Title: City Turka. Status: The city of regional significance in the Lviv region, the administrative center of Turka district. Location: The city is located in the south of Lviv region, 137 km from Lviv, in the Carpathians, on the left bank of the river Stryi, between the mountains Shimenka, Kichera, Vinets' and Osovnya. Area: 3 sq. km. Population: about 7,500 inhabitants. Rivers: Stryi, with its tributaries - r. Yablun'ka and r. Litmyr. The first mention in historical documents: 15 c. Historical note: There are different versions of the origin of the city name. The most common version is the one that connects it with aurochses, numerous herds of which were in these locations (in early emblem of the city there is the head of the aurochs, topped with big horns). The city began its history with the ancient Russian settlement of 9 c., which was located in the Russian way. Nearby, in Stare Selo, a watchtower stood, which in the case of approximation of the enemy to their villages a fire danger warning residents of the valleys of the Stryi and Yablun'ka was ignited on. Most likely, Turka was founded in the period 1280- 1320, when Lev Galits'ky joined Transcarpathia, including the territory of present Turka lands to his principality. Polish historian Jan Dlugosh claims that Prince Lev put the stone pillar with a Russian inscription that indicates the boundary of his possessions, on top of the mountain Pikuy. The first known written mention of Turka is dated June 27, 1431. Polish King Wladyslaw II Jagiello granted charter for own Turka and surrounding villages to lord Vancha Valakh and his sons, Khotko, Іvanko and Janko. This privilege was confirmed by the Polish king Vladislav III in 1444 in favor of the brothers Khotko and Janko, and again - by King Zygmunt I in 1519. In 1730, the owner of Turka Anthony Kalinowski helped the city to obtain Magdeburg Rights and moved to Turka his residence. In the interwar period, Turka was the principal city of Lviv Turshans'ky county province in Poland (II Rzecz Pospolita). In September 1939, Turka came to the territories, which, according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, ceded to the USSR. On December 4, 1939 the city was in the Drohobych region of Ukraine. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union the city was under German occupation. In January 1942, in Turka shares of mass destruction of the Jews by the Nazis were held. In August 1942 German occupiers deported to Belzec death camp about 4000 Jews. In December 1942 the remaining Jews were deported to the ghetto in Sambir. Main attractions: the Roman Catholic Church, the St. Nicolas church, the Tempel Synagogue, Jewish cemetery. Source of information: http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Турка