Discover Ukraine. Mystical Podilia, p.#2 ~ Sataniv

Greetings from Ukraine, folks!

Today I continue my travel story around Ukraine. And Podilia is one of my favorite locations. Of course, I could not miss location with such an intriguing name.

Today's destination along Zbruch River is Sataniv. Rich local nature, limestone mountains, forests, healing springs, clean air, in the end, ruins of an ancient fortress, monastery, synagogue, ancient cemetery, city gate, caves - all this attracted here more and more historians and tourists.

Foundation and the mystery of the name

Nowadays it is a settlement of the urban type in the Khmelnitsky region.

Researchers of the history of Sataniv refere its foundation to ancient times. Ethnographer V.Sokha wrote: "The remnants of stone caves, burial mounds, graves testify to the fact that for many centuries BC, during the Neolithic period, people were already living in the city".

There are few versions (I found 8 in total!!) how the settlement got its strange name, given by whether the Poles, or the Swedes, or the Turks, or the Romans.

Some ethnographers apologists of Roman version say that after the capture of Dacia, Emperor Troyan the Roman emperor moved to the North. When they reached the place at the riverbank, one of the warlords asked: "Sat an non?" ("Enough, or not"). In response, he heard: "Sat". Soldiers, tired of a long pass, decided to stop here, and so the settlement arose.

Another theory is more mystical, but it has its basis. It is true that Pagan ceremonies took place in this area for a long time after the adoption of Christianity by Rus, up to the XVII century. All that was associated with paganism, the church declared Satan. Contrary, the neighboring villages were called "right" Orthodox names, honoring the Savior and love of God.

More prosaic but no less likely version is the name Sataniv is derived from the Moldovan "Satu Nova" that means "New Village", as in ancient times there lived many Moldovans.

Some history

One more legend tells about 4 springs with living water and a monk who healed people. Waters from springs run into river Zbruch.

As you already know from part #1, from the end of XVIII century Zbruch was a border between 2 empires: the Habsburgs and the Romanovs.

After many battles and wars, the city saved its multicultural heritage. Legionnaires of Rome, Turks, Mongols, steppe nomads, and later Jews, Poles, Greeks, Armenians, all of them left their traces in the history and culture of the town.

The oldest monuments of local history are Scythian burial mounds and Trajan's (Snake) berms - an ancient defensive scontruction. Sometimes Roman coins are found here.

Worth seeing

The status of the town Sataniv received in 1443, and in 1641 he was granted Magdeburg law.

Sataniv was another link of the defensive line of the Polish-Lithuanian state on its southern border. A small town with great potential, judging by how much resorts are around it.

Same as in Husiatyn (which I told about in part #1), all communities of the city took part in a defence of their settlement.

City Gates

This is the main gates of the city. Earlier all city was surrounded by the wall, but it is not retained, only this massive City Gates. It was constructed to protect path toward Poland from Mongols and Turks.

Synagogue

Another one building worth mention. To be honest, I feel great empathy to it for its amazing fate.

It is old Defensive Sinagogue, and as every old building, it has lots of legents and myths. the first one about when and how it was constructed. In fact, it says the Synagogue wasn't constructed by humans... At this place, was a high hill. Once there people dug and found something solid. They started digging up and dug a synagogue. lol.

Historians explaine the story of the excavated hill by the ancient building technology, when instead of scaffolding around the already constructed walls were poured ground, and after the completion of works, this land was taken away.

Some say it was built in 1532 (quite an exact date, as for me).

Another legend is about secret tunnel, that drove... guess where?.. To Jerusalem. lol. I think that was the way people entertained themselves before Internet was invited :D Okay, but the tunnel do exists, although it is collapsed, and only few meters are accessible. Of course, most likely it went to the castle or into the wood - any place to escape in case of danger.

It really looks like a small fortress. Its walls in some sections reach 2 m thick. It is one of the most ancient sinagogues in Eastern Europe.

As many other ancient buildings in Ukraine, it stood empty and destroyed during very long time. In 1754 it was slightly restorated. In the 1930s-1960s, the synagogue was equipped as a grain storage. From significant humidity fluctuations plaster, which was painted with a vivid vegetative ornament and signs of the zodiac, completely overwhelmed.

According to experts, the object was in an emergency and could collapse at any time. But unlike others, it got a good fortune. Local Ukrainians and Poles came to help the Jewish shrine. Later, Jewish Communities from Ukraine and Israel gave enough money to turn it into a shining beauty. And I say the result is really fabulous. For once ago, it was a Jewish capital of Podillia.

There was a school for boys, a library that had almost 800 books and in the 70s of the 18th century it was the largest in Podillia.

In the interior of the synagogue miraculously preserved remains of Aron Kodesh (Holy ark), carved out of stone and painted in gold, blue and red colors.

You see Priestly Blessing of Kohens below the Torah.

In the center of main hall, under the glass there are rocks, of which the Torah once was read. They have rich energy, and if one stand up on glass over them and make a wish, it will come true. You saw it at my photo upper in this post.

Well, it seems like enough of legends for today. Big thanks to those who made it, I hope it wasn't boring and made you thinking about come over to see it one day. If so, I feel completely happy!

I will continue my story about castle and one more special place in my next post.

Stay tuned!

^{Unless stated otherwise all photos used in my posts are taken and owned by myself, if you wish to use any of my images please contact me.}

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