In the center of Kamyanets-Podolsky on the highest elevation of the Old Town is located one of the most ancient religious buildings of the city — Dominican Monastery and Church of St. Nicholas.
The first mention of this Dominican temple is found in Catholic documents from 1378. But already in 1420 the wooden buildings of the monastery and church completely burned down. Instead of the burnt temple at the turn of XVI-XVII centuries the construction of a majestic stone church and stone cell buildings of the monastery was started. During the Turkish rule in Podolia (1672-1699) the church was converted into a Muslim mosque in honor of Sultan Haseki’s favorite wife Rabin Gul-Nush. A white stone minbar (a Muslim ambo, a pulpit for reading Friday sermons by the imam) was installed in it, which has survived to this day. After the departure of the Turkish invaders, the Dominican Monastery and St. Nicholas Church were extensively restored. Under the direction of architect Jan de Witt, with the financial support of the Polish Potocki family, the second tier of the monastery cells was added, the tiered bell tower was rebuilt, and the buildings were connected into a single complex. Inside the church the traces of the Muslim presence were removed, on the facade of the church the coat of arms «Pilyawa» of the Potocki family and the sculptural figure «Dog with a torch» were installed, symbolizing the dog-like devotion of the Dominicans to the Lord God (Domini canes — dogs of the Lord). Over the many years of the Catholic shrine’s existence, the architecture of the complex closely combined various styles: Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic and Classicism. The church itself is a three-nave church; each of the naves is covered with cross vaults. Inside the church is decorated with moldings, cartouches and pilasters. Three chapels (1596, 1618, 1628) of Renaissance molding and lantern lighting adjoin the middle nave.
In 1793 Kamenets-Podolsky and the whole Right-Bank Ukraine were incorporated into the Russian Empire. The establishment of the Orthodox Episcopate of Podolsk by decree of Empress Catherine II led to a significant weakening of the influence of Catholicism and the decline of its churches and denominations. These hardships did not pass by and the Dominican Church of St. Nicholas. As a Catholic church it ceased to exist, and its building later housed various secular organizations — an art school, a public library, an orphanage, a state archive and other institutions.
During the fighting during World War II, the Dominican Church was significantly damaged. State funds for the restoration of the church were allocated after the Kamyanets-Podilsky Monastery with St. Nicholas Church was recognized as a monument of religious architecture of national importance.
In 1998 the owners of the Dominican Monastery became the Catholic Order of Fathers-Paulin, who renovated the interior interiors, and the temple complex shone with all the facets of its former beauty, every year attracting more and more guests who came to see the unique attractions of Kamyanets-Podolsky.