Річ Посполита

There is a widespread opinion in local history and some scientific publications that in the 18th century, especially in the ownership of the Czartoryski princes, Medzhybizh castle was transformed into a luxury romantic residence. The decorative garden was allegedly created as a result of Izabella Czartoryskas interest in English parks, as a continuation of the architectural program of the main residence in Pulawy. There is even a statement that the garden was arranged in the inner territory of Medzhybizh castle.

This article introduces documentary information about the structure, condition, functional purpose and actual use of the fortification complex, residential and economic buildings of the Medzhybizh castle in the second half of the 18th century. For this purpose, the text of the inventory descriptions of Medzhybizh castle in 1763, 1765, 1767 in Polish, adapted to modern spelling, and its parallel translation in Ukrainian are published.

The article presents the chronology of the Turkish and Polish stay in Medzhybizh and control over the Medzhybizh Castle based on documents and publications of archival materials. The short period of Turkish rule, which actually lasted about 8 years, as well as the difficult situation for the Ottomans in Podillіa in 1672-1699, cast doubt on the widespread narratives about the 27 years of Ottoman occupation of Medzhybizh. Instead, there is evidence of the inability of the Turkish military to hold the castle.

The canvas, presented at the Department of Ancient History exposition of the Lviv Historical Museum, is one of several dozen replicas retained today, which were duplicated and repainted for a long time after the original has been pained in the last years of the existence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is as assumed that there were so many of first canvas-samples as depicted on the painting voivodships and lands.