Our trip to the city of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky: visit to the Akkerman fortress, city map, tips on how to get there, where to stay, prices.
The city of Belgorod-Dnestovsky is a small regional center in the south of the Odessa region in Ukraine. It is well known due to the fact that it is home to the Akkerman Fortress (Belogorod-Dnestrovsk Fortress) – the largest fortress in Ukraine and one of the largest in Eastern Europe. Near the city there is also a large local resort on the Black Sea coast, Zatoka, and the Shabo wine factory (where excursions are provided). Therefore, a trip to Belgorod-Dnestrovsky for a couple of days can be quite an interesting event.
View from the Akkerman fortress to the Dniester estuary. The city of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.
Where it is, how to get there
Belgorod-Dnistrovsky is located on the shore of the Dniester estuary, next to the resort of Zatoka, in the south of the Odessa region. If you go further from here to the south, then in a couple of hours you can get to Izmail and Vilkovo (Ukrainian Venice). And there is already the Danube, along which the border between Ukraine and Romania passes. And to the north of the city, Odessa, the regional center, is 1.5 – 2 hours away.
You can get to Belgorod-Dnestrovsky by car, bus or train. The city is regularly served by the Odessa – Belgorod-Dnestrovsky train, which passes through Zatoka. Distance 91 km. The train travels from Odessa to the city in two and a half hours. This is quite a long time, since the train makes many stops along the way and does not go very fast. By car or bus you can get from Odessa to Belgorod-Dnistrovsky in about 1 hour and forty minutes (it can be slower or faster depending on the load of the road, it is two-lane and there are traffic jams during the season). The distance from Odessa to the city is 86 km. You will have to travel the same way as by train through Zatoka. There is also the option of going across the border with Moldova, but this will be a small detour and you won’t gain anything in terms of time.
Map of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky
In order to navigate your walks around the city, you may need a map of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. You can download it on our website (just save the map below on your computer). The map of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky shows that the city is located on the banks of the Dniester estuary. In the center of the city on the banks of the Liman there is a fortress, and from it the streets already diverge in different directions.
Map of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. The map shows that the fortress is located in the city center.
The railway station is located some distance from the city center. But given that the town is small, Masha Pasha walked almost everywhere here. Everything interesting is within walking distance from the center.
On our map of Belgorod-Dnestrovsk, some streets have old names. For example, the central street of Kalinin (the old name) is now called Independence Street.
Sights of Belgorod-Dnistrovsky
The city itself is small and not very interesting. The old city center is built up with small houses of 1-2 floors; there are not very many beautiful old houses, although you can come across them. The city center is located southeast of the fortress, between Independence and Shabskaya streets. On the banks of the Estuary there is a picturesque place in the area of the old pier and the Park of Military Glory. There are beautiful views of the Liman, a small beach (although it’s better not to swim in the Liman now) and a green park with centuries-old trees. Previously, high-speed rockets traveled from here to Zatoka along the Liman, but now they no longer do. But during the season there are pleasure boats. From the fortress to the pier you can walk along Popova Street.
The main attraction of the city is, of course, the fortress and the ancient ruins of the city of Tire, located right at the entrance to the fortress. Thira was founded in the 6th century BC. immigrants from the Greek city of Miletus. For 5 centuries, Thira was a busy ancient trading city, advantageously located on the way from the Northern Black Sea region to Greece. But in the 1st century BC. destroyed by hordes of geths. Now only the foundations of some buildings have been preserved from Thira. This may be interesting for archaeologists, but not for tourists. Almost nothing has survived from the old city. Another thing is the fortress. This is one of the best medieval fortresses in Ukraine and the largest in its size. horses.
View of the Belgorod-Dnestrovsky fortress from the estuary.
Belgorod-Dnestrovsky Fortress (Akkerman Fortress)
The Akkerman fortress (the fortress of the city of Belgorod-Dnistrovsky) was founded in the 13th century. It is not known for certain who first started building it. There are different versions, according to one of them, the first fortification here was founded in the 13th century by the Mongol-Tatars under Khan Berke. According to another version, local residents began to build the fortress. Later, in the 14th century, the Genoese received rights to manage the fortress. The “Citadel of the fortress” – its most protected part – has been preserved from those times. Later, the Principality of Moldova was engaged in strengthening the fortress. It was under him that the fortress received its modern appearance. The location chosen for the fortress was advantageous – one of the branches of the famous “Silk Road” passed here.
Photo inside the fortress citadel – this is the oldest and most protected part of the Akkerman fortress.
The Ottoman Turks captured the Belgorod-Dniester fortress at the end of the 15th century. It was they who gave it the name Akkerman, which is translated from Turkish as “White Fortress” (this is apparently due to the light color of the shell rock from which the fortress was built).
The Belgorod-Dniester fortress stands on the very shore of the Dniester estuary on a small rocky cape. The main entrance gate to the fortress is the Kiliya Gate. The entrance ticket costs 80 hryvnia for adults and 40 for children. Photo and video shooting is allowed. On the territory there is a cafe, entertainment (archery, crossbow), toilets, and souvenir shops. Several times a year knightly tournaments are held in the fortress.
General view of the Citadel of the Belgorod-Dniester Fortress. In front of it is a garrison courtyard.
The shape of the fortress resembles a polygon, divided into three separate courtyards (previously there were four of these courtyards). Here they are:
- Civil yard;
- Garrison yard;
- Citadel.
After passing through the entrance gate you find yourself in the Civil Courtyard, the largest in the fortress. In case of danger and enemy attack, the population of the city came here, living in dugouts and small temporary buildings. Of the buildings that have survived here, only the remains of a Turkish mosque (minaret).
The next courtyard you find yourself in is the Garrison Courtyard. There was a garrison (military unit) of the fortress here, where soldiers lived. And the last and most fortified part of the fortress is the Citadel. It is small, has the shape of a quadrangle, in the corners of which there are towers. And it is located right on the territory of the Garrison Courtyard. The citadel housed the arsenal and treasury, and the leadership of the fortress lived. There was a prison in the basement (by the way, you can see it by going downstairs).
The fortress walls have many towers and bastions. Many towers have their own names.
The Akkerman fortress is surrounded by thick fortress walls, the length of which reaches two and a half km. The height of the fortress walls is about 15 meters, width – up to 5 meters. Every 40-50 meters, fortifications – towers and bastions – are built into the fortress wall. Many towers have their own names (Maiden Tower, Pushkin Tower, etc.). Previously, artillery pieces stood on the towers and bastions. They can be seen here even now, as museum exhibits.
Hotels Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. Where will you stay?
There are several hotels in the city, but Masha Pasha can only recommend one, where we stayed. This is the Fiesta Hotel, according to reviews – this is the best hotel in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. It is located in the city center next to the fortress (just a 5-minute walk) and the city park. The hotel rating on Booking is 8.1. There are nice spacious modern rooms, there is a good restaurant, its own parking (paid, 30 UAH per day), a sauna with a small pool, wireless Internet, hot water, TV with cable channels. In general, everything you need for a comfortable stay. The price of a double room in 2020 was from 1000 UAH. per day. You can book a hotel on Booking and see current prices using this link.
Hotel Fiesta in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky. This is perhaps the best hotel in the city.
Our impression: along with Kamenets-Podolsky fortress, the Belgorod-Dniester fortress is one of the best in Ukraine. One day is enough to visit it. But if you are staying in the city for a longer period, you can also go to Shabo to the winery (Shabo is located only 5 km from the city), in Izmail and in Vilkovo – Ukrainian Venice. The Zatoka resort is located nearby (17 km from the city), so in summer excursions can be combined with a beach holiday.
