Nicholas Roman Catholic Church (1983). The same church as at the top of the page

Nicholas Roman Catholic Church:

It was erected in 16 th century, also during Polish kingdom
times, yet before Galicia went under Austrian rule century later. Originally the church
was Polish. During Soviet rule it was closed and there was Museum of Atheism or some
sort of warehouse, if I am not mistaken. This was the usual way to reorganize Roman
Catholic churches into atheism museums by Soviets after occupation of Western
Ukraine in 1939. The same Museum of Atheism was made out of Dominican Church in
nearby city Lviv. This Rohatyn church was built in 1500 s, on the place of earlier one. Some sholars
relate the building to the 16 th - 17 th centuries. However construction methods ad
architectural forms testify about earlier origin of this downtown church. Along with
clearly Gothic elements, there are elements of late renaissance. The date 1666 belongs
to one of the later reconstructions. Already in 15 th century, the monument stood
uncovered for many decades, as result of frequent invasions of Turks. Later it was
repaired. In the 19 th century (during Austrian rule) the church was completely
reconstructed. In 1862, the belfry was repaired. During the Second World War, in 1944,
the roof was damaged and spire of the tower, covers over presbiterium and basement
were destroyed. In 1945 the tower was restored, raised up 2 meters higher and ended
with tent-frame cupola, instead of original spire/capstan. Restoration works were
conducted in 1969 - 1973.


Gothic window of Nicholas Roman Catholic Church
and monument to Polish writer Adam Mickiewict next to it.

The church is built of bricks, is of three naves, six pillars with bell tower. The
central part of the church is joined with two not high square chapels from both sides. It
is covered with the system of non-even cross-form nervure arches. The wall are fortified
with contreforces. The tower is square in plan, of four fellings, completed with tent-like
cupola. The monument is solved in renaissance and barocc forms.
A few years ago, with the collapse of Soviet system, the church was returned to
Rohatyn´s Roman Catholic small community (both Polish and Ukrainian) and has
masses and is being restored inside as well as nicely painted from the outside. Worth a
primary visit when you will be in the town. During Soviet times Roman Catholic Church
just like Greek Catholic (Uniate) churches were forbidden. All existing Greek Catholic
chuches were forcefully reorganized into Orthodox churches when Soviets took the area,
while Roman and Greek Catholic priests were imprisoned or deported to forced labour
camps in Siberia. It is located at the central square of Rohatyn.

Holy Spirit Church, 1598:

Originally, it was Ukrainian Uniate (Greek Catholic) church but nowadays a museum.
Reorganized into museum with the Soviet occupation after 1939.
It is dated according to the inscription on the northern wall interrior of central
framework. Some researchers date the monument to 1562 and 1648. In 18 th century,
the bellfry was added. In 1895 (Austrian rule) restoration of the church was made. It is
wooden, three-felling, verge-like five wall eastern part and stretched verge-like
babinets. One upper crust. From the west, babinets is joined with square three-layer
bellfry of framework construction completed with tent-like cupola.
The monument belongs to the most perfect works of Galician school of people´s
architecture.

City plaque indicating road to Holy Spirit Church

Rohatyn´s old town cemetery and Austrian cholera military cemetery:

The Holy Spirit wooden church is sorrounded by some pine-trees around and old town
cemetery. Next to it, just over the road, there is Austrian military cemetery (of First
World War times of1915/16) with over 400 stone crosses, with plaque and number
marked on each. All these Austrian soldiers died not because of the war but because of
cholera epidemic, which hit the army and Rohatyn at those times.

Monument to Roksolana (Hürrem Sultan in Turkish) at the central square of Rohatyn

Rohatyn's greatest woman and pride - Roksolana :

In Rohatyn and our area, Holy Spirit Church described above is also known as Roksolana
Church, since it was the church Roksolana attended and had a house nearby, where she
was taken into Turkish captivity, during invasion of Turks. Roksolana´s real name in life
was ANASTASIA LISOVSKA (Nastia Lisowska, 16 th century) and she was taken as far as Istanbul,
capital of great Turkish Ottoman empire (which extended from Egypt on the south to
the Black Sea on the north being one of the greatest powers at that time). The Turkish
emperor Sulieman liked her so much that she became his wife, whom he loved with all his heart
his whole life. He did not refuse her in anythig she asked. Through him, she virtually
"ruled" the empire and greatly influenced Turkish politics towards Ukraine and spared
Rohatyn and Ukraine from many Turkish invasions. Her son became the emperor as heir
after his father. Until nowadays she is revered and famous in Turkey and if you ever get
a chance to visit Istanbul, do not miss a chance to visit the mosque named after
Roksalana there. Roksalana´s name in Turkey is slightly different, I do not remember
her Turkish name though. Few modern Turks know that she was from Rohatyn and
Ukraine originally, since she was forced to convert Muslim faith. Thus she is known as
Turkish hero there. In Western Ukraine, her name is quite common as female first name
because of her. Many local Rohatyn products, street and so on, are named after her.
Also even mineral water from Rohatyn bears her name Roksolana. Her name and
historical figure is known and national heroe-like all over Ukraine, especially in Western
part, i.e. Galicia. Many Ukrainian writers (as Andriy Chaykovsky, if I am right) and poets
wrote novels based on this story about Roksolana. You can read also about Roksolana
in many books on History of Ukraine. She came into Ukrainian history ad became next
to such names Volodymyr the Great or Yaroslav the Wise. Her name may be
transliterated from Ukrainian also as Roxolana. Do not miss a chance to visit the Holy
Spirit Church museum, also because of Roksolana. The local museum guide and many
Roksolana biography books (I do not know though if there is any translated into
English, but there should be some material in English about her for sure, also in Turkey
and Turkish I think) can tell you more about her.
Sulieman's Mosque in Istanbul was built by Sulieman for Roksolana.

