Podilska Tower

Among the greenery of Poltava, on a high hill by the Vorskla River, it is hard not to notice the spire of the wooden tower that has stood here for several centuries. Once it was part of the fortress, a huge complex of defensive and fortification structures built around Poltava.

The Podil Tower was founded in 1608 by Crown Hetman Stanislav Zholkievskyi. At that time, the fortress was part of the defensive structures surrounded by moats, ramparts and a high palisade.

By the beginning of the 18th century, the fortress had turned into a strong and developed system of fortifications, although it had not yet reached the level of European fortification. This did not prevent it from standing up well to the siege by the Swedish army, which allowed Peter I to win the Battle of Poltava and finally put an end to the conflict with the Swedes.

From the beginning of the second half of the 18th century, the fortress began to decline gradually. Because of the city’s expansion and the laying out of boulevards in 1817, by order of the Poltava governor, the moats were completely filled in and the ramparts were excavated. Only a fragment in the form of a tower has survived to this day, reminding visitors of the important historical events of the 18th century.

Interesting facts:

• In the 1640s, the fortress was expanded almost twice to cover the area where a spring with water was located. As a result, its total area became more than 36 ha.
• The tower’s current appearance is not authentic because it was built in the 17th century, as no drawings or plans of the defensive structure from that time have survived.
• The fortress is not being restored because archaeological excavations would be unprofitable, and there are no necessary funds.