Dec. 19, 2025, 6:42 p.m.
(IMAGES: Intent)
Tatarbunary is a town in the south of Odesa region. It is located in the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district on the banks of the Sasyk estuary in southern Bessarabia. Now it is the administrative center of the Tatarbunary city community, the former administrative center of the Tatarbunary district of Odesa region. The distance from Tatarbunary to the regional center is 152 km and passes by the M15 highway. The distance to the station is 24 km, and Odesa is 146 km away by rail.
The intent is to continue telling stories about the cities of Odesa region. After Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Reni, Podilsk, Izmail, Vilkovo, and Bolhrad, we will tell you about another pearl of the south of Odesa region - Tatarbunary.
IMAGES: Intent
The name of the town of Tatar-Bunar comes from the Tatar word Tatar bunar, which literally means "Tatar well (well, borehole)". The historian and philosopher Kantemir wrote about the origin of the name in his works of 1712-1716. They mentioned a well that flowed from under a hill with the ruins of an ancient fortress. Dmytro Kantemir noted that the ruins of the fortress were there in the early nineteenth century.
There was no consensus on the origin of these ruins. The German geographer Johann Thunmann believed that Tatar-Bunar was the former capital of the "Comanian princes" (i.e., the Cumans) and was called Karabuna; Pavlo Svinyin, a writer, publisher, journalist, artist, historian, and geographer who lived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, claimed that Tatar-Bunar was the remnant of small stone castles built by Genoa during its possession of the Black Sea coast. He noted that "in the village of Tatarbunary there are the remains of a small stone castle, built, as some claim, by the Genoese during their possession of the Black Sea coast." Pavlo Svinyin does not cite any reliable sources, so this version can be considered unfounded. Some also believe that the city was founded by the Budzhak Tatars and Ottomans.
Historians believe that Tatarbunary got its current name in the 16th century, when the Crimean Tatars captured the village. They turned it into a place to store the loot they had acquired during their campaigns. Because of this, Tatarbunary was repeatedly ravaged. Nowadays, the lower Traianiv shaft ends near the town and the remains of a small ancient earthen fortification have been preserved.
In 1648, Guillaume Levasseur de Beauplan, an engineer and military cartographer of French origin, published the General Map of Ukraine after a long stay in Ukraine. On this map, the town of Tatarebarlat is located between Akerman and Kilia. It should be noted that similar names, such as "Tatarebarlat," "Tatar Boyar," and "Tatar Pinar," are mentioned on earlier maps and in studies by domestic and foreign scholars. Some researchers even connect Tatarbunary with the ancient settlement of Hermonactus, which indicates its possible origin in the Greek colonization of the Black Sea region.
Map by Boplan. IMAGE: Wikipedia
Thus, there are seven versions of the origin of Tatarbunary: ancient, Byzantine, Genoese, Polovtsian, Moldavian, Tatar, and Turkish.
The Polovtsian version is quite influential, but it is based on assumptions and currently unknown sources. According to it, the city originated from the legendary residence of the Kara-Bun khans, which existed in the 14th century (the first written mention is from 1346).
The Tatar version is quite probable, but it is not substantiated by historical documents. its supporters suggest that the city was founded after 1538.
The Turkish version is not connected with the emergence of the city, but with the construction of a fortress. It is reliably known that the fortifications were restored in 1636-1637, and built after 1484 or 1538.
The modern historiography of the city believes that the version with the ancient origin of Tatarbunary is based on the identification of the city with the village of Hermonakta, which is mentioned in the description of the Black Sea by the Greek geographer Strabo. However, as early as 1714, the historian Dmytro Kantemir perceived this version as unlikely to the point that he noted: "Hermonastii non sit Tatarbugnar, de quo iam" ("Hermonasticism is not Tatarbugnar, which I have already mentioned" - translation from Latin - Intent).
As a result of archaeological research, it was found that there were indeed settlements within the modern city, written records of which have not survived to this day. These are a Bronze Age settlement, a settlement of the IV-III centuries B.C., several settlements of the early AD, and a settlement of the XIV century. However, there are no grounds to derive modern Tatarbunary from these settlements, as their genetic connection with the modern settlement has not been proven.
