{"id":1,"date":"2025-06-26T15:19:38","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T12:19:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/?p=1"},"modified":"2025-08-09T12:35:29","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T09:35:29","slug":"rozdil-1-starodavnie-misto-volodymyr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/mista-kyyivskoyi-rusi\/rozdil-1-starodavnie-misto-volodymyr\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 1. The ancient city of Vladimir"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udcdc Prince Vladimir: Legends and History of a Millennial City<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

Imagine an ancient settlement where every blade of grass preserves memories from princely times. The city of Volodymyr (historically also known as Volodymyr\u2011Volynskyi) is one of the oldest in Ukraine, having survived centuries of flourishing and devastation. Founded over a millennium ago by a legendary prince, it witnessed the Christianization of Rus\u2019, hordes of invaders, and resurgence from ruins. Here, facts and folklore intertwine: from military campaigns and the construction of majestic cathedrals to popular legends about miracles and ancient treasures. This city is truly the pearl of Volhynia\u2014a cultural\u2011historical hub where the heritage of Kyivan Rus\u2019, Halych\u2011Volhynian traditions, Polish\u2011Lithuanian influence, and the spirit of modern Ukraine converge. Let us now embark on a captivating journey through the history of princely Volodymyr, bringing dry facts to life via vivid imagery and legends, to feel the unique atmosphere of this ancient city.<\/p>\r\n

\"city

ancient city of Volodymyr<\/p><\/div>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

\ud83c\udff0 The founding of the city and the first princes<\/h2>\r\n

The history of Volodymyr begins in the early Middle Ages on the lands of the Volhynians\u2014one of the tribes incorporated into Kyivan Rus\u2019. Chronicles first mention the city in 988, when Grand Prince Volodymyr Sviatoslavych, known as the Great, led a campaign to the West. On the right bank of the Luga River he captured an ancient pagan settlement called Ladomyr and renamed it after himself\u2014Volodymyr. Thus, the Volhynian border city became a fortified center of the state, bearing the name of its founder\u2014the prince who baptized Rus\u2019. Medieval sources record various forms of its name: Old Slavic Volodim\u011br\u012d<\/em>, Latinized Lodomeria<\/em>, and others. Incidentally, the Latin name Lodomeria<\/em> entered history so deeply that, in the 19th century, the Austrians used it in the title of their Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (although the city itself was not part of that kingdom).<\/p>\r\n

Folk legends recount that Prince Volodymyr established not only a fortress but also the spiritual foundation of the city. According to one legend, returning victorious from a campaign against the White Croats, the prince sought to thank God for his success. He ordered his warriors to build a church in a single day\u2014each soldier bringing one brick. Thus, the first wooden Church of Saint Basil (Basil being Volodymyr\u2019s baptismal name) supposedly sprang up overnight. Built in one day, the locals called it the \u201cChurch of the Midday Meal.\u201d The legend tells how at dawn the warriors began building, and by sunset a small and elegant temple sparkled beside the Luga. Whether myth or not, from the late 10th century Volodymyr rapidly rose in importance as a spiritual center of Volhynia\u2014in 992 one of the first episcopal sees in Rus\u2019 was established here. The first bishop, Stefan, opened a school for book literacy and transcribing sacred texts in Slavic, Greek, and Latin. From the beginning, the city held not only strategic military importance but also stood as a center of Christian learning.<\/p>\r\n

Establishing the new western frontier of the realm, Volodymyr the Great entrusted its governance to one of his sons. Chronicles note that he installed his youngest son, Vsevolod, in \u201ccity Volodymyr.\u201d From then on, Volodymyr became the capital of a separate Volhynian appanage principality, on par with the major principalities of Kyivan Rus\u2019. Young Prince Vsevolod ruled as the first appanage prince, launching a local princely dynasty. Volodymyr evolved into a distinct political center alongside Kyiv and Chernihiv. Its strategic position at the crossroads of trade routes and on the western frontier cemented its role: defending Rus\u2019 against nomadic invaders and supervising the routes to Europe. From its early years, Volodymyr was a powerful border citadel full of life.<\/p>\r\n

