Legends

A few centuries ago, the city of Ivano-Frankivsk was a military fortress. It was based on six bastions connected by ground defence fortifications and underground moves with the centre under the city hall. Historians suggest that the underground moves were around the town hall, below it, under the Potocki Palace, the Trinitarian monastery, around the Church of Virgin Mary (now - the premises of the Carpathian Art Museum) and around the Resurrection Cathedral (Archcathedral). It is said that the founder of the city, Count Andrzej Potocki, could even ride a carriage under this dungeon. In addition, sewage collectors were installed in the city, which could serve as underground passageways beyond the fortress. Archaeological excavations, which occasionally take place in the downtown, open up new pages of underground city history. The more point target excavations can be made, the better you can understand the history of the fortress and the city as a whole.

The Volchynets mountains are the part of the Pokutska hill that reaches 300-350 meters above sea level, with slopes and flat surface. It covers an area of 30 ha. The hill is located northeast of Ivano-Frankivsk, near the village of Vovchynets. This place is not only one of the best for relaxation and sightseeing of the regional centre. In ancient times, this array was called Battle mountain. Once there was a terrible battle between the Cossacks and the Polish units of Potocki. There are many mystical stories about the mountain. Local residents say that evils are walking in the mountains at night - with a human head, a winged snake and a mysterious black dog. The bells and chants of sinful monks can be heard here on Ivan Kupala.

In Ivano-Frankivsk, the cemetery on Kyivska Street has been operating since the beginning of the last century. However, this mysterious place gained its fame after being shut down by the Soviet authorities in the mid-1970s. There are legends that a vampire was once buried here. In 1974, in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, people began to find corpses with strange traces of bites on their necks. The Soviet authorities started arguing that there are no vampires. Still the "vampire grave" was burned by a flamethrower. Thereafter, strange deaths ceased. However, the Kyiv Cemetery is still a place of pilgrimage for the lovers of mystical.

The history of the hill in Shevchenko Park, not far from the Rukh Stadium, is full of mysteries. The most kitschy version says that it was at this place that witches and Satanists performed their rites. That is why this place has long been called "The Witch Mountain." However, there is still no relevant information on the origin of this hill. It is only known that it arose during the Austro-Hungarian period. Even before the outbreak of World War I, when there were no tall buildings in Stanislavov, the mountain served as a viewing platform. From it, almost all the neighbourhoods could be seen. By the way, last year the hill reminded of itself, at its very foot there was a horrible murder of a woman who was shot by her ex-husband, after that he shortened his age.

In the centre of the city park once stood the house of the wealthier Doshot, who was a good hunter and had a huge collection of weapons stored in the basement. He had a daughter whom he loved dearly. One day, when her father was away from home, she broke the ban and went down to the dungeon, but the door suddenly closed and she couldn't get out. When his father returned, he ordered to search everything around but did not find his daughter. With grief, he and his wife left the estate and returned within a year. One day he was going hunting and went down to the basement, where he found his daughter's mummy. Since then, there is a legend that sometimes in one of the alleys of the park, near the attractions, before dawn you can see the ghost of a girl in a white dress with a pink bow.

The first Jewish cemetery in Stanislavov was founded in 1662. City leader Andrzej Potocki allocated for the largest community at that time, the area along Tysmenytsia Road (currently Nezalezhnosti Street). Subsequently, another cemetery (near the city lake) appeared in the city, and after the German occupation, the old cemetery was completely destroyed. That is why in the ’60s of the XX century the cemetery was destroyed and a cinema “Kosmos” was built in its place. However, mystical things began to happen here almost from the first days. Old-timers recall that before the first session there was a heavy downpour and the ceiling of the cinema collapsed. Fortunately, no one was hurt, because it happened at night. By the way, local historians also point to the fact that the slabs of the old Jewish cemetery were used instead of curbs, pavement tiles, and even in the construction of a memorial to the dead Chekists, that was located at one time on Valah.

Central Market Square, where the City hall is located, has long been called cursed, and all because of the fact that public executions have taken place here before. Under the ground was located a central prison where thousands of people were tortured. In particular, in 1754, in the City hall of Stanislavov, was held a court over the opryshki leader Vasily Bayurak, who suffered terrible tortures. Subsequently, the court handed down a verdict to him: “The executioner must escort him to the area of death, then cut off both his hands with an axe along the elbow. The head must then be severed. In the end, to keep others from acting against authorities - quadruple the body. Separate parts of the body should be hung on the gallows in the field, along the way, and later buried in the ground. Only the head should hang longer. "Since that time, the City hall has had a number of misfortunes. The City hall had to be rebuilt four times. There is a belief that this is how the executed Hutsul leader takes revenge on his executioners. That is why his ghost has been walking the corridors and halls of the City hall for many years, and most of all he enjoys playing the old piano. Because of these spooky concerts at the Museum of Local History, a number of guards have applied for dismissal.

