Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture has allocated 3 million hryvnias for urgent emergency repairs and design work at the “Khotyn Fortress” State Historical and Architectural Reserve, after a major failure on the castle’s western defensive wall.
According to the ministry, the funding will cover two sets of scientific and design documentation, one focused on restoring a section of the defensive walls and another focused on installing a drainage system across the fortress grounds. Officials said drainage is a top priority because moisture entering masonry, followed by freeze-thaw cycles, can break down both stone and the binding material. The ministry’s plan is to stop the conditions driving deterioration first, then move into direct restoration.
The damaged area is part of the fortress’ western defensive wall, a monument of national significance. A significant collapse occurred there in April, and the reserve later reported the loss of four merlons, the battlement elements along the top of the wall, after the initial failure left upper features without adequate support.
Experts cited multiple contributing factors, including historical damage, masonry configuration, hydrological changes, and long-term moisture exposure. The ministry noted that an outer facing layer collapsed in 1769 after a cannonball strike. It also described the wall as having “well-type” masonry without vertical connecting elements, which can affect stability. Another factor is changing groundwater conditions linked to the Dniester River’s retreat and water level fluctuations. The ministry also pointed to the legacy of a former artillery arsenal area, where saltpeter storage left residues that made the masonry more vulnerable to moisture.
Project documentation has been commissioned from the UkrNDIproektrestavratsiya Research and Design Institute. Each documentation package is expected to cost about 1.5 million hryvnias. The site has already been assessed using ground-penetrating radar and 3D laser scanning to identify hidden voids, cracks, and deformation. The ministry expects the documentation to be completed by Dec. 25, 2026, with final stabilization and restoration solutions set after the surveys.
For contractors working in restoration, the sequence is familiar: water management first, then structural stabilization, then masonry restoration. When salts and long-term moisture are part of the wall’s history, planning needs to account for what is inside the assembly, not just what is visible on the face.
Read the full, original article from ua.news here.