Archaeologists even trace a continuity from an earlier settlement: about 5\u202fkm south, in the village of Zymne, stood a Volhynian settlement from the 6th\u20139th centuries, destroyed in the early 9th century. It is believed that survivors resettled at the site of modern Volodymyr. That suggests the city\u2019s history spans well over a thousand years\u2014one of the earliest recorded cases of urban relocation in our history. In any case, with Prince Volodymyr\u2019s arrival these lands gained new life. The young fortress swiftly grew into Volhynia\u2019s administrative center, drawing merchants, artisans, and warriors from across Rus\u2019\u2014some to defend borders, others to proclaim the new faith, and yet others to trade at busy fairs. Named in honor of a great prince, the city found its footing and prepared for its glorious historical calling.<\/p>\r\n

\"Vladimir

Volodymyr Svyatoslavich<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n

\ud83d\udee1\ufe0f Flourishing as a Princely Capital<\/h2>\r\n

After the death of Volodymyr the Great, Kyivan Rus\u2019 entered the era of appanage principalities, and Volhynia passed to his descendants. In the 12th century, Prince Mstyslav Iziaslavich, grandson of Volodymyr Monomakh, made Volodymyr the capital of the powerful Volhynian land. The city itself entered a genuine Golden Age. In the 11th\u201312th centuries, princely Volodymyr flourished as a political, economic, and cultural hub\u2014not only of Volhynia but also of adjacent lands. Wealth poured in, traditions were born, cathedrals and palaces were built, and crafts thrived. Trade flourished: one overland route to Europe passed through Volodymyr, while merchant vessels sailed via the Western Bug to the Baltic and via the Pripyat to Kyiv. Special ramps to the water accommodated unloading, and merchants traded with many countries in Europe and Asia. This commercial tradition continued into the 17th century with major fairs\u2014but even before the Mongol invasion the city was a vibrant trade center attracting distant merchants.<\/p>\r\n

Volodymyr\u2019s artisans were renowned for their skill. Archaeological finds show high craftsmanship: exquisite weaponry, intricate jewelry, and diverse ceramics. Swordsmiths and goldsmiths supplied not just Volhynia, but exported their products far beyond the region. Craft guilds emerged\u2014blacksmiths, potters, furriers, shoemakers\u2014traditions that persisted for centuries. In the early 12th century, Volodymyr\u2019s population reached around 20,000, a huge figure for a medieval city: Paris at the time counted about 50,000, while most Rus\u2019 towns were much smaller. Thus, Volodymyr counted among the largest Rus\u2019 cities. Rapid economic growth allowed princes to invest in construction: the city expanded, built stone churches and wooden palaces. The chronicler marvelingly called Volodymyr \u201ccapital of Volhynian land\u201d\u2014and rightly so: during its peak, eight stone churches and over twenty religious and princely structures (including wooden ones) were erected. A local architectural\u2011building school emerged in the 12th century, with its own style of church building. The city\u2019s fortifications impressed contemporaries: a powerful citadel (kidynets) with high earthen ramparts, wooden walls, and multiple gates. Chronicles mention three city gates\u2014Kyiv, Pyatnytsia, and Hrydzha\u2014that led to different regions of the principality. Watchtowers rose above the ramparts, with a moat filled by a tributary of the Luga. On the outskirts (the popruthne city) lay monasteries and craftsmen quarters, surrounded by an additional ring of defenses. Volodymyr was both a fortress ready to repel any foe and a flourishing center of culture and trade.<\/p>\r\n

The Cathedral of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Uspensky Cathedral), built in 1160 by Prince Mstyslav Iziaslavich, is a monumental church from the princely era. It was the last great stone church in Volhynia before the Mongol invasion, crafted by Kyiv masters modeled on the Church of Cyril in Kyiv. Despite later reconstructions, the cathedral still towers over the city, a reminder of Volodymyr\u2019s brilliance in the times of Kyivan Rus\u2019.<\/p>\r\n

