About Kyiv Castle
According to Prince Vytautas himself, Kyiv was the jewel in his crown, or as Lithuanian officials later said, “the gateway to the lordship.” Kyiv Castle was a fortress built in the 14th century. It had one quadrangular and other round towers, wooden fortifications, two gates, and about 20 buildings inside. The castle was located on a hill, 70-80 meters high, next to the river port of Kyiv. It covered an area of about 1.45 hectares, adding to its significance as the main fortress of the Kyiv lands within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
All the towers of Kyiv Castle had platforms for shooting and three levels for artillery combat. Within the castle were military structures, the house of the voivode, and residences of the secular and spiritual nobility.
With the construction of the wooden castle, the capital of the Kyiv Principality transformed into an important defensive point of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1397, Vytautas appointed his deputy in Kyiv, Prince Ivan Holshansky. Ivan’s daughter, Uliana, later became Vytautas’ wife.
When Vytautas began his rule, he undertook a major reconstruction of the castle, strengthening its defensive functions and equipping it with cannons. In 1397, weapons, including firearms, were brought from Poland to Lithuania to fortify the castle, and the defense was further reinforced by Polish military units and Tatars.
In the 14th-15th centuries, the castle had its own mint where coins of the Kyiv princes were minted. Discovered treasures, as well as the remains of jewelry, foundry, and pottery workshops, testify to the development of crafts on Castle Hill.
During Vytautas’ time, Kyiv retained its status as the seat of the metropolitan. The city was a gateway to eastern trade, which extended to distant India and China. From here, Vytautas conducted his policies towards the Golden Horde and the Black Sea states.
In 1399, Khan Edigu wanted to capture the Kyiv fortress, but he failed. In 1411, important political negotiations took place in Kyiv Castle between King Władysław II Jagiełło, Vytautas, Jalal ad-Din, and Prince Oleksandr Mykhailovych. In 1416, Kyiv Castle withstood the Great Campaign of Khan Edigu, but in 1482, it was destroyed by the troops of Khan Mengli Giray.
Today, the site of the former Kyiv Castle is located within the territory of the archaeological reserve “Castle Hill.”