Seven Wonders of Lviv

By Walter Kish

In a recent column, I voiced my disappointment with the fact that in a recent competition in Ukraine to name the seven “Wonders” of that country, old historic Lviv incomprehensibly did not make the final list.  I have travelled extensively throughout this land of my ancestors, and there are few places that can compare in terms of history, interest and sheer wow factor to this “City of Lions”.  As partial remedy to this grievous oversight, I offer you my personal choices as to the seven “Wonders” of Lviv.

Rynok Square surrounding the old city hall is undoubtedly my pick for the most fascinating piece of real estate in this venerable old city.  Its stones, walls and timbers veritably reek with history.   The buildings that line the cobble-stoned square are a rich and colourful mixture of Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque styles and represent a past teeming with emperors, kings, princes, aristocrats, merchants, archbishops, generals, kozaks and revolutionaries that have so richly embroidered the city’s eight centuries or so of existence. 

Just a stone’s throw from Rynok Square is the more contemporarily acknowledged centre of Lviv, the green expanse of park along Prospect Svobody, anchored by the picturesque Opera Theatre at one end and the imposing book building at the other.  No other city in Ukraine, or Europe for that matter, has such a beautiful, green and inviting core.  It draws locals and tourists alike, particularly on weekends, to stroll its treed and shady length, a piece of Eden amidst the bustle of a busy city.  Here you will find flirting teenagers, political junkies indulging in soap box oratory, elderly pensioners enjoying the sun, itinerant vendors selling everything from antique relics to balloons for the kids, and foot-weary tourists enjoying a cold beer at one of the many outdoor bistros that line the leafy avenue.

Also making the list is one of my favourite though some may think one of the more eccentric places in Lviv, the Lychakiv Cemetery.  More than just a burial place, it is a veritable open air gallery of some of the most beautiful and unique sculptures and monuments I have ever seen.  I have spent many a pleasant afternoon wandering its well treed hilly grounds admiring the remarkable works of many an anonymous or little known sculptor.  Some are memorials to well known figures from Ukrainian history such as Ivan Franko, Markian Shashkevych, Solomia Krushelnytska or Volodymyr Ivasiuk; others commemorate the passing of long forgotten petty nobility, wealthy merchants or local political figures.  Most are an aesthetic treat to the eye and spirit.

No visit to Lviv is complete without catching a performance at the Lviv Opera Theatre.  Though smaller than its counterparts in Kyiv or Odesa, it makes up for its size by its charm, the classical beauty of its interior and exterior decorations and the intimate experience of each performance. 

Although Lviv is blessed with numerous inspiringly beautiful churches and cathedrals, the main sanctuary of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, St. George’s Cathedral, is undoubtedly the jewel in Lviv’s crown.  Built some two hundred and fifty years ago, this superb golden-domed example of Rococo architecture attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims every year from both Ukraine and abroad.  The adjoining Metropolitan’s Palace and park grounds are an appropriate and pleasant complement to the church.

Next on my list is the open air Museum of Folk Architecture on Chernecha Hora.  Its wooded and hilly sixty hectare grounds contain examples of village houses, churches and other buildings from all the different areas of Western Ukraine.  Here you will find representative Boyko, Lemko, Hutsul, Podillian, Polissian and other folk architectures, restored to their original appearance and containing excellent examples of folk and traditional art as well as historical items of usage from every day peasant life.

The last of my seven “Wonders” is a collective one – the countless cafes, bistros, restaurants, korchmas (bars/pubs) and other such venues that provide the visitor with the finest dining, drinking and entertainment that is to be found anywhere in Ukraine, and at a price that will leave you smiling at the bargain. 

These are my personal seven “Wonders” of Lviv. But you should not take my word for it – visit Lviv, discover its pleasures and make your own list.