One of the greatest achievements of the Volodymyr architectural school was the Uspensky Cathedral (also known as the Mstyslavliiv or Dmytriv church). Built from 1156 to 1160 under Prince Mstyslav Iziaslavich\u2014grandson of Monomakh\u2014the cathedral was constructed according to the canons of Rus\u2019 architecture: single-domed, cross-in-square plan, with thick walls adorned with frescoes and supported by six internal pillars. Contemporaries admired its harmonious forms\u2014walls articulated by arcades, a dome rising proudly above the city, icons glowing within. The Uspensky Cathedral became the principal church of Volhynia and the episcopal center. Services were held by bishops within, and it hosted the principality\u2019s ceremonial events. In the 18th century it was partly rebuilt, and by the late 19th century was restored (though not always successfully, according to experts), yet this saved the monument from destruction. Despite all trials, the cathedral endured through centuries and remains a highlight of modern Volodymyr\u2014a stone chronicle conveying echoes of princely grandeur. In its silent halls one can imagine the tolling of medieval bells and prayers of ancient princes giving thanks for their victories.<\/p>\r\n

Equally unique is the Church\u2011rotunda of Saint Basil, a small round temple in the Vasylivshchyna suburb, miraculously preserved to this day and unparalleled in world architecture. Its foundation is based on an unusual eight\u2011petaled plan, resembling a stone flower. Scholars believe the current stone rotunda dates from the late 13th to early 14th centuries, but is tied to an earlier legend of Prince Volodymyr (the one where he built a wooden Church of Basil in a single day after his campaign against the Croats). Researchers suggest an original wooden church may have existed here as early as the late 10th century. Before World War I, an ancient slate slab with a partially erased inscription from 1194 was embedded in the rotunda\u2019s wall; researchers read \u201cHelp, O\u202fGod, Thy servant\u2026<\/em>,\u201d indicating that the stone church might have been built under Prince Roman Mstyslavich or his contemporaries (the 1190s saw grand temple building in Volhynia). Inside the rotunda there are no frescoes now, but it serves as a small museum of icons from the 14th\u201318th centuries, including a beloved ancient icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria\u2014over 500 years old and famed for miraculous healings. The small St. Basil\u2019s church remains active\u2014prayers still echo within its walls on occasion. Saint Basil\u2019s rotunda<\/em> is one of Volhynia\u2019s oldest surviving shrines, enchanting in its simplicity and refinement\u2014a direct link to princely heritage.<\/p>\r\n

\"Assumption

Assumption Cathedral<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\"St.

St. Basil’s Church<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n

\ud83d\udd25 Batu’s invasion and revival from the ruins<\/h2>\r\n

Earthen ramparts of the ancient castle in Vladimir.<\/span><\/span> Today, grassy hills are all that remains of the powerful fortifications of the princely city, destroyed by the Mongol invasion.<\/span><\/span> These silent witnesses survived fires, sieges and centuries of desolation, reminding contemporaries of the formidable pages of the city’s history.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

At the beginning of the 13th century, a terrible threat loomed over Russia – the invasion of Khan Batu from the Mongolian steppes.<\/span><\/span> In 1240, the centuries-old capital Kiev fell, and the following year Batu’s hordes reached Volhynia.<\/span><\/span> In 1241, Vladimir experienced one of the greatest tragedies in its history: the city was besieged and taken by storm by Mongol troops.<\/span><\/span> The chronicler sadly writes that the enemies “wiped off the face of the earth” not only the castle, but also the entire Volodymyr city.<\/span><\/span> Burning churches, destroyed walls, streets flooded with blood – this is what the once flourishing city looked like after the enemy invasion.<\/span><\/span> The invaders destroyed the population or took the artisans and youth captive, the temples were plundered, many valuable books and icons burned in the flames.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr lay in ruins, and a dead silence reigned around… But even devastated, he did not surrender to the end.<\/span><\/span> Legends tell of a handful of defenders who fought to the last on the rampart near the main gate, preferring death to captivity.<\/span><\/span> The city suffered a blow of unprecedented force, but these dark days passed – Volhynia began to rise from the ashes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