Above: At the central suqre of Rohatyn. Photos taken by me in summer, 2004.

Legend about Church of Roksolana:

There is following legend recorded in village of Nadrichne (some 20 km south east of
Rohatyn) in 1978 from a local old woman Paraskeviya Bilan, who was 78 then. It was
in summer of 1777. The church procession came out to look at the Church which was
being moved from Rohatyn to Urman´ (village in Berezhany district, some 30 km from
Rohatyn) . Old and yound came on the road to look at the legendary building, encircled
with legendary stories since it was the church where Anastasia Lisovska, legendary
Roksolana got married at. 24 pairs of oxes slowly dragged the church building. The
church had to stand at the ruined (by Tatars) castle hill in Urman. The oxes stopped at
one of the hills in the village and nothing culd move them any further, not even threats
and apeals could force them to move further. Then people gathered and decided: "God
himself wanted the church to stand at this place!" They gathered the donation, paid for
the plot and installed the church at the places where oxes stopped. And it stands at
that place until today. You can see its picture at Urman Information Page online.

* * *
Legend about Chortova Mountain by Rohatyn:

Photo above: Evening view over Devil's Mountain by Rohatyn (August, 2004).

This mountain (Chortova hora in Ukrainian and Czartoska gora in Polish and devil's mountain in English) is to the right of the road if you go east to Berezhany from Rohatyn (some 5 km from the town). The legend tells that this happened on 8 th of April in 1651, on very Easter day, just before the battle of Poles againt Ukrainian Cossacks in Berestechko. And what happened was that the mountain was moved from place to place (motu terae, or ex Mandato of the High Lord). People's opinion was that the demons wanted to cover Rohatyn with the soil over. But only early morning after the first cocks sang, they got rid of their power and strength, having thrown down all the soil just before Rohatyn. Since then the mountain stands until today, being called Chortova hora (devil's mountain). Krasucki and Rzeczynski wrote about this mountain
both were Polish Jesuits. In recently published in Berezhany "Legends of Opillia", there is this legend also, told a bit a different way, as it was a rivalery between Berezhany and Rohatyn towns. But some 14 km east of Rohatyn (on Rohatyn way just beyond Lopushna, not far from Pidvysoke) there is a huge non-naturally looking valley, form of which quite corresponds to the form of Chortova mountain.

First World War in Rohatyn:

During the First World War, there were heavy fightings around Rohatyn. With the
beginning of the war in 1914, in Rohatyn, like through all the rest of Austrian monarchy,
all men of mobilisation age were taken to fight against Russians, Serbs, Italians. On 6
th of August in 1914, one of the greatest battles of First World War started. It is
known as Galician battle, with 1,5 millions (!!) of soldiers and officers from both sides.
Until nowaday, in local forests around Rohatyn and Berezhany, you will find a number of
trenches, bomb pits, even bunkers...The land is covered with many Austrian, Turkish,
Russian mostly desolate military cemeteries in forests since those times. On the
outskirts of Rohatyn town, on the very top of Pikula mountain, there is desolate
Austrian military cemetery. You can see only small grave hills but no monument is
preserved. The old resident from the village down beyond the Pikula mountain, told me
that he remembers there was a column with eagle on the top at that cemetery and it
was nicely fenced. Now, the cows are pastured there and Rohatyn people gardens lay a
hundred meters further. I was on the top of Pikula in August, 1996 and recorded the
number of graves, a total of 229. I could be mistaken plus minus ten or so, since not
all were seen well. The Pikula cemetery is of square form, fenced with stoe pillars and
wire. The view from Pikula mountain is breathtaking (especially in clear sunny day) over
the vast and bare surrounding fields, once concert of fierce First World War battle
between Austrian and Russian armies. I did photos also of Pikula cemetery, everything
for Austrian Black Cross and German organization for German military cemeteries (they
have office in Kyiv). The similar information about 4 Turkish First World War
cemeteries, that I know around Rohatyn, I gathered for Turkish Embassy in Kyiv. I
wrote them a letter informig about it first.

