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Learn about Belgorod Dnestrovsky - an ancient Greek fortress near Odessa

Belgorod-Dnestrovsky is one of the most ancient cities on the planet. It is located in 30 miles from Odessa, which is about one hour by car. In 1998 Belgorod-Dnestrovsky celebrated its 2500 anniversary.  It was founded by Greek people from the town Milet on the Middle-East.

They built it in the mouth of the Tiras River (now the Dniester) and called it as Tira. In V-IV century bc Tira had already become an important and powerful place on the crossroad of the trade routes. Typical for that time Greek city had cathedrals, straight streets, well-appointed houses, which were surrounded by equipped defense constructions.

The Scythians and the Romans, the Goths and the Genoese, the Moldavians and the Hungarians, the Turks and the Poles occupied the city in the different epochs and gave the city own names. Twenty different names of this city was found in the historical resources. Almost every name had the word “white”, because of local light chalk-stone, used in construction of the city.

The constructions of high walls and towers of 13-th century have been survived till nowadays. For 200 years the stronghold was under construction by the Moldavians, the Genoese and the Turks. The defensive walls were about 2500 meters long with a thickness of 1,5-5 meters. There were 35 towers (only 20 remain for today). Some of them has own names: Pushkin’s Tower, Ovidius’ Tower, the Commandant’s Tower and the Temnytsia (Dungeon) Tower.

For 400 years the city and the Fortress were known, as Akkerman. After establishing Soviet Regime the Akkerman was renamed to Belgorod-Dnestrovsky Fortress.

From all sides but the northern where the Dnister wash the fortress wall, the castle is surrounded by a moat. Belgorod-Dnestrovsky or Akkerman fortress still stands as the most grandiose in Ukraine. 

Akkerman Fortress was visited by the princes of Kievan Rus Kuy, Igor and Oleg, the "father of history" Herodotus, the writers Pushkin, Lesya Ukrainka and Adam Mickiewicz.

In 1896 the fortress was announced as a historical-architectural monument and hospitably opened for tourists who come to Bilgorod-Dnistrovskyi from all over the world.

Except the ancient fortress, the 15-th century Armenian Church and the Jewish cemetery are also worth visiting in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky city.

The Address of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky Fortress: Odessa region, Belgorod-Dnestrovskyi, Ushakova St., tel.: (+380 4849) 249-36, open daily from 8:00 tо 20:00 The most convenient way to get there is taking a bus from the train station in Odessa. The buses go every 10 minutes. - article prepared by Marina Pristinskaya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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