Starokostiantyniv

Starokostiantyniv Старокостянтинів אלט-קאָנסטאַנטין‎ Alt Konstantin Starokonstantynów / Konstantynów
City
Flag Seal
Starokostiantyniv Location of Starokostiantyniv in Ukraine Starokostiantyniv Starokostiantyniv (Ukraine)
Coordinates: 49°45′14″N 27°13′13″E
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Khmelnytskyi Oblast
Raion	Starokostiantyniv Raion
Founded	1561
Area
• Total	40 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation	265 m (869 ft)
Population  (2014)
• Total	35,104
Website	http://starkon.km.ua/

Starokostiantyniv (Ukrainian: Старокостянтинів; Polish: Starokonstantynów, or Konstantynów; Yiddish: אלט-קאָנסטאַנטין Alt Konstantin) is a city in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast (province) of western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Starokostiantyniv Raion (district), the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast. The city has a population of 34,700 (2007).

History

Historical affiliations

Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1525–1569
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1569–1793
Russian Empire 1793–1917
Ukrainian People's Republic / Republic of Poland 1917-1920
Soviet Ukraine 1920–1922
Soviet Union 1922–1991
Nazi Germany 1941–1944 (occupation)
Ukraine 1991–present

Starokostyantyniv was founded in the 16th century when Konstanty Ostrogski built a fortress at the village of Kolishchentsi. The surviving Starokostiantyniv Castle was constructed by his son between 1561 and 1571. The village grew into a town which became known as "Old Constantine's Town" (Kostiantyniv Staryi) to prevent confusion with "New Constantine's Town" in the vicinity. It became a private town of Poland, owned by the Ostrogski family. It was part of Polish Volhynian Voivodeship. 1648 saw the Battle of Starokostiantyniv.

In 1939, 6,743 Jews were living in the city, accounting for 31 percent of the total population. The Jewish community was murdered in mass executions perpetrated from August 1941 until November 1942.

Notable residents

• Abraham Goldfaden, poet and playwright, considered father of the modern Jewish theatre
• Ben-Zion, painter
• Jakub Weinles, Polish painter
• Anatoliy Bondarchuk, hammer thrower who won the gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics
• Blank family - Lenin's ancestors
• Andrey Tantsuyev, The Ukrainian Bear, world-record holding power lifter, founder of the Eastern Bloc mentality of bench pressing, motivational speaker.

Gallery

• 
  Capuchin Monastery
• 
  Church of Holy Trinity
• 
  Basil Constantine Ostrozky Monument and Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Starokostiantyniv
• 
  Military officers' club
• 
  Tower of the former Dominican Monastery in Starokostiantyniv

External links

• Weather in Starokostiantyniv.
• The murder of the Jews of Starokostiantyniv during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.