Podillia is a historical and ethnographic region located between the Dniester and the Southern Buh rivers, known for its fertile soils and long-standing agricultural traditions. The region includes the southern parts of Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil oblasts, the eastern part of Chernivtsi Oblast, and the northern part of Odesa Oblast. Podillian homesteads are characterized by free planning, the use of wood, clay-and-straw mixtures, and local stone, as well as decorative wall painting. The interiors display authentic household items, tools, and folk crafts that reflect the life and culture of Podillia in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Locations
House from the Village of Yaryshiv
This house comes from the village of Yaryshiv in the Mohyliv-Podilskyi District of Vinnytsia Oblast. It is a typical example of a dwelling belonging to a middle-income peasant from the late 18th century, characteristic of the southern areas of Podillia. The interior features traditional furniture, pottery, and local textiles, recreating the everyday life and aesthetic sensibilities of Podillian rural communities of the 18th century.
Shkalnia (Tavern)
Before you is a house from the village of Teremtsi in the Kamianets-Podilskyi District, built in the mid-19th century. According to local oral accounts, the house was used as a shkalnia — the Podillian term for a tavern. Such buildings were typically located on the edge of a village. Here, vodka was sold, and visitors could rest in a separate room after lively gatherings, highlighting the social role of the tavern in rural Podillian life.