Thus, today the most important and reliable historical source that mentions late medieval Tatarbunary should be considered the travel notes of the famous Turkish traveler Eulia Çelebi, who in 1657, as part of the Turkish army, personally visited the area between the Danube and Dniester. His travel notes devote two paragraphs to Tatarbunary (the fortress and the settlement near it), which indicates a certain importance of the settlement at that time.
Part of the fortress wall. PHOTO: online publication Mahala'
It is noted that the Tatarbunary Fortress is one of the most interesting historical monuments in the Odesa region. This structure is located in the town of Tatarbunary and attracts the attention of history and archeology lovers. The fortress has a rich history dating back several centuries.
The beginning of the history of the fortress in Tatarbunary is associated with the Ottoman period. The Turks built this defense structure in the XV-XVI centuries. It was supposed to control trade routes and protect the southern borders of the empire.
The fortress was built in stages. First, the main fortifications were built, and then residential and utility rooms were added. Thus, the fortifications were built in 1624-1628 by order of Kenan Pasha, the head of the Ochakiv Eyalet of the Ottoman Empire. It was a quadrangular structure with tall towers at the corners that served as an important defense point in southwestern Ukraine. The subsequent architecture of the fortress combines Ottoman and European traditions.
"The kadiy (judge) of this fortress, which is part of the Ochakiv Eyalet of Silistra, has an official salary of one hundred and fifty acres. This fortress was rebuilt in 1046 (1636-1637) by Kenan Pasha, when he was the matasarrif (head) of the Ochakiv Eyalet. It is a small, strong quadrangular fortress, which is equal to a thousand steps in circumference. It has one gate that opens towards the south, and four tall towers stand at its four corners. Since the place where this fortress stands was swampy and covered with reed thickets, Moldovan and Tatar robbers used to attack caravans passing through here. Now this unusual place is a haven of security. Today, the fortress has one mosque, a wheat warehouse, and small, comfortable rooms for one hundred and fifty troops. There is also a commandant. But there are no residential buildings behind the fortress walls. Nevertheless, in the settlement adjacent to the fortress, there are two hundred reed-covered houses of the poor, an inn, one dirty bathhouse, vineyards, and orchards. The ruler of his wakuf department is one of the Kapuji Basha's men of the highest court of Abdallatif Bey, who was in the service of the deceased Kenan Pasha. He (the ruler) collects market duties from the following caravans, gives orders to the fortress army, and is in charge of road protection," Eulia Celebi wrote about the fortress and the posts near it (future Tatarbunary - ed.).
The text suggests that the fortress existed until 1636/1637, but was most likely destroyed by the Nogai Tatars during the uprising against the Ottoman Empire (or possibly by the Zaporizhzhia Cossacks during sea campaigns). The fact that the fortress was rebuilt in 1636/1637, as mentioned in the cited source, is the starting point for determining the date after which the existence of Tatarbunar can be considered undoubted and continuous. It is also clear that the fortress and settlement on the site of modern Tatarbunary existed before 1636, but there is still no reliable evidence of this in historical sources. The hypothetical construction of the first (before its destruction and restoration) fortress in Tatarbunary can be linked to the conquests of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II (1484), or to the final annexation of Bujak to the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Suleiman Canuni (1538). According to sources, the Tatarbunary of the Turkish period belonged to the vacufa, property that the state transferred for religious or charitable purposes. The Moldovan researcher Mariana Shlapak is inclined to believe that the Tatarbunary fortress was built under Turkish rule, although the found plan shows that the fortress belongs to typical fortifications that could have been built by the Byzantines during the heyday of the empire, by the Moldovans in the fifteenth century, or by the Turks in the sixteenth century.
Reconstruction of the Tatarbunary fortress. IMAGE: Islam in Ukraine
Scientists have identified the main elements of the complex:
The walls of the fortress are up to 2 meters thick and were built of local stone and brick. This combination of materials ensured the strength of the structure for centuries.