A major role in the reconstruction of the region after the Mongol invasion was played by the princes of the Romanovych dynasty – the sons of the same Roman Mstislavich, who united the principalities.<\/span><\/span> Prince Danylo Romanovych (Danylo Galician) and his brother Vasylko Romanovych literally raised the ruined Volodymyr from the ashes.<\/span><\/span> At first, Danylo, having overcome internal strife and repelling new attacks by nomads, regained his father’s throne.<\/span><\/span> He made a bet in Kholm, but Volodymyr remained a key city in Volhynia, where Vasylko reigned.<\/span><\/span> The brothers acted together: while Danylo fought with the Horde and neighboring claimants, Vasylko was engaged in economic affairs and reconstruction.<\/span><\/span> During their reign, Volodymyr recovered from the destruction – fortifications were renewed, breaches in the walls were patched, wooden towers were rebuilt in place of the burned ones.<\/span><\/span> The city was filled with people again: Danylo moved residents from less protected villages here, invited artisans from other lands.<\/span><\/span> Already in 1261, the Horde attacked Volodymyr again – this time, by order of Khan Burundai, the Volyn princes had to raze their fortifications to the ground so as not to provoke the khan’s anger.<\/span><\/span> The chronicle testifies that then “not only the castle, but the entire city was destroyed.”<\/span><\/span> But even after that, Volodymyr did not disappear from the map – the Volyn princes stubbornly rebuilt it again and again.<\/span><\/span> Prince Volodymyr Vasylkovych \u2013 the son of Vasylko, named after the capital \u2013 in the second half of the 13th century.<\/span><\/span> continued the work: he strengthened the city walls, took care of the temples, and took care of the chronicle.<\/span><\/span> During his reign, Volodymyr flourished again as much as was possible under the Horde yoke.<\/span><\/span> Prince Volodymyr Vasylkovych became famous as a wise and bookish ruler, he himself copied books and supported education.<\/span><\/span> After his death in 1288, other Romanovichs ruled in Volodymyr \u2013 Yuri I, and later his descendants.<\/span><\/span> The last prince from this family on the Volodymyr throne was Yuri II Boleslav, poisoned by the boyars in 1340. With his death, the Romanovich dynasty died out, and the Galicia-Volyn state virtually ceased to exist.<\/span><\/span> A threat loomed over orphaned Volhynia from the West and the North \u2013 neighbors began to argue over the Romanovich inheritance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, the era of Prince Volodymyr left behind a huge legacy.<\/span><\/span> Despite all the storms of war, the city managed to preserve its identity and key shrines.<\/span><\/span> It is no coincidence that foreigners remembered Volodymyr for a long time as the \u201ccapital of Volhynia\u201d, and the old seals of local princes even depicted a crown \u2013 a hint at the royal title worn by Danylo Romanovych.<\/span><\/span> The year of Volodymyr\u2019s foundation is considered to be 988, but in fact the city was reborn twice: the first time \u2013 under Prince Volodymyr Svyatoslavych, the second time \u2013 after being devastated by the Mongols.<\/span><\/span> And each time it was reborn stronger, because it had deep roots and the support of its rulers.<\/span><\/span> Today, clouds of shadows graze on the green hills of the former infant \u2013 these are silent ramparts whispering legends about those distant times when Batu\u2019s rams crashed into them.<\/span><\/span> Standing on the old rampart, it is easy to imagine the distant year 1241: the roar of hooves, the cries of the defenders, the flames above the churches… And there is also a sense of pride in the resilience of our ancestors, who, despite everything, did not let the city perish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Danylo

Danylo Halytskyi<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n

\u2694\ufe0f Under the rule of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth<\/h2>\r\n

