9 Abandoned Castles That Are Haunting Shells Of Their Former Glory

Pidhirtsi Castle In Ukraine

Wikimedia CommonsUkraine’s historic Pidhirtsi Castle was constructed between 1635 and 1640 as a Renaissance getaway.

On the grassy plains of Pidhirtsi, Ukraine, an embattled place that endured much political strife, sits a majestic castle with a harrowing history of its own.

Pidhirtsi Castle survived several sieges during the Polish-Soviet War. In the aftermath of World War II, when the former Polish region was annexed to Ukraine, the castle was turned into a tuberculosis sanitarium. Then, a fire almost burned it down in 1956.

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It took five years for architect Andrea del Agua to complete Pidhirtsi Castle. Marco Verch/Flickr

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The castle was commissioned by the Polish Crown Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski in the 17th century.Bo&Ko/Flickr

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Restoration of the abandoned castle has been carried out by students from the Lviv Polytechnic University and Vienna Polytechnic.Em and Ernie/Flickr

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French-Polish architect Andrea del Agua and Italian engineer Guillaume Le Vasseur de Beauplan worked together to design and build the enormous estate.prince du sang/Flickr

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It was uncommon for castles to be built for anything other than military purposes at the time.Em and Ernie/Flickr

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The walls of Pidhirtsi Castle were once adorned with fine Turkish drappings and Western European art. Em and Ernie/Flickr

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After World War II, the splendid castle was converted into a tuberculosis sanitarium before it was partially destroyed by a fire in 1956.prince du sang/Flickr

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The castle is now known as one of the most haunted places in Ukraine. A ghostly woman figure has been rumored to frequent its halls.Andrey Terekhov/Flickr

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The centuries-old castle is now a dilapidated estate owned by the Lviv Art Gallery.Wikimedia Commons

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The Pidhirtsi Castle was owned by royalty and nobility before it was attacked several times during the Polish-Soviet War.prince du sang/Flickr

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Despite this, Pidhirtsi Castle had lavish origins. It was originally built as a getaway estate in the Renaissance period, which was an anomaly in the region for that time.

The castle was commissioned under the Polish ruler Grand Crown Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski. Its design was the brainchild of French-Polish architect Andrea del Agua, who worked with Italian engineer Guillaume Le Vasseur de Beauplan to realize the enormous estate.

Construction on the castle began in 1635 and took five years to complete. Its now-dry grounds were once full of life and provided a home to a beautiful Italian garden and two churches. Its dilapidated walls were formerly accentuated with Western European decor and Turkish draping. Although meant for leisure, del Agua and Le Vasseur de Beauplan still made sure to protect the property with defensive reinforcements like a moat.

Due to centuries of neglect, however, Pidhirtsi Castle has fallen into despair and only vaguely resembles the magnificent estate it once was. It is now considered one of the most haunted castles in the country. There are rumors of a ghostly female figure said to have been seen wandering around the palace.

The castle, now owned by Lviv Art Gallery, can be visited by curious travelers who hope to see a part of the region's tumultuous history — or perhaps even a ghost.