A walk from Svobody Avenue to St. George CathedralAuthor: Lviv TIC - 15 november 2018 year

Five minutes’ walk from the Old downtown there is another city center established in the 19th century when Lviv became the capital of the autonomous kingdom of Galicia and Volodymeriya (Liudomeriya) of Austro-Hungarian Empire. The architects and their clients, the citizens of Lviv, above all were guided by the desire to make Lviv as beautiful as the other capitals of the empire. Since then the Svobody avenue ('prospekt' in Ukrainian) has become a center of national, business and cultural life of the city. It was established on the place of the old defensive walls and the riverbed of Poltva in the 80s of the 19th century. The boulevard was finished in 1888 when the Poltva River was finally submerged and turned into underground canals.

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A. Opera House28, Svobody avenue

GPS: 49.843970, 24.025986

The Lviv Opera House named after Solomiya Krushelnytska became the last gem of the new main city street. The building had been constructed for three years and officially opened on October 4, 1900 with the participation of numerous delegations from many other cities. The official ceremony took place in the theatre lobby. The first director of the theater Tadeusz Pawlikowski took the floor with an opening speech;

speeches were also pronounced by different artists and architects. The head of the Czech delegation gave the citizens of Lviv a big present 'The Gift of Prague', the silver linden branch as a symbol of the Slavic peoples common origin. 

A chief architect and an ideas person of many paintings and sculptural decorations of the theater interior was Zygmunt Gorgolewski, who also offered a number of innovative solutions in the construction of the theater. Splendidly decorated facade of the theater is made in the Viennese neo-renaissance style. As the building was erected as an opera house it has few brass sculptures on the top symbolizing: on the left side - the genius of Drama Arts with a theatrical mask and dagger in its hand, on the right side - the genius of Music with a lyre and a laurel wreath on its head. Those sculptures highlight that an opera is a synthesis of music and drama. On the highest point of the theater Gorgolewski put a grand statue of genius of Glory holding a golden palm branch as a symbol of the biggest award for those who dedicated themselves to Arts.

B. Fellers Passage35 Svobody avenue

GPS: 49.842910, 24.026203

Moving from the Opera house, on the right, on Svobody Avenue, 35 was the Feller trading passage. The passage stretched from Karol Ludwig Street (now Svobody Avenue), where in 1903 a pompous four-story building was constructed on the project of architect Arthur Schleien, to the street Riznitskaya (now Nalivayka). In 1908-09 the facade stone building was rebuilt under the direction of the architect Ferdinand Kasler. Then two allegorical female sculptures were installed on the attic - 'Commerce' and 'Communication', works by Peter Viytovych.

From Prospekt Svobody we return to the small street of I. Tittor. By 1789 there was a church of St. Stanislav Present buildings date back to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. To the left is the house number 5 with a cute ornamental entrance lattice. Until 1940 there was a Jewish school 'Heather' with a valuable library of the Jewish community.

C. Academic Theater named after Les Kurbas3 Les Kurbas str.

GPS: 49.841997, 24.025620

House number 3 with arbitrarily transformed medieval motives built in 1909, where on the lower floor functioned the theater-choir 'Casino de Paris'. A small oval hall, where modern artworks of the Academic Theater named after Les Kurbas are now underway, retain some elements of the old design. The artistic aura of this street has attracted muses from a long time since, when in one of the houses that was not preserved, lived and worked in the 1820-30's. Son of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Franz Xaver (1791-1844 biennium).

D. Statue of Lukash8, Hnatiuka str.

GPS: 49.841498, 24.025720

Then if you turn left you will find yourself on Hnatiuka Street. The house №8, located at the corner, was built in 1901-1902. Above the window on the 2nd floor there are female sculptures symbolizing Painting and Music. At present this building houses 'Prague' restaurant with the statue of Lukash the drunkard in the hat next to it.

E. Statue of Mercury3, Sichovykh Striltsiv str.

GPS: 49.841131, 24.025458

Pay attention to the building across the street on the left side with the statue of Mercury on the top. It was a former Railway administration build in neo-renaissance and neo-baroque styles in 1885-1887.