After the decline of the princely dynasty, the Volhynian lands quickly became the object of encroachment by neighboring states.<\/span><\/span> Already in the 1340s, the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were arguing for control over Volhynia.<\/span><\/span> Poland first gained the upper hand: in 1349, the Polish king Casimir III the Great captured Volodymyr by force and declared these lands his own.<\/span><\/span> The king even began to build a large stone castle in Volodymyr on the site of the old dityn.<\/span><\/span> However, the Polish presence was short-lived – after Casimir’s death, the Lithuanians continued the struggle.<\/span><\/span> The Lithuanian prince Lubart Gediminas (married to a Volhynian princess) gained possession of Lutsk and claimed Volodymyr.<\/span><\/span> According to legend, Lubart entered Volodymyr after the Poles retreated and destroyed the unfinished stone castle of Casimir – perhaps so that it would not fall to the enemy.<\/span><\/span> As a result, Volhynia came under the rule of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania for almost a century.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr remained an important city, although it lost its role as the capital to Lutsk (it was Lutsk that became the main city of Volhynia under the Lithuanians from the end of the 14th century).<\/span><\/span> However, the Volodymyr burghers received some benefits: for example, the city gained self-government under Magdeburg law.<\/span><\/span> According to some sources, this happened around 1324 \u2013 which makes Volodymyr one of the first cities in Ukraine with Magdeburg privileges.<\/span><\/span> Other sources say that the city rights were officially granted later, in 1431, by the Polish king.<\/span><\/span> However, it is known for certain that at the beginning of the 16th century.<\/span><\/span> the status of Magdeburg was repeatedly confirmed by the kings of Poland: Sigismund I the Old and Sigismund II Augustus renewed and expanded these rights.<\/span><\/span> Magdeburg law brought the city a European system of governance \u2013 an elected magistrate, division into a bench (court) and a council, protection of the townspeople from feudal tyranny.<\/span><\/span> Craft workshops started operating in Volodymyr, weekly bazaars were held, and several large fairs were held every year.<\/span><\/span> The city slowly revived economically, integrating into the system of trade relations of Lithuania and Poland.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

In 1569, the Union of Lublin took place – Poland and Lithuania united into a single state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.<\/span><\/span> Under the terms of the union, Volhynia (together with Volodymyr) officially came under the rule of the Polish Crown.<\/span><\/span> The city became the center of the county of the Volhynian Voivodeship and acquired the Polish name W\u0142odzimierz or W\u0142odzimierz Wo\u0142y\u0144ski.<\/span><\/span> The Catholic Church strengthened its influence: for a while, Volodymyr even housed the residence of Uniate (Greek Catholic) metropolitans, when after the Union of Brest in 1596, part of the Orthodox clergy of Volhynia joined the union.<\/span><\/span> However, the city remained multi-denominational: Orthodox churches operated, and later Latin rite churches and monasteries appeared.<\/span><\/span> The 16th\u201317th centuries were a time of relative stability for Volodymyr, although without the former princely glory.<\/span><\/span> At the end of the 16th century.<\/span><\/span> Even regional noble congresses (sejmiks) of the Volyn Voivodeship were held here – sometimes within the walls of the old Assumption Cathedral or in the Dominican church, local nobility gathered to resolve their affairs.<\/span><\/span> The city gradually grew: new wooden fortifications appeared on the site of the destroyed castle, rebuilt at the expense of King Casimir IV (Jagiellon) and the local starosta, Prince Oleksandr Sanguszko, in the 16th century.<\/span><\/span> According to descriptions from 1552, the Volodymyr castle was already wooden, with five defensive towers and a lordly palace made of pine wood.<\/span><\/span> Unfortunately, those fortifications were not enough for a long time – history brought another shock.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n

In the middle of the 17th century, Volodymyr was caught up in the maelstrom of Cossack wars and foreign invasions.<\/span><\/span> During the Khmelnytskyi National Liberation War (1648\u20131657), the city was repeatedly occupied by Cossack-Tatar and Polish troops.<\/span><\/span> The Jewish community of Volodymyr, very numerous and influential since the Middle Ages, suffered devastating pogroms during the 1648 uprising (the so-called \u201cKhmelnytsky region\u201d) – as in many other cities, Jews became victims of interreligious and social violence.<\/span><\/span> And in 1657 (the period of the Swedish \u201cFlood\u201d, when Ukraine was the scene of the Polish-Swedish war), Volodymyr was plundered and burned to the ground by a joint Swedish-Transylvanian army.<\/span><\/span> After that, the city took a long time to recover: travelers of the late 17th – early 18th centuries describe Volodymyr as a small provincial town, largely in ruins.<\/span><\/span> In an engraving from 1765, for example, the castle is depicted among the swamps – the wooden fortifications are damaged, the bridge across the swamp is half-destroyed, the gate is leaning.<\/span><\/span> The population became very poor and decreased – at the end of the 18th century.<\/span><\/span> barely a few hundred people lived here.<\/span><\/span> This continued until the last breath of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

