[1] The castle is a so-called 'Palazzo in Fortezza', a structure where a palace or noble residence is incorporated or built within a fortress of fortified complex.

It is one of the largest aristocratic residences in Ukraine with over two hundred rooms, and a courtyard larger than the Piazza San Marco in Venice.

[2] Between two rivers among flood waters, Olyka castle was constructed by prince Mikołaj Radziwiłł (1515-1565), nicknamed ‘the Black’, between 1554 and 1564.

In the vicinity, prince Albrycht also constructed between 1635 and 1645 the magnificent Catholic collegiate church of the Holy Trinity in baroque style, an elaborate replica of Il Gesu in Rome.

[4] In 1702, during the Great Northern War, the village of Olyka was ransacked by Swedish soldiers, but the castle remained intact.

[3] In the 18th century, Olyka castle lost its strategic importance due to changing tactics and innovations in military operations.

In addition, the palace received a baroque-style roof, and the interior was renovated, adding halls and rooms, which were aligned through an enfilade.

In 1812, during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, Olyka castle lodged a Russian military hospital, which remained there until 1837.

[3][4] The repair and refurbishment works were led by the architect Zygmunt Gorgolewski, who also designed the Grand theatre of Lviv.

During the First World War, Olyka castle was severely damaged, and precious furnishing and equipment was stolen.

A state-owned horse stud farm was located in some parts of the castle, and from the mid-1950s, restoration work started again.

[14] The shape of Olyka castle is an almost regular square, formed by embankments with four corner bastions, on which watchtowers used to stand.

The internal layout is corridor-style with one-sided arrangement of rooms and an enfilade The castle is a so-called 'Palazzo in Fortezza', a structure where a palace or noble residence is incorporated or built within a fortress of fortified complex.