F. First Ukrainian Theater for Children and Youth11 Hnatiuka str.

GPS: 49.841657, 24.024764

The house № 11, the former Jewish theater, houses the First Ukrainian Theater for Children and Youth. A whole world of fairy tales exists in its courtyard so do not hesitate to take a few pictures there. The Jewish theatric troupes performed here from the middle of the 19th century.

G. The Memorial Plague to Ludwig von Mises13 Hnatiuka str.

GPS: 49.841669, 24.024367

Ludwig von Mises, the Austrian economist, founder of neo-liberalism, the founder New-Austrian School of Economics, lived in the house № 13. You can notice the memorial plaque to him on the house.

On the opposite side you can see an interesting building with the 'Egyptian' sculpture

H. The 'Resurrection' theater5 General Hryhorenko square

GPS: 49.841856, 24.023069

Street Gnatyuk goes to General Hryhorenko Square. Independence Square, in the middle of which once was a well with a large cast-iron vase, which was later transferred to the present park of them. I. Franck, existed for a long time. There were roads to the Jesuit city (and later to Mount Svatureur) and to the Church of the Annunciation and the Bridgiks Monastery, which did not survive.

Initially, the square was surrounded by manor houses with gardens, and in the first half of the nineteenth century. there were stone houses. In one of them lived the most charismatic of the Galician politicians of the nineteenth century. Franciszek Smolka (Franz Schmolke), whom the newspaper 'Dilo' called 'the most

admired for us among the Poles'. Although he was not a Poles by birth, because he was born in Kalush in the family of Vincent Shmolke, an officer, and then a Soldier's Officer who came from Silesia. At the place of the house where Smolka lived, the magistrate installed his 'outstanding citizen' a memorial table, which is still in the building number 4 on the square Grigorenko. In addition, this house is considered one of the best examples of ornamental secession in Lviv.

The newest building on the Grigorenko Square, 5, was erected in 1912 (architect Yu. Piontovsky) in the style of a modernized baroque. Earlier in this house there was the Gryuner Pass with the cinema 'Marysenka', which now houses the 'Resurrection' theater.

I. St. George the Conqueror statueGen. P. Hryhorenka square

GPS: 49.841731, 24.022421

In a few seconds you will see the big square with the St. George the Conqueror on the horse statue in the middle. It is a monument to policemen, the defenders of Ukrainian independency.

J. House of Scholars6 Lystopadovoho Chynu str.

GPS: 49.841060, 24.021442

Our next stop is the house №6 on Lystopadovoho Chynu Street. It used to be a National Casino in 1897-1898; it was also called a noble or horse casino as the majority of its members was engaged in breeding horses. In the interwar period there was a Bourgeois casino, and after The Second World War it has been a House of Scholars (a place where intelligent people who used to gather). This building is especially

beautiful inside with its winding wooden stairs, the gallery and other nice rooms. At present this place is used for having balls that has been Lviv tradition since 1482.

K. The Main Building of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv1 Universytetska str.

GPS: 49.840127, 24.021911

On the left side you can see the main building of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. It was constructed in the 80s of the 19th century in the Viennese neo-renaissance style for the Galician Parliament, the

regional parliament of Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Galician aristocracy wanted to make it look imposing and splendor. On the both sides of the main façade we can notice the sculptures symbolizing 'Work', 'Education', 'Love', 'Justice' and 'Guardian spirit of Galicia' (Galicia blesses her children Dnister and Vistula). The university names

changed several times: after the Austrian Emperor Joseph II and Francis I, after the King of Poland Jan Kazimierz and since January 8, 1940 the university has been named after Ivan Franko (famous Ukrainian writer).

The university was established in 1661 in the former Jesuits College. At that time there were just four departments: Philosophy, Law, Theology and Medicine. All classes were in Latin. In times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the University switched to German and later to Polish language. The Ukrainian departments appeared in the 19th century but the number of Ukrainian students was limited. They mainly studied Theology.

In front of the university you can see the monument to Ivan Franko, Ukrainian poet, writer, philosopher, and translator.

L. The Park named after Ivan Franko1 Universytetska str.

GPS: 49.839736, 24.021294

Just behind the monument stretches out the park named after Ivan Franko; this is the oldest park in Lviv and Ukraine and one of the oldest municipal parks in Europe. It was founded in the 16th century. In the 17th-18th centuries the park was rented by Jesuits who built an inn, a bar, a brewery, and a brickyard there. In 1779, after the expulsion of the Jesuits, the Austrian authorities turned it into a public park, expanding the

area to 12 hectares and decorating it with valuable trees.

