To celebrate the anniversary the Embassy of Ukraine in Finland together with the Mannerheim Museum have prepared a series of unique short stories to reflect on the historical connections between Marshal
#Mannerheim and Ukraine from various perspectives.
Today, in our first post of the series we would like to present the symbolic key to the Khotyn Fortress - one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.
The Khotyn Fortress (
Державний історико-архітектурний заповідник "Хотинська фортеця") is a fortification complex located on the shores of the Dniester River in Khotyn in western Ukraine. The fortress dates back to the times of ancient Ukrainian state - Kyiv Rus (9th–13th centuries), when it defended the crossing through the Dnister river, being one of the strongest fortifications in Eastern Europe.
Nowadays the fortress serves as a major tourist attraction in Ukraine. It is associated with several legends and bears witness to hundreds of years of Ukrainian history that involved several wars and invasions.
It is believed that the symbolic key was presented to Marshal Mannerheim during World War I in honor of leading a battle to protect the fortress.
The key is on permanent display in Mannerheim's study and library room of the Mannerheim Museum. So don’t miss the chance to explore it more closely while visiting the museum.