The Tatarbunary fortress occupied an important position on the map of the region. It controlled river crossings and routes to the Danube. This made it a key defense point.
When Tatarbunary was part of the Ottoman Empire (XV-XVIII centuries), it was a border fortress. After the Russian-Turkish wars, the fortress came under the control of the Russian Empire. This happened in 1812, when the whole of Budzhak was annexed to Russia. Since then, the military significance of the building has gradually decreased: although a military garrison was kept here, the fortress was dismantled for the construction of new buildings (1856).
Since the 20th century, it has been a historical monument as part of modern Ukraine.
The history of the fortress in Tatarbunary contains many interesting points. Here are the most impressive facts about this landmark:
Local legends tell of secret treasures hidden in the dungeons. Although the archaeologists did not find any gold, they did discover valuable historical artifacts. The finds include weapons, household items, and coins.
Important archaeological finds
These finds helped to establish the exact dates of construction and reconstruction. They also told us about the life of the fortress's inhabitants and their trade relations.
Fragments of the walls and the hill on which it was located are now preserved from the old fortress. The remains of the old fortress are also a source of groundwater. There is also an old bathhouse, which was later converted into a water mill. In general, today the Tatarbunary fortress needs serious restoration. Time and natural factors have caused significant damage to it. Some of the walls have been destroyed, and some buildings have disappeared altogether.
In 2017, the city authorities took the initiative to implement the project "Tatarbunary Fortress, an archaeological monument of local importance," which could lead to the revival of the fortress. At that time, Mayor Andrii Hlushchenko invited experts in the field of archeology and speleology. They had already conducted the first research on the site where historians believe the Ottoman fortress was located.
Despite the problems, the fortress has great tourist potential. It can become part of the historical route of Odesa region. Tourists from Odesa can easily reach Tatarbunary. The journey from the regional center takes about an hour. The fortress is located in the city center, so it is easy to find.
The Tatarbunary fortress fits organically into the system of historical monuments of Odesa region. It complements the Akkerman and Izmail fortresses, creating a holistic picture of the region's defensive architecture.
The availability of drinking water sources near the fortress was key to its survival. The hilltop on which the fortress was located allowed for control of the river valley, and the springs provided a constant water supply for the garrison and residents. This choice of location explains why the ruins have survived to this day without being completely destroyed or built upon.
Inna Naidenova-Kiriyak, director of the Tatarbunary Museum of History and Local Lore , told journalists one of the most interesting legends.
She says that during the rule of the Turks in the lands of Budzhak, a rather clever and foresighted ruler, Kenan Pasha, lived here. He dug secret underground passages. He used the dungeons for hiding places and secret raids outside the fortress. In the secret rooms he hid looted treasures and money, which he collected as a customs duty from merchants and caravans passing through his lands and refuge.
PHOTO: Mahala's online publication
Approximately eighty years ago, the entrances to the northern and southern gates, which stretch beyond the city limits, were still open. Through them, one could get into low, smoky caves in which water seeping from underground springs splashed.
According to legend, there are several secret doors in the catacombs. Behind one of them is a treasure, and behind the other there is an underwater river. If you open those doors, the whole city will be flooded with water.
When the Tatar hordes approached the fortress and Kenan Pasha was in mortal danger, he put a curse on the treasure.
"At a distance of about three hundred meters to the north of the entrance to the fortress, there is a hole with a strong water leak. There could be a secret exit from the fortress. Twenty meters away, there is a huge tree. It is the largest tree in our town. We think it is at least several centuries old. Could it be a marker for someone?
These days, there are also people who want to find secret treasures. But we hope that the curse is just a beautiful legend. And the treasure really exists..." the museum director expressed her hope.
The tourist attraction of the modern city of Tatarbunary is not only the ancient fortress, but also underground springs that can suddenly break through in the middle of the residents' gardens or just in the middle of the street. This is a unique phenomenon for the steppe, when spring streams of water burst forth from the ground. No wonder the name of the city includes the word "spring" or "well" as part of it.
