Hawtin joined the Moldavian state. Because of the dual threat from Poland and the Ottoman Empire, the owner of Moldavia Stephen III the Great greatly expanded the castle. It built a new wall thickness of 5 and a height of 40 meters, built five towers, fortresses court level raised to 10 meters and is divided into Prince’s house and yard Warriors, yard vymoschuyetsya built with stone slabs and ceramic water pipe that stretched nearly kilometer away from the river. Dug deep cellars to store supplies. It was after this reconstruction fortress of practically acquired its current form, except for the southern and south walls (entrance) gates with wooden bridges erected at the beginning of the XVIII century the Turks.

 

Today the territory Khotyn fortress created State Historical and Architectural Reserve, there are numerous reconstruction battles, festivals and historical films are removed. “Zakhar Berkut” “D’Artagnan and Three Musketeers”, “Taras Bulba”, “The Black Arrow”, “Lion’s Tomb”, “In war as in war,” “The Little Mermaid”, “The Legend of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe”, and more than 40 films in the shooting which took part fortress.
Stern and terrible appearance with defensive walls of the fortress – the castle. Outside of decorating lined with red brick four bands, each consisting of several squares, each one inscribed and placed them on four rows of step! Pyramids completed crosses.
These motifs are often found in Ukrainian folk art, especially on the tail. Through ornament, wall height reaches 40 meters impression of monolithic and extremely powerful.

Hours: 9.00 – 18.00, seven days a week.
Prices of tickets.
· Adults – 20,00 UAH;
· Children aged 7 to 14 and students (if student ID) – 10,00 UAH;
· Photography – 10.00 UAH.
· Video – 15.00 UAH.
Cost of tours:
· Groups of visitors (children, students, adults) of up to 25 people – 50,00 UAH;
· Groups of visitors (children, students, adults) in an amount of more than 25 people – 100.00 USD.