Sightseeing&Excursions
Lviv
•It is situated not far from the western border of Ukraine, in the Carpathian foothills area and occupies the territory more than 155 sq km
•Its population is about 830 thousand people.
•Lviv is the largest economical, industrial, cultural and touristy centre of Western Ukraine. It has highly developed infrastructure. There are many restaurants, and shops as well as those that sell all manner of goods including expensive top of the line western made goods and appliances.
•It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks.
•near 45 different museums: The Arsenal, The Palace of Arts, The Museum of Religion (formerly Museum of Atheism) and The National Museum (formerly Museum of Industry) The Apothecary-museum and Museum of Applied Arts (The Museum of Ethnography and Crafts) are most popular of them.
•a huge quantity of temples, churches and chapels
•over 10 art galleries
•12 theatres
•the Philharmonic
•the Circus
•the Hall of Organ music (the instrument is the largest in Ukraine – it was brought just before the WW2 from Czech and still sounds amazingly!)
•old parks and historical preserves
History in short
Founded in the 13th century by Prince Danylo Ghalytskiy, Lviv was for another hundred years the western gateway of the Kyiv Rus. In the 14th century the area was seized by the Polish Kingdom and remained under the Polish reign till 1772. Then it came under the power of the Austrian (from 1867 on - Austro-Hungarian) Empire. In October 1918 the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (ZUNR) was proclaimed. However, it existed only few months. In summer 1919 the western Ukraine and Lviv were annexed to Poland. In September 1939, as the result of the division of Poland by Berlin and Moscow, the western Ukraine became a part of the USSR. In June 1941 Lviv was seized by the Nazi, occupation lasted till July 1944. From that time the western Ukraine together with the rest of Ukraine was a part of the USSR till August 1991.
The city of Lions tour
"The city of Lions" with a population of over 1 million, is the heart and soul of the Western Ukraine. Prince Danylo built this city in 1256 and named it after his son Lev ("lion"). During its 600 years history it was many times that the power in the city changed, also its names changed: Leopolis, Lemberg, Lwow, and Lviv.
Everyone can notice the prevalent lion adornments throughout the Renaissance architecture of city of 15th - 16th c.c.
The tourists visit Vysokyi Zamok (High Castle) hill with an unforgettable panorama of the entire city. En route from the hill the tourists pass the Porokhova Bashta (Gunpowder tower, now the Arsenal Museum).
The old part of the city is preserved as a living museum. Rynok (Market) or Central Square, in particular is architecturally exciting with its famous Ratusha (city hall).
While touring the Old Town the tourist can see the St.Nicholas Church, the Dominican Church and the Church of Onufriy - at present the Museum of Ivan Fedorov (the first book-printer). This city boasts of Italian Renaissance, German Baroque and Polish influences in its architectural sites such as the Church of St.Nicholas (13th century); the Church of Assumption and the Kornyakt Belfry (16th century); the Church of St.Parasceve (17th century) and its unique 70-icon iconostasis; the Cathedral of Dominicans (18th century); the Old Pharmacy; Market Square (over 40 14th-18th-century buildings enough for a separate 2 to 3-hour tour); St.George's Cathedral (18th century); St.John's Cathedral (14th century); the "Vienna-like" Prospekt Svobody (Liberty Avenue)
Everyone will be delighted by the visit to the newly renovated Opera House and the Ukrainian Drama Theatre named after Maria Zankovetskaya. St.George Cathedral is a fine example of the Rococo style. Enjoy yourself by a stroll through the lovely Stryjskyi Park and do not miss the Lychakivskyi and Yanivskyi Cemeteries.
The Lvov Region is the main tourist centre of the Western Ukraine. Here you can see monuments of different epochs. On the territory of the Lviv Region there are ski centres of the European level in Slavskoye and Tysovets. Morshin and Truskavets are the famous spa and health resorts.
The best way to discover Ukraine itself!
Visiting of Shevchenkivskyi Hai (the Shevchenko’s Garden) and the Museum of ethnography and crafts in one day. This winning combination is a "must" for everyone who is interested in local customs and traditions. First part of this guided excursion represents an open-air museum of the Ukrainian wooden architecture and different utilities of the village life. It is situated in Shevchenkivskyi Hai (garden) - one of most picturesque sites of Lviv. More than 10 thousand of craft-items from various ethnographical regions of the Western Ukraine can be found in this museum. The visitors can feel the unique atmosphere of picturesque Ukrainian villages. The gems of this museum are the wooden churches from the Carpathian region - the most exquisite examples of Ukrainian wooden architecture. The second part will introduce to you the unique collections of ceramics, woodcarving, embroidery, carpet weaving, glass-blowing and metal-work of craftsmen of Lviv, the Hutsul region and other Western regions of Ukraine, and an exceptional range of medieval clocks gathered under the roof with Ukrainian statue of Independence. All in all there are more than 83 000 exhibits this museum.
Jewish Traces in the City
Visit of the old and new Jewish Quarter of the City, remains of the former main synagogue "Golden Rose", and visiting of the present one, Memorial for the Jewish Victims of the Second World War, the former Jewish hospital, the former home of Scholom Alejchem, a well known Jewish writer who lived in Lvov for a short while etc.
A trip around “The Golden Horseshoe”
A full day coach tour starting from Lviv around the most attractive landmarks of the region will introduce to you the Olesky, Pidghirtsi and Zolochivsky castles. The first stopping is a real object to note and it is located in the village of Olesk, 75 km from Lvov along the highway to Kiev. It is a monument of the 14th -17th cc. architecture and contains a rich collection of paintings, sculpture and furniture from the 16th - 19thcc that attracts tourists.
The first mention of the castle in the historical sources dates back to 1327. At that time the Castle-fortress towered over the surrounding swamps. The walls were 10 meters high and 2,5 meters thick. The research workers are of the opinion that the castle was built by an offspring of Danylo Galytsky - one of his sons Andryi or Lev. For centuries the Oleskyi castle played an important role in the people's fight against the enslavers. From hall to hall the exposition unfolds like the rolls of chronicles. Every hall is a museum exhibit in itself. The museum numbers about 500 works of painting, sculpture and applied arts. Zolochivsky Castle is a construction reflecting typical European military architecture and has not had significant reconstruction for centuries. Built in 1630 like a citadel with bastions, it's surrounded by barrages. In the castle's courtyard there is the Great Palace built in late Renaissance style and the Chinese Palace built by Jan III, the King of Poland, for his wife Maria Kasimira de Arcunion. The castle in Pidghirtsi is simply one of the most beautiful in region and no less interesting.
Trip to the Eastern Orthodox Christian Pochaiv Lavra
The Pochaiv Monastery (16th-20th centuries), also known as Pochaiv Lavra, is a major East European Christian sanctuary always full of pilgrims from all over Ukraine and neighboring countries. The tour usually includes visits to the Assumption and Trinity churches, and the cave chapel of St. Iov of Pochaiv.
Day-trip to Pochaiv usually includes a visit to the village of Pidkamin located about 45 min drive from Pochaiv. This is a place that undoubtedly deserves to be on the front page of The National Geographic Magazine. It derived its name from a huge hanging rock. In the 17-th c. a wonderful Baroque church was built there by the Dominicans, which made the view even more impressive. The Dominican Monastery in Pidkamin was turned into asylum by the Soviets, and just recently returned back to the church (though a part of it still belongs to the psychiatric hospital). Right by the monastery stands a pillar with the gilded statue of the Virgin Mary of Gdansk
Day-trip from Lviv, or en route between Lviv and Kyiv.