In 1772\u20131795, the partitions of Poland took place, and Volyn eventually came under the rule of the Russian Empire.<\/span><\/span> After the third partition of Poland in 1795, Volodymyr became part of Russia as a county town of the newly created Volyn Governorate.<\/span><\/span> The Russian administration, in order to avoid confusion with the Russian city of Vladimir-on-Klyazma, officially changed its name: from then on the city became known as Volodymyr-Volynsky (Russian: \u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440-\u0412\u043e\u043b\u044b\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439).<\/span><\/span> A new era had begun, in which ancient Volodymyr was to find its place in an imperial context.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Union

Union of Lublin<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\ud83c\udfd9\ufe0f 20th century and modernity<\/h2>\r\n

In the 19th century, Volodymyr-Volynskyi remained a provincial town of the Russian Empire, but it also experienced some positive changes.<\/span><\/span> In 1887, by the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, an Orthodox Brotherhood was founded at the St. Basil’s Church, the purpose of which was to take care of ancient church monuments, in particular the Mstislav (Assumption) Cathedral.<\/span><\/span> With the support of the Brotherhood, the Assumption Cathedral was thoroughly restored in 1896\u20131900 – it acquired the features of the Neo-Byzantine style, was strengthened and consecrated again.<\/span><\/span> The St. Basil’s Rotunda was also restored.<\/span><\/span> At the turn of the 19th\u201320th centuries.<\/span><\/span> the city began to revive economically: brick factories were opened, in 1908 a railway was laid and a station was built, connecting Volodymyr with Kovel and Lviv.<\/span><\/span> A great contribution to development was made by the Jewish community, which from the second half of the 18th century.<\/span><\/span> rapidly grew in numbers thanks to the policy of Settlement.<\/span><\/span> By the 1890s, over 60% of the city’s population was Jewish – there were synagogues, Jewish schools, craft workshops and shops in the city.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr was even called Ludmir in Yiddish.<\/span><\/span> However, the turbulent 20th century brought terrible trials to this community.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

The First World War reached Volhynia in 1915 \u2013 the front was close by, and the city suffered destruction and temporary occupation by Austro-German troops.<\/span><\/span> After the collapse of the Russian Empire, several forces competed for Volodymyr \u2013 Poles, Bolsheviks and Ukrainian troops of the UNR.<\/span><\/span> As a result, according to the Riga Peace Treaty of 1921, Western Volhynia was ceded to Poland.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr-Volynskyi became part of the Polish Republic (Second Polish Commonwealth) and until 1939 was the county center of the Volyn Voivodeship.<\/span><\/span> The Polish authorities invested in the city\u2019s infrastructure \u2013 some streets were paved, a garrison was in operation (Polish infantry and cavalry regiments were housed there), and a Polish gymnasium was in operation.<\/span><\/span> The population in the interwar period was mixed: about half were Jews, a third were Poles, and the rest were Ukrainians and others.<\/span><\/span> At this time, the city lived in relative peace, small-scale industries developed, and fairs were held regularly.<\/span><\/span> But this peace did not last long.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Volodymyr

Painting – battle in Vladimir<\/p><\/div>\r\n

The Second World War was a real disaster for Volodymyr-Volynskyi.<\/span><\/span> In September 1939, in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the city was occupied by Soviet troops and incorporated into the Ukrainian SSR.<\/span><\/span> Already in June 1941, with the beginning of the German attack on the USSR, Volodymyr was occupied by the Nazis.<\/span><\/span> During the Nazi occupation, the Holocaust<\/strong> took place – almost the entire Jewish population of the city was destroyed.<\/span><\/span> In the vicinity, in the Pyatidny tract, in the fall of 1942, the Nazis shot about 25 thousand Jews from Volodymyr and the surrounding towns.<\/span><\/span> The ancient Jewish community, which had existed here since the 12th century, ceased to exist – synagogues lay in ruins, cemeteries were plundered.<\/span><\/span> The city suffered other losses: many historical buildings were destroyed, thousands of peaceful residents of different nationalities died.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr-Volynskyi changed hands twice \u2013 in the summer of 1941 the Germans captured it, and in the summer of 1944 the Red Army recaptured the city.<\/span><\/span> After the war, Volodymyr ended up as part of Soviet Ukraine.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

