Abandoned Palaces of Ukraine and the Legends That Still Live Within Their Walls

Many ancient palaces remain in Ukraine, preserving not only their architectural grandeur but also their own legends. Once centers of luxury and culture, they have now turned into ruins, yet still attract travelers with their beauty and mystery. These architectural monuments need care and preservation — so that their stories do not vanish along with their ancient walls.

Chervonohorod Castle

Overlooking the Dzhuryn valley near the village of Nyrkiv in Ternopil region, one can see the ruins of Chervonohorod Castle — one of the most famous in Western Podillia. The twin towers rising among the hills resemble a scene from a medieval saga.

The history of Chervonohorod goes back more than a thousand years. The first wooden fortress was built here by the Rus’ princes, but it was destroyed by the Mongols in 1240. The town was revived in the 14th–15th centuries when it belonged to the Koriatovych princes. It was then that a stone castle appeared, which was later rebuilt in the 17th century by Lviv castellan Mykola Danylovych into a mighty fortress with four corner towers and a masonry gate.

The castle survived numerous sieges. In 1672, it was captured by the Turkish army of Sultan Mehmed IV, after which the stronghold fell into decline. In the 18th century, it came into the possession of Count Karol Poniński. The new owner decided to give the building a second life — a palace in a pseudo-Gothic style was erected on the foundations of the old fortress, surrounded by a park with a fountain and colonnade. It is said that in its heyday, the palace resembled an Italian villa where social receptions and balls were held.

The world wars ended this story. After World War II, Chervonohorod turned into a deserted place, and the castle towers remained lonely witnesses of the past. In 2013, part of one tower collapsed, and today the monument is in an emergency condition. The territory belongs to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and the restoration project remains only a plan.

No abandoned castle is without its mystique — and Chervonohorod is no exception. Locals say there is an underground passage beneath the castle leading to an old monastery. According to legend, it was dug to save women and children during a siege. The entrance to the tunnel is said to be guarded by a stone knight who comes to life when someone tries to enter.

Another legend tells of a lady who lived here in the 17th century. Her husband died defending the castle, and she could not bear the loss — she threw herself from the tower into the river. It is said that at night her white figure appears atop one of the towers and slowly descends to the water. Travelers who stayed nearby claimed to have heard faint female sighs and footsteps.

There is also a story about the castle treasure. Before one siege, the Poniński treasurer supposedly hid gold in a secret chamber beneath the foundation and cast a spell on it. Since then, no one has been able to find the hoard — the coins seem to disappear before the eyes. According to legend, the treasure can be seen only on the night of Ivan Kupala, but touching it means invoking a curse.

Another local tale speaks of a black wolf that appears near the ruins before a storm. People say it is the soul of a former castle guard who vowed to protect it even after death. The wolf is rarely seen, but locals believe its appearance is a sign that old Chervonohorod still has its guardian.

Osten-Saken Palace

On the border between the town of Nemishaieve and the village of Myrotske stands the von der Osten-Saken Palace — a forgotten 19th-century gem. Once a family residence with a park, pond, and greenhouses, today it is an abandoned landmark that still bears traces of former luxury.

The palace’s history began in 1805 when the Mykulychi estate (together with the village of Myrotske) was gifted to Count Karl Saken. After his death, the estate passed to Ivan von der Osten-Saken, and later to his son Karl. They built a one-story brick palace with a corner tower and laid out a picturesque park around it.

The family owned the estate until 1873, when it was purchased by Yevdokiia Osypivna Astakhova, the wife of a Kyiv merchant. At the end of the 19th century, the owners became the Vorontsov-Dashkov family, and in 1904 the palace was acquired by a peasant, Andrii Kulyk. At that time, the estate included the main building, two wooden houses, a gazebo, a fruit garden, a pond on the Orlyanka River with a bridge, and landlord greenhouses.

After 1917, the estate was nationalized. The complex included the palace, park, distillery, and workers’ barracks. Later, when a biochemical factory was built nearby, the palace housed the enterprise’s club.

In November 2000, a fire destroyed the interiors and severely damaged the building. Since then, it has never been restored — slowly collapsing, remaining a silent witness of past eras. By 2012, only the façade and part of the tower remained, while the park was overgrown with grass. In 2018, the ruins were returned to the Nemishaieve community.

Locals say that there is an underground vault beneath the palace, where valuables were hidden during wars. They claim it was this “cursed treasure” that caused the fire. Other legends say that at night footsteps can be heard in the tower — supposedly the spirit of the former mistress, Yevdokiia Astakhova, guarding her old home.

