Halych (, ; ; ; ; , Halitsch or Galitsch; ) is a historic city on the Dniester River in western Ukraine. The city gave its name to the Principality of Halych, the historic province of Galicia (Halychyna), and the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, of which it was the capital until the early 14th century, when the seat of the local rulers moved to Lviv.

Nowadays, Halych is a small town located only on one part of the territory of the former Galician capital, although it has preserved its name. It belongs to Ivano-Frankivsk Raion (district) of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (region). It hosts the administration of Halych urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Halych lies north of the oblast capital, Ivano-Frankivsk. Population:

Name

The city's name, though spelled identically in modern East Slavic languages (Галич), is pronounced Halych in Ukrainian and Galich in Russian. The Russian transliteration should not be confused with the Russian town of Galich. In Polish the name is rendered Halicz; in the Yiddish language Helitsh or Heylitsh (העליטש); in Latin, Galic; in Hungarian, Halics; in Romanian, Halici.

Local folk legend would have it that the name "Halych" comes from a legendary "Prince Halychyna", the first ruler of these lands. In fact, a kurgan referred to by locals as "Halychyna's tomb", excavated in 1996, contained a ritual cremation site and a bronze weapon and gold disc that could have belonged to a noble leader. Max Vasmer and modern Slavists generally agree that "Halych" is an adjective derived from the East Slavic word for "jackdaw" ("halka"). This bird featured in the town's old coat of arms. Today Old Halych as a settlement of the Old Ruthenia (Rus) is an archaeological landmark on a territory of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. Located in confluence of Dniester and its tributaries, the Old Halych appeared on the basis of several early settlements and trading sites of White Croats, that in 12–13th centuries merged into a single conurbation.

After World War II, its Polish residents were resettled to the so-called Recovered Territories.

On 8 February 1994, Ancient Halych preserve has been created to preserve and promote the architectural sites in Halych of 11th–17th centuries.

Until 18 July 2020, Halych was the administrative center of Halych Raion. The raion was abolished in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast to six. The area of Halych Raion was merged into Ivano-Frankivsk Raion.

Main sights

  • Halychyna's tomb – the burial of legendary ruler Halychyna. Reconstruction in kurgan. In Krylos.
  • Church of the Dormition (Built in 1584). In Krylos.
  • Remains of Cathedral of the Dormition and St. Basil chapel. In Krylos.
  • Reconstruction of 16th Century wooden church typical of Halychyna. In Krylos
  • Prince's well. In Krylos.
  • Residence of Mitropolit (Now museum of History of Halych). In Krylos.
  • St. Pantaleon Church. The only surviving 12 c. church from Halych-Volhynia.
  • Castle (13th–17th centuries). In Halych. Built by Casimir III the Great in the mid-14th century, and remodelled by architect Francisco Corazzini in the early 17th century. Captured by Turks in 1676, it was left in ruins, and most of its walls were dismantled by Austrians in 1796,
  • Church of The Nativity (14th century). In Halych.

Notable residents

  • Ivan Popel (1850–1921), Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest, social and cultural activist

References

Further reading

  • Pasternak J. Die neuentdeckte mittelalterliche Kathedrale in Krylos. – Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas, 1938, Bd. 3, S.
  • Weiner, Miriam; Ukrainian State Archives (in cooperation with); Moldovan State Archives (in cooperation with) (1999). "Town Clips: Galich." Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova: Pages from the Past and Archival Inventories. Secaucus, NJ: Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation. p. 410. ISBY 978-0-96-565081-6. OCLC 607423469.
  • Halych in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1989).
  • Halych. Castles.com (Castles and temples of Ukraine) ; Halych. Castles.com (Castles and temples of Ukraine)
  • Davniy Halych . Official website of the National Historical Reserve "Davniy Halych" (Ancient Halych)
  • History and photographs (in Ukrainian)
  • Reconstruction of Cathedral of the Dormition
  • Photographs of the Jewish and Karaite sites in Halych
  • Galich/Halych (pp. 410) at Miriam Weiner's Routes to Roots Foundation.