In the post-war years, the city was gradually rebuilt, although it lost its former multinational face – most of the pre-war Poles and Jews did not return.<\/span><\/span> The Soviet authorities returned the city to its official name Volodymyr-Volynskyi (which was used during the empire) – this happened in 1944. During the Soviet period, Volodymyr was a district center, some industrial enterprises appeared here, new schools, and a hospital was rebuilt.<\/span><\/span> Fortunately, ancient monuments were preserved: the Assumption Cathedral functioned as a temple (although it suffered atheistic oppression), and the Vasylivska Rotunda also survived.<\/span><\/span> In independent Ukraine, after 1991, Volodymyr-Volynskyi became a quiet provincial, but very original city that attracts tourists with its architectural gems.<\/span><\/span> Historical justice regarding the name of the city was restored quite recently: on December 14, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine returned the city to its abbreviated historical name – Volodymyr.<\/span><\/span> Now the city is officially called simply Vladimir, without the addition of \u201cVolynskyi\u201d, which emphasizes its priority over the historical heritage of princely times.<\/span><\/span> This event even caused a curious diplomatic moment – the Russian city of Vladimir tried to protest, stating that \u201cthere can be only one Vladimir\u201d.<\/span><\/span> But Ukraine firmly emphasized: the princely city of Vladimir in Volyn is original and unique, and its name belongs to it by right.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Volodymyr

Modern Vladimir<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n

\ud83c\udf1f Conclusion<\/h2>\r\n

Having passed through the centuries, the city of Volodymyr has preserved its unique character and heritage.<\/span><\/span> It is a real cultural and historical crossroads, formed under the influence of different eras and peoples.<\/span><\/span> Here still stand architectural gems of the princely era – the monumental Assumption Cathedral (1156\u20131160) and the mysterious Vasylivka Rotunda, the last witnesses of the greatness of the Volyn Principality.<\/span><\/span> The city carefully preserves its literary heritage – it is the name of Volodymyr that is inscribed on the chronicle tablets, and the Galician-Volyn Chronicle transmits the voice of antiquity to descendants.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr has long been a significant religious center: from the foundation of the bishopric in 992 to the present day, the spiritual heart of Volhynia beats here.<\/span><\/span> Orthodox churches, Catholic churches and Jewish synagogues – all of them once coexisted in the urban fabric, creating the multicultural history of the city.<\/span><\/span> Ukrainians, Poles, Jews and other peoples left their mark on its development: from medieval craft workshops and merchant communities to the unique atmosphere of the streets of the old town.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr has always had strategic importance – as a defensive outpost of Rus, as a trading hub between East and West, as an administrative center of the region.<\/span><\/span> It is not without reason that even a century after the decline of the principalities, the Austrian emperors wove \u201cLodomeria\u201d into their titles – the glory of Volodymyr of Volhynia thundered far beyond the borders of Ukraine.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today’s Volodymyr is a cozy city with a population of about 40 thousand, which honors its thousand-year-old history and at the same time develops in modern Ukraine.<\/span><\/span> Walking through its streets, you can see how the past and the present coexist harmoniously: ancient shrines coexist with modern buildings, the city center is decorated with monuments to Princes Volodymyr the Great and Danylo of Galicia, and museums exhibit treasures found on princely ramparts.<\/span><\/span> The city carefully protects its monuments – ancient Russian temples are included in the list of national heritage, earthen fortifications are preserved as an archaeological reserve, and scientific research continues.<\/span><\/span> Volodymyr lives and changes, but every year on the day of its foundation, a festive bell rings here – an echo of gray antiquity.<\/span><\/span> The city of Prince Volodymyr survived empires and wars, was reborn from the ashes and did not lose its soul.<\/span><\/span> Today, like a thousand years ago, it stands on the border of worlds \u2013 between the past and the future \u2013 and invites everyone to touch the immortal history of Volhynia.<\/span><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\udcdc Prince Vladimir: Legends and History of a Millennial City Imagine an ancient settlement where every blade of grass preserves<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mista-kyyivskoyi-rusi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":864,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions\/864"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/viberrun.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}