How to get to Rohatyn:

If you are travelling from the West on your own (remember that you need to get
Ukraine visa first at Ukraine embassy, otherwise the Ukrainian customs will not let you
into the Ukraine), the best way to get to Rohatyn would be to fly with Polish Airlines
"LOT" or Ukrainian Airlines (I highly recommend Polish Airlines because of its Western
European planes, standard and quality) directly to Lvov (Lviv, in Western Ukraine)
through Warsaw (one hour flight from Warsaw to Lviv). And then from Lviv you can
catch direct bus to Rohatyn (a bit less than 2 hours trip through Peremshliany or
Bibrka), which goes daily there from Lviv´s main bus station. Bus tickets for Rohatyn
are sold at the second floor of the Lviv bus station, at the Peremyshlyany direction
window. There are a number of buses, every hour mostly, which go through and stop at
Rohatyn from Lviv bus station. These are all buses going from Lviv to Ivano-Frankivsk
(a few per day), Kolomyya, Yaremcha, Nadvirna, Kalush, Perehinske, Kosiv etc.
You can catch also train Lviv - Khodoriv - Rohatyn (4 housr trip), which departs around
8 am daily from Lviv main railway station. I went many times by that train. It stops in
Rohatyn but goes 14 km further to its final stop in Pidvysoke around 1:00 pm (village
where my grandparents live), major railway junction, where another train which came
from Ternopil waits, so that one could change the trains to go further all the way to
Berezhany and Ternopil if he wants. I recommend bus trip because of better
covienience and being faster.

You can catch bus to Rohatyn also from Ternopil (buses Ternopil - Ivano Frankivsk,
Ternopil - Dolyna, Ternopil - Perehinske, Ternopil - Truskavets, Ternopil - Stryy. All of
them stop at Rohatyn Bus Station, next to newly built small Bus Station Building, which
should be opened soon. Now Bus Station is located in quite a primitive building (by
Western standards) with small hall, three tickets windows.
In terms of hotel, I suggest you to stay overnight in neraby cuty Lviv since there you
can find western standard hotels and this is the largest city, architecture pearl of
Central Europe, well worth to see well around also. It is just less than 2 hours back trip
from Rohatyn to Lviv.

Rohatyn Bazar:

One day a week (seems like it is Wednesday morning, if I remember well, when I went
there once earlier), there is an outdoor market in Rohatyn, just a walk from the
downtown by main road to Lviv and turn left. You can buy there everything from jeans
to food. Also in nearby town Berezhany the same outdoor bazar is every Saturday
morning at the stadium.

Villages of Rohatyn district:

Major villages are: CHERCHE (it is a balneological resort 5 km from Rohatyn. Its Polish
name is Czercze), STRATYN (earlier small town with many Jews living in, now very rural
village, which has restored chapel on the place of Jewish cemetery in Stratyn.),
MALYNIVKA (former name: Tsiutskiv. It was renamed into more Russian "Malynivka" by
Soviets), VERKHNYA LYPYTSYA (Upper Lypytsya if to translate. It has ab. 4.000
inhabitants! Polish name: Lipica Gorna), HONORATIVKA (people usually call it as Hornativka),
NYZHNYA LYPYTSYA (Nyzhnya = lower, further by road to Bilshivtsi from Verkhnya
Lypytsya) MLYNYSKA (a forest hamlet actually next my gradparent´s village Pidvysoke.
I was in Mlynyska many times, and I know well forests aroud it since they are abundunt
in mushrooms), LOPUSHNA (small village next to my grandparents village Pidvysoke, it
is nearly merged with Pidvysoke. Lopushna is first village in Rohatyn district if you
enter it from Berezhany or Ternopil by road), PUKIV (Russian name: Pukov, Polish
name: Pukow. Village is 5 km from Rohatyn eastwards by railway and car road to
Berezhany and Ternopil).