There is also a romantic story: if you stand by the pond on a moonlit night, you can see the reflection of the former palace in the water — with lit windows, music, and silhouettes of dancing guests. They say it is the estate remembering itself as it once was.

Muravyov-Apostol Palace

In the village of Khomutets near Myrhorod stands the ancient Muravyov-Apostol Estate — once a cultural hub and one of the most interesting landmarks of the Poltava region. It is over two hundred years old, and even in ruins, it retains the spirit of its past grandeur.

The palace was first mentioned in 1774, when the central wooden part was built; about a century later, stone wings were added. The estate was founded by Ivan Muravyov-Apostol, a diplomat and statesman, great-great-grandson of Hetman Danylo Apostol. The building was designed in the shape of an eagle with outstretched wings — a fashionable architectural symbol of power and freedom at the time.

A park was laid out around the palace, which today has the status of a monument of landscape art. Two-hundred-year-old oaks still grow there, and the estate covers 77 hectares. Once it had ponds, greenhouses, and French-style alleys.

In 1920, an agricultural school was opened in the palace, and from 1930 — a swine-breeding technical school. Later, a veterinary technology college operated here, eventually becoming part of the Poltava Agrarian University. The educational use kept the building in good condition for a long time: it was heated, maintained, and used for classes.

When the structure was declared unsafe, it was abandoned. The roof began to leak, cracks appeared in the walls, and the windows were broken. In the 1990s, the estate was looted — museum exhibits and authentic family belongings of the Muravyov-Apostols disappeared. Today, the building urgently needs restoration, and several halls remain dangerous to enter.

Walking through the old park, one can hear the creaking of ancient linden trees. Locals say it’s the “sighing” of the estate, unable to accept the silence. Some claim that at night, near the palace, one can hear church bells ringing faintly — like the clinking of glasses at past receptions.

There is also an old legend about a “family curse.” According to the tale, one of the Muravyov-Apostol ancestors, Olena, married a poor man against her parents’ will, and since then the men of the family were said to die young. A few years ago, a TV crew came to investigate the story — they say their equipment failed, and mysterious shadows appeared in the footage.

Badeni Palace

On a picturesque hill above the Dniester River stands the Badeni Palace — one of the most elegant estates in Galicia. Built in 1906 in the Viennese Neo-Renaissance style, it rivals even the Potocki Palace in Lviv.

The palace was built on the site of an older Myslovsky residence, purchased by Count Stanisław Badeni — a prominent politician and patron, brother of former Austro-Hungarian Prime Minister Kazimierz Badeni. The building was adorned with porticoes, columns, reliefs, and mosaics, surrounded by a 200-hectare park designed by Lviv architect Arnold Röhring.

It is said that Count Badeni was so wealthy that he wanted to pave the floor of one hall with gold coins. But when the emperor advised laying them on edge — so as not to trample state symbols — Badeni smiled: even he did not have that much gold.

During the world wars, the palace was repeatedly damaged, and after 1945, it became a boarding school, which still operates there today. In the 2010s, the building became unsafe: the dome collapsed, and the floors fell through. Partial conservation work was carried out in 2016–2017, but large-scale restoration has yet to begin.

Despite the destruction, the palace still preserves unique interiors, including an oval ballroom and fireplaces decorated by Austrian and Italian masters.

Winberg Manor

In the village of Yasynuvatka in the Kirovohrad region stand the picturesque ruins of the Winberg Manor — the only 19th-century building in the area built in an eclectic style with neo-Gothic elements. The estate was erected around 1870 for military officer Vasyl Winberg and his wife Yelysaveta Annenkova, who inherited the property.

The two-story palace had 16 rooms, a tower, baths, stables, and a passage to the river. According to legend, Vasyl built it as a gift for his wife, who missed the warmth of Ukraine while living in St. Petersburg.

After the Bolshevik occupation, it housed a school and later a children’s home. In 1997, the building was transferred to a women’s monastery. At that time, metal details — balconies, gates, beams — disappeared. In 2004, a fire destroyed the dome and floors, leaving only the walls.

Today, the manor is under the care of the Pantaivka community. There are no funds for restoration, but the community maintains the grounds and organizes volunteer clean-ups. A two-hundred-year-old oak grows nearby, and in summer, cyclists visit the site.

It is said that Vasyl Winberg built the palace for Yelysaveta as a copy of their St. Petersburg home so that she would not miss it. Even now, when the walls stand roofless, locals call the ruins the “Castle of Love.”

If you are interested in places where legends and reality intertwine, we recommend reading the article about the most mysterious locations in Ukraine where the shadows of the past still live.

Photo: Andrii Bondarenko