- Type
- Fortress
- Built
- 1543 · 16th century
- Location
- Soroca, Moldova
- Commissioned by
- Stephen III of Moldavia
- Coordinates
- 48.1612°, 28.3055°
History
The first, timber fort at an important crossing of the Dniester was built under Prince Stephen the Great, probably around 1499, as part of a chain of strongholds protecting Moldavia from the east. In 1543–1546 Prince Petru Rareș replaced it with a circular stone fortress with four round towers and a square gate tower. It guarded the crossing and the frontier facing the steppe known as the Wild Fields. In 1691 the troops of King John III Sobieski occupied it, and a Polish garrison held it against Turks and Tatars until the Peace of Karlowitz. The fortress lost its military role in the 18th century and was thoroughly restored in 2013–2015.
What to see
The small, perfectly round fortress has thick walls around an enclosed courtyard, with chambers and firing galleries set on several levels. The towers house an exhibition on its history. The walls look over the broad Dniester to the Ukrainian bank, and from the hill above town, by the Candle of Gratitude monument, there is a view over the whole area.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q2374273
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