Other major villages in Rohatyn district that I know:

(Official modern Ukrainian name - Polish name - Russian name)

STRYHANTSI - Stryhance - Strigantsy
ZHOVCHIV - Zowczow - Zhovchev
CHESNYKY - Czesniki - Chesniki
ZAHIRYA - Zagorze - Zagorye
UYIZD - Ujezd - Uyezd
KLESHCHIVNA - Kleszczowna - Kleshchivna
ZALANIV - Zalanow - Zalanov
PRYOZERNE - Przyjeziorne - Priozyernoye
SVITANOK - Switanok (former name: Korchunok / Korczunek. Renamed by Soviets)
VORONIV - Woronow - Voronov
KONYUSHKY - Koniuszky - Koniushki
DOBRYNIV (locals call it "Dibraniv") - Dobrynow/Dobraniew - Dobrynev
PIDVYNYA - Powinie - Podvinye
ZALYPYE (Zalypya)- Zalipie - Zalipye
HORODYS'KA - Horodyska - Gorodiska
KUTSI (Kuttsi) - Kutce - Kutsy
PIDHORIDDYA - Podgrodzie - Podgorodye

To all the villages you can get by daily buses (usually one/two buses per day to every
village) from Rohatyn Bus Station. Buses make also additional stop in the downtown in
Rohatyn. The timetable plaque you will find on the wall at Bus station in Rohatyn.
Rohatyn Bus station is located at southern part of the town, on the road south to
Bilshivtsi, Halych, Burshtyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomyya. The station is on the
crossroads, to the west road to Zhydachiv, Khodoriv, Drohobych, Boryslav and Stryy
runs. That is why Rohatyn is an important road junction and there is Road Police
Inspection Post (DAI = "Dorozhnya Avtoinspektsiya" in Ukrainian) next to Rohatyn Bus
Station on the crossroads, so oe should be careful while driving nearby, since they do
stop and check passing cars there. There is also small cafeteria and kiosk next to bus
station. To/From Ivano-Frankivsk there is bus almost every hour from/to Rohatyn.

Maps of Rohatyn and surrounding areas:

Rohatyn and Western Ukraine (in Russian): Rohatyn is north of Ivano-Frankivsk, in the center
Topographic map of area around Rohatyn (in Russian): Rohatyn is to the left, in the bottom
Global Insight map of Rohatyn area (in English): Find Rogatin there

Pidvysoke village, it is located 14 km east of Rohatyn:

Pidvysoke Village Page - Pidvysoke Views - Pidvysoke Monuments - Pidvysoke Church

* * *

Some external links: (not mine already!)

Polish Encyclopeadia "Wiem" Rohatyn article
Some of Rohatyn buses (to/from Kalush) timetable
Rohatyn Parish of Roman Catholic Church (see some photos)
Dmytro Bratush Rohatyn Harvard Library Collection. (D. Bratush is from village Koniushky in Rohatyn rayon)
See painted eggs (pysanky) from Rohatyn. Local folk art.(They have only one from Rohatyn though)

If you are interested in bygone Rohatyn Jewish history, you may also visit following Jewish sites (also not mine!):

Jewish site about Rohatyn by Shtetlinks and Jewsih Genealogy Project
There is also Rohatyn Jewish Memory Book
Jewish Rohatyn: "A World Is Gone with the Wind" by Jack Faust
Simon Wiesenthal Jewish Center online article on Rohatyn (see old map there)
Rabbi Yehezkel Lewin from Rohatyn (murdered in Lviv)

* * *

Address of "Khlibodar", Rohatyn major industrial (grain processing/bakery) enterprise. 155 employees:
Open Joint Stock Company "Khlibodar" (Rohatyn Grain Processing Combinate).
Halytska Str. 46, Rohatyn, 285140 Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, Ukraine. Tel. +380 3435 2-10-44
Enterprise share per value (in UAH, Ukrainian Hryvnyas): 0,25

Address of Rohatyn town council of people's deputies:
Rohatyns'ka Mis'ka Rada Narodnykh Deputativ
- Shevchenka str. 5, Rohatyn, 285140 Ivano-Frankivska oblast, Ukraine. Tel. + 380 3435 22 360

Address of Rohatyn district (rayon) administration:
Rohatyns'ka Rayonna Administratsiya
- Halytska str. 65, Rohatyn, Ivano-Frankivska oblast, Ukraine. Tel. +380 3435 21 200

Halyts'ka (or Galician if to translate from Ukrainian) is main thread street which runs through the town,
and around which town is built mainly.
Telephone code for Rohatyn is 03435 (mind 0 in front) if you call within Ukraine.
And 380-3435 (which besides city code without zero, includes also Ukraine's international prefix 380) if you call from abroad.

Page created on 31.03.2001 (from Berezhany, Western Ukraine) in Oslo, Norway
(where I studied, doing ytwo years MPhil in Medieval Studies).
Updated on 09.08.2013 in Reykjavik Iceland.
I had graduated in history of Ukraine
from the University of Lviv in Ukraine and hold MA in Modern Central European History
(specializing in Polish Jewish historiography) from Board of Regents of the University of State of New York
(I did it at CEU in Budapest). I would be interested to teach Ukrainian, Russian, Soviet, Polish history
or languages or Eastern European Jewish history abroad. Please contact me, if you have any suggestions.
All copyrights reserved.

See my CV.
If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me at: roman800@gmail.com