In the very center of Transcarpathia, surrounded by densely forested mountains on a green plain cut by the valley of the Latorica River, is one of the most interesting and beautiful Ukrainian cities — Mukachevo. Its fame as a small, but abundant with attractions, cozy and quiet European city has spread far beyond the borders of Ukraine, every year tourists from all over the world come here to see with their own eyes this unusual, impressive city.
What is the unusual nature of Mukachevo? In the fact that in this city with a population of only about 100 thousand people neighbors so many architectural sights, which can not be found in cities with millions of people. And in general, because of the numerous, sometimes very unusual monuments, old mansions, sidewalks, cozy street cafes with tables under the shade of century-old trees, its appearance and atmosphere evoke the most pleasant emotions in guests.
The territory where the city is located today was inhabited in time immemorial: in the Paleolithic and Bronze Age from 40 to 3-2 millennia B.C., then in the X century B.C. on the Tupca mountain founded a fortified settlement Thracians, and in the III-I centuries between the mountains Lovacka and Galish Celts founded an ancient metallurgical center. 
In the 1st century AD the Celts were displaced by the Carpathians, and then the latter by the Slavs. Slavic settlements existed here in the VI-IX centuries, already from the second half of the IX century Mukachevo exists as a city — it is mentioned in the Hungarian chronicles of 896.
Archaeological finds are the evidence of such an ancient history of Mukachevo. The largest among them was the settlement of Halysh-Lovachka — the remains of the second largest in Europe metallurgical center of the Celts, where coins, forges and jewelry, mills, shields and many tools were found. This archaeological site is of great value, but it is far from being the only one in the Mukachevo area — traces of every era before the birth of the modern city have been discovered here.
In the X-XI centuries still Slavic Mukachevo was part of Kievan Rus. It is with this period is associated with the construction of its main attraction — the castle Palanok, erected on a 70-meter high mountain in the middle of the plain. One of the legends connects the name of the city with the construction of Palanok: as if the prince who decided to build the castle wanted to make it more protected and ordered to build a mountain for this purpose. The agony of the people who sweated and bled for days and nights was the basis of the city’s name.
Like many ancient Ukrainian cities, with the beginning of the «troubled times» Mukachevo was a part of several European powers and was the subject of constant disputes of the European nobility. After the collapse of Kievan Rus, Mukachevo passed to Hungary, in the beginning of the XVI century to Turkish vassals — Transylvanian princes, then it was conquered and destroyed by Austrians and Poles, since the XVIII century Mukachevo is part of Austria, from the 20s of the last century for 18 years — to Czechoslovakia, then again Hungary, and, finally, the USSR.
With the change of power could not help but change the ethnic composition and, of course, the appearance of Mukachevo. Such an eventful fate left a deep trace in its architecture, which today represents the richest Hungarian and Austrian heritage. 
The Habsburg spirit echoes here with refined Gothic and playful Baroque, Catholic chapels and temples neighbor with Orthodox churches and monasteries, and all this is united by such a unique harmony, which can be found only in the most beautiful, like a toy, small European cities.
In Mukachevo sights are presented in the richest variety. In addition to the above-mentioned archaeological finds and the visiting card — zamok-palanok castle is a lot of old buildings. Among them are White House — Rakoci-Schenborn Castle of the 18th century, the oldest monastery in Transcarpathia — Mukachevo Women’s St. Nicholas Monastery of the XI century, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin of the early 19th century, in the first years of the 20th century were built Russian Drama Theater, ratusha and Catholic Church of St. Martin, in the yard of which a chapel of the XIV century is preserved. In the suburbs of Mukachevo you can wander around the ruins of the Serednyansky castle and admire the picturesque scenery.
Without a doubt, Mukachevo can be rightly given the status of the sights of Ukraine, reflecting its soul — it is a small but infinitely beautiful and cozy, forever leaving a trace in the heart of the city.