Ternopil

Ternopil, known until 1944 mostly as Tarnopol, is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical regions of Galicia and Podolia. The population of Ternopil was estimated at

Founded as a border fortress of the Kingdom of Poland, the city remained property of several noble families and became an important centre of trade, but suffered from numerous attacks by Turks, Tatars and Zaporozhian Cossacks. After a period of decline, it saw a new period of development in the 19th century thanks to its role as a transit location between the Austrian monarchy and Russian Empire. During the early 20th century Ternopil was the only city in Galicia where Ukrainians were more numerous than Poles. During and immediately after World War I the city experienced periods of Russian, Ukrainian and Soviet rule, before being incorporated by Interwar Poland. During the Second World War Ternopil was occupied by Soviet and German troops and suffered severe damage. In the aftermath of the war, it was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, a member republic of the USSR. Since 1991 Ternopil has been part of independent Ukraine.