As Inna Naydenova-Kiriyak told journalists, there are several of these springs today. The three largest of them are unofficially named Aleko, Zemfira, and Green Oak by the Meadow. All of them are located in the central part of the city.
According to the museum director, there are several variations of the origin of underground springs, which, unfortunately, have no historical justification. According to the first version, during the Roman Empire, water was brought to one place through underground aqueducts (water pipes). And these stone crypts, through which spring water runs, were made by the Romans. The other two options explain where these springs originate. In the first case, it is believed to be from the Carpathians, and in the second - from Romania. The most interesting thing is that the mention of underground springs appeared in historical documents of the XIV - XV centuries, long before the foundation of the city of Tatarbunary.
Already in the days of independent Ukraine, the spring complex was modernized and put in order. For example, in 2016, representatives of the Ukrainian Free Cossacks built a bathhouse at the Zemfira and Aleko springs. There is also a stone bas-relief depicting a man and a woman touching each other with their foreheads.
According to the town's old-timers, at one time these springs were so powerful that they even formed a waterfall with so-called soap clay under it. In particular, in the 60s and 70s of the last century, it was used by midwives in the maternity hospital to wash babies' diapers. The pH of the soap clay was equal to the pH of neutral soap - 5.5.
A spring on the fortress hill. PHOTO: Mahala' online edition
It turns out that the waters of the springs and, possibly, the underground river mentioned in the legend are mineral.
The local museum of history and local lore has information that a mineral water bottling plant had been operating in Tatarbunary for more than half a century. Its owner was D. Platonov from Lipovak (the museum could not establish the exact name of the entrepreneur). The man was a businessman and a presbyter of the local church, which was established by the Lipovan community.
D. Platonov with his family. PHOTO: Bessarabia.INFORM
When the Soviet government came to power in the 1940s, the Lipovans were simply expelled, and the building where the church was located was repurposed. Today, this building houses an ambulance station. Nothing remains of the mineral water bottling plant. However, it is known that it was located on the territory of the modern Tatarbunary Uprising Park. Nowadays, this place is a communal yard, where people have been given land plots for construction.
"The museum learned about the local businessman D. Platonov from the elderly residents of the city.
By the way, he had not only a factory but even a restaurant. When the restaurant building was destroyed, a lot of mineral water bottles were found in the basement. Now the Aurora store is located here, and in Soviet times it was a department store," the museum director recalls.
Tatarbunary is a town located on the banks of the Sasyk estuary. The estuary itself is part of the Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park, which was established in 2010 to preserve valuable natural, historical and cultural complexes and sites of the Northern Black Sea region.
The park is located between the Danube and Dniester rivers and consists of 13 long, narrow, shallow estuaries that stretch along the sea coast. They are separated from the Black Sea by sand spits, about 40 km long and 50 to 400 meters wide.
From a bird's eye view, the Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park looks like a crown, symbolizing the power and majesty of the mythical sea god Poseidon.
IMAGE: Author: Yuriy Kvach / Wikipedia
The park's territory has a unique geological landscape and flora. The mainland shores of the park rise to a height of 2 to 18 meters and have steep slopes. The majority of the park's territory is covered by grass vegetation (over 80%), with a total of 507 species of higher plants recorded here.
The park is famous for its diverse bird fauna, as one of the largest migration routes passes through it. The estuaries are important places for wintering, nesting and resting for many species of birds. The Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park has 254 bird species, which is about 60% of all species in Ukraine. Of these, 54 species are included in the Red Data Book of Ukraine or other protection lists. The most numerous species that nest in this region are the yellow-legged gull and the black grouse.
During your vacation on the seashore, you can often see dolphins. And at night, you can enjoy the incredible August meteor shower and the nightly shimmer of the sea. The park has several hiking trails that lead through picturesque corners of untouched nature: along the sea, along the shores of estuaries, among the forest and steppe, where ancient paths of women warriors, Cimmerians, Scythians, and Sarmatians once lay. Archaeologists still find traces of ancient tribes, and mounds testify to the battles that took place on the vast steppe.
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