Lviv : A Journey Through The Centuries
Ancient Lviv was one of the biggest and most important towns of the principality
of Galicia and Volyn. Today Lviv is an important political, economic and cultural
center of Western Ukraine.
In the 1830s the Austrian geographer and statistician W. Blumenbach wrote: "
Lviv's population grew more than twofold, totaling 75,000; and the city's beauty
was enhanced. The number of buildings, built in a new style, mostly beautiful,
is 2,612; of which 425 are civic, mainly churches and cathedrals. There are 77
named streets, with 11,718 families living there. The streets are maintained out
of the Magistrate's profits; all of them are covered with cobblestones and are
lit; apart from a few which are lit by the moon. Good water systems provide the
city with water, and the romantic outskirts serve as a place to rest".
The "burgher house" type of building prevailed within the city's
boundaries: a typical house of the Galician middle class was a two- or three-storied
rectangular building, often with an inner courtyard. The logical system of room
arrangements can be traced on the facades: in the horizontal division, in the
rhythm of windows, and in the accents of the main entrances. Balconies carry
consoles shaped as a lion's head or acanthus leaves. Smooth surfaces are covered
with sculptural relief portraying traditional mythological characters or, more
often, with the traditional emblems of the Gulician merchants: Mercury, dolphins,
and cornucopias as a way of wishing success to the owner-trader; in the niches
are patron saints. Peace and welfare were symbolized by such popular motifs
as doves, flowers, and sometimes seasons of the year: spring is ploughing; summer
is harvesting; autumn is bleaching linen; winter is the time for weddings. Parts
of such buildings have been preserved until the present day, continuing to amaze
us with the simplicity and skill of their planning.
In Lviv with its numerous institutions, besides craftsmen (about 60% of the
city population), many officials, students, merchants and representatives of
so-called free occupations also lived: doctors, barristers, painters, architects
and plasterers. Families of priests constituted a special section where national
traditions were preserved.
It was common to come across people from all over the world in the streets
of our city; and everybody, whatever language he spoke, could find his own language
there. Lviv's special aura was an inspiration; for many-outstanding artists,
actors, singers and men of letters the city was a muse.
Architectural masterpieces were created by Paul of Rome, Gartman Witwer, Petro
Viytovych and others. Theworldwasfascinatedby thepaintings of Ivan Trush, Arthur
Grottger, Osyp Kurylas, Olena Kulchytska, Antin Manastyrskyj and by the unique
singing of Solomija Krushelnytska, Oleksander Myshuga and Modest Mentsynskyj;
the unforgettable Maria Zankovetska made audiences hurst into applause. The
fame of musicians like Mykola Kolessa, Stanislav Ludkevych and Vasyl Barvinskyj
spread far and wide. Markyjan Shashkevych, Ivan Vahylevych, Jakiv Holovatskyj,
Aleksander Fredro, Ivan Franko and Vasyl Stefanyk created literary masterpieces.
The flame oj enlightenment was carried by the fraternities of churches and monasteries
(in particular, Stavropigia fraternity); by the Taras Shevchenko Society, by
scientists Mychajlo Hrushevskyj, Ivan Krypjakevych, Vasyl Shchurat, Ilarion
Sventsitskyj and by Metropolitan Andrej Sheptytskyj.
The historical figures of Danylo Halytskyj, Ivan Pidkova, Maksym Kryvonis and
Bohdan Kchmelnytskyj are all connected with Lviv. The memory of Yevhen Konovalets,
Stepan Handera and Roman Shukhevych will remain with the people of Lviv forever.
AII the above-mentioned names have been preserved in the names of the streets
of Lviv, and are recorded in the imperishable chronicles of Ukraine, which can
be read while walking through the streets of Lviv.
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