A few years ago during repair works an underground passage was excavated in the centre of Ivano-Frankivsk, between the building of the Medical University and the former Passage. At that time, the researchers had a glue that it was one of the underground passages that connected the Stanislavsky Fortress bastions. Once again, everyone recalled the legend that underground passages once led from the Stanislavsky fortress to the Pnivsky and Halych castles. However, researchers cannot find them at this time. By the way, there is also a version that the cellars of the City hall’s left-wing are the beginning of the mystical underground passages that lead to Halych - the former capital of the Halych-Volyn principality.

Historians also suggest that underground passages also led from the village of Vilsanytsya to Halych - Prince Danylo Halytsky could have used them at one time.

Collegiate Church of Virgin Mary, now known as the Carpathian Museum of Art, was considered to be the oldest building in Ivano-Frankivsk. The ashes of the city's founders - Andrei Pototsky, his wife Anna Rysynsky and their eldest son Stanislav Potocki could be founded in this unique building that impresses with its majesty to this day. The family burial ground was inviolable until 1965 when the church premises were donated to the Geological Museum of the Oil and Gas Institute. According to historians, during the repair of the premises, sarcophagi were broken and the bones were transferred to the medical institute as visual accessories. Among these "accessories" was, in particular, the skull of Stanislav Potocki with a trace from the blow of the Turkish saber. The rest of the bones were secretly buried in the city cemetery. However, it is not known exactly where the remains of the founders of the famous city of Stanislavov are hidden.

There is a stereotype that ghosts live only in castles or ancient ruins. This is not quite true. In fact, an otherworldly creature can settle anywhere.

One young couple, who rented a one-bedroom apartment on Trush Street in 2013, was able to observe this for itself. At first, the newlyweds rejoiced - the city centre, the second floor, a couple of minutes to the city market. Soon strange things began to happen in the apartment. At night, someone walked down the hall, banged on the kitchen, was shutting and opening the door, creaking the floor, even stealing cookies that were left on the table. The owner of the apartment said that his grandmother, who had fierce insanity, had previously lived here. The couple drew in their imagination the ghost of an old grey lady who wandered around the house after dark. It got to the point that they were afraid to go to the toilet at night.

One day the woman woke up very early. She was pregnant, in no hurry to work, so she decided to make her husband breakfast. She brewed coffee, made sandwiches, went back to the bedroom, lay down next to her lover, hugged him and fell asleep. In ten minutes the alarm clock rang, the man, quietly, not to disturb his wife, went into the kitchen. And then, frightened, he ran into the room, woke his wife and cried aloud:

“Tania! Wake up! Look! Now it’s making coffee!”

Author: Ivan Bondarev

According to legend, in 1868 on the Lypova Street the hostess cooked plum marmalade, and was distracted by the conversation, whether with a neighbour or a young dragoon. The wind picked up the roasting ash and lit up the roof, an hour later the fire swept all the suburbs and destroyed a quarter of the houses in Stanislaviv (this is how the city of Ivano-Frankivsk was called until 1962). The fire started the stone-brick construction of the city instead of the wooden one and created its own fire brigade.

For several years now, Ivano-Frankivsk has been inviting guests to the "marmalade" festivals, fairs and gourmets, that are a kind of journey into the history of the city.

As you are walking along the famous pedestrian street, it is hard not to notice the young maples decorating the street on both sides, and it is even harder not to notice the steel tree at the beginning of the pedestrian area. There is an interesting story connected to it.

Even gardeners working on the landscaping of the central part of Ivano-Frankivsk noticed that there is one place where the tree does not take root. In the spring, they planted a young maple tree, and by autumn, it had dried up successfully.

In 2009, for the City Day blacksmiths made an Ivano-Frankivsk a gift - Iron Tree of Happiness. They decided to plant it on that "unfortunate place". The steel tree took roots immediately. Moreover, it became a bit of a legend. For example, they say that if you swing on a swing and make a wish, then it will come true. There were a lot of people rocking there, sometimes quite large, but the "enchanted swing" didn't break. However, there was a tourist who managed to break the swing. The blacksmiths quickly repaired it, however, hitched a chair much higher. Now only small children can swing there with the help of their parents.

The tree still can fulfil your dreams. To do this, rub a metal apple sticking out of the snake's mouth on the trunk. You should do it with your left hand, as the true desire must go from the heart.