The park became a favorite place of rest for Lviv citizens in 1799 when it was bought by the businessman Johann Hecht, who improved it by building several arbors, an open-air theater, a merry-go-round and a field for fireworks there. He built a hotel with a club and casino right next to the park. The only thing that preserved from those times is a white round rotunda. The park is still a popular rest place especially for the students of the National University.

M. The Palace of Graphs Goluchowski16 Lystopadovoho Chynu str.

GPS: 49.839838, 24.019258

If you continue walking up the Lystopadovoho Chynu Street you cannot help but notice a building № 16, the palace of graphs Goluchowski, which is one of the first Neo-Romanesque buildings of the town. The owner of this palace, the count Agenor Goluchowski, was a pro-polish politician of the Austrian Empire and a governor of Galicia in the second half of the 19th century. He was a bureaucrat and a conservative, a person to

introduce the Latin alphabet into the Ukrainian language. In present day the palace houses a diagnostic center of Lviv Railway Hospital.

N. Lviv Railway Administration1 Hoholia str.

GPS: 49.839605, 24.018648

The next magnificent building is Lviv Railway Administration. Pay attention to the tower with a built-in clock which is a dominant feature of the street.

O. Olena Kulchytska Museum7 Lystopadovoho Chynu str.

GPS: 49.837863, 24.015611

Now if you turn left and go down to the Lystopadovoho Chynu Street you will find yourself in Lviv Montmartre. This area is a center of Arts where famous Ukrainian painters as Olena Kulchytska, Jan Henryk Rosen, Leopold Levytskyi and Oleksa Novakivskyi used to live. Here you can find three memorial museums with paintings of those talented artists. The first museum is located on 7 Lystopadovoho Chynu Street. It is dedicated to the painter Olena Kulchytska who was known for her painting, drawing, sacred painting (created unique iconostasis), folk arts, carpet making, and even designing the furniture.

P. Oleksa Novakivskyi Museum11 Lystopadovoho Chynu str.

GPS: 49.837609, 24.015276

Now if you turn left and go down to the Lystopadovoho Chynu Street you will find yourself in Lviv Montmartre. This area is a center of Arts where famous Ukrainian painters such as Olena Kulchytska, Jan Henryk Rosen, Leopold Levytskyi and Oleksa Novakivskyi used to live. Here you can find three memorial museums with paintings of those talented artists.

The first museum is located on 11 Lystopadovoho Chynu Street. It displays the paintings of the famous Ukrainian impressionist Oleksa Novakivskyi.

Q. St. George CathedralSt. George square

GPS: 49.838644, 24.013378

We are coming closer and closer to the St. George Cathedral (in Ukrainian: Sobor sviatoho Yura), a baroque-rococo cathedral constructed in 1744-1760. This is the third manifestation of a church to inhabit the site since the 13th century, and its prominence has repeatedly made it a target for invaders and vandals.

The cathedral also holds a predominant position in Ukrainian religious and cultural terms. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the cathedral served as the mother church of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) (Eastern Rite Catholic).

Designed by the architect Bernard Meretin and the sculptor Johann Georg Pinsel, St. George's Cathedral reflects both Western influences and the traditions of Ukrainian church construction. An expressive statue of St. George the Dragon-slayer, by Pinsel, stands in the church attic. Pinsel's hands also created the stony images of St. Leo, the Pope and St. Athanasius who stand on guard over the church portal 'warning with their stern look about their readiness to fight against anyone not showing enough venerability'. In contrast, the architecture of the courtyard has a more soothing effect on visitors.

The most precious relic of the church is the wonder-working Icon of the Virgin Mary (17th century). It was brought to Lviv from Terebovlia (Ternopil region) in 1674.

In the Cathedral's tombs are buried distinguished figures of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, mostly cardinals and metropolitans.

The architectural ensemble of St. George's Cathedral also includes a belfry with the oldest bell in Ukraine (1341), the Baroque Metropolitan Palace and a garden, enclosed behind two gates.

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