The main facade of the Lviv Church of the Assumption  faces narrow Ruthenian Street (Ulica Ruska) which unfortunately prevents one from observing the front in all its splendor. The huge thick wall of smooth dark grey limestone is imposing with its unobtrusive, noble design. Full length Tuscan style pilasters contribute to its’ clear-cut balanced proportions. [...]]]>

The main facade of the Lviv Church of the Assumption  faces narrow Ruthenian Street (Ulica Ruska) which unfortunately prevents one from observing the front in all its splendor. The huge thick wall of smooth dark grey limestone is imposing with its unobtrusive, noble design. Full length Tuscan style pilasters contribute to its’ clear-cut balanced proportions. In between, semi-circular blind arches with small sized windows supplement the picture. Above, a sharply outlined cornice surmounts a Doric frieze. Triglyphs (architectural term vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze) alternate with metops filled in with ornate rosettes and reliefs depicting scenes from the Bible: Abraham threatening his son with childlike impulsiveness, King David, Melchizedeck, Moses before the flaming bush… The sculptors imparted the characters of the Old Testament with an ingenuous vitality and characteristic local features. Their names are inscribed on the frieze: Yaakov and Constantine Kulchitsky.

The proportions of the Church are precise and artistic. The unobtrusiveness of design and the integrity of the author’s conception are highly impressive. It is noteworthy that the structure of the facades and their basic units are in strict conformity with the internal plan of the Church.
Although at first glance one might consider the Church to be a severe and rather ascetic edifice, the idea is quickly dispelled by the charm of the building’s austere sublimity, the remarkable combination of elegance and dynamism.

The Church of the Assumption was designed and built by Lviv’s most noteworthy architect Paolo Dominici Romano, an Italian by birth who headed the construction up to 1597, when it was placed in the hands of his father-in-law wojciech Kapinos. A year later it was taken over by Ambrogio who completed the Church. It is, [...]]]>

The Church of the Assumption was designed and built by Lviv’s most noteworthy architect Paolo Dominici Romano, an Italian by birth who headed the construction up to 1597, when it was placed in the hands of his father-in-law wojciech Kapinos. A year later it was taken over by Ambrogio who completed the Church. It is, however, Paolo Romano who deserves the main credit for the work, although the idea of merging the forms of old-Russian architecture with the style of the Renaissance belongs the Stauopegia Fraternity, a staunch adherent of natinal traditions.

The blending of old and new motifs, the remarkable integrity and perfection of the entire structure have made the Church of The Assumption a unique architectural monument.

The church composition is with three cupolas, traditional for local ecclesiastical architecture. On the east the basilica passes into a semi-circular apse, on the west it ends up with a narthex with a gallery, called a “babinets“. A gallery runs along the internal side of the walls. Two pairs of Tuscan-styled columns divide the Church into three naves, the central one being the widest. Each part – the centre, the apse, and the babinets – is topped by a cruciform vault with almost identical cupolas which are built on a single longitudinal axis.

Contemporaries used to say that Lvov had “few Russians but much of Russia.” All this imbued the Renaissance in Lvov with unique local features. Local artistic traditions which had deep roots in ancient Russia were too viable to give way under the impact of new influences. They forced the architects, sculptors and painters from abroad to [...]]]>

Contemporaries used to say that Lvov had “few Russians but much of Russia.” All this imbued the Renaissance in Lvov with unique local features.
Local artistic traditions which had deep roots in ancient Russia were too viable to give way under the impact of new influences. They forced the architects, sculptors and painters from abroad to adapt themselves in part to the traditions of local architecture. That is why Lvov architecture of the Renaissance age acquired the inimitable, original coloring that accounts for the town’s characteristic appearance.
The Church of the Assumption earliest building dates back to the early 14th century when Lvov was under the rule of the Calician Princes. After it collapsed it was followed by two more churches. The third was burnt down in 1571.  Twenty years later the Stauropegia (Greek Orthodox Church) Fraternity raised the fourth Church of the Assumption which has survived to our day. It was completed in 1629 and consecrated two years later.

Church of the Assumption (Uspenskaya Tserkov) ensemble a few steps from the Arsenal, which is a masterpiece of 16th century Ukrainian architecture and one of Lvov’s earliest and best monuments of the Renaissance. In Lvov the Renaissance was extremely complex and original in character. It was influenced by Western Europe through Italy and the nearby countries [...]]]>

Church of the Assumption (Uspenskaya Tserkov) ensemble a few steps from the Arsenal, which is a masterpiece of 16th century Ukrainian architecture and one of Lvov’s earliest and best monuments of the Renaissance.
In Lvov the Renaissance was extremely complex and original in character. It was influenced by Western Europe through Italy and the nearby countries of Poland, Bohemia, Germany and Hungary. Lvov cosmopolitan make up – it was often called the “town of a hundred peoples” – lent itseif to the mingling of these outside influences.
Lvov entire history explains the profound and organic assimilation of the ideological and aesthetic foundations of the Renaissance. Having exchanged its former feudal vassalage for a relative independence Lvov became wealthier and stronger and even the powerful kings of Rzeczpospolita had to reckon with it. The bourgeoisie gained in strength; merchants, usurers and well-to-do artisans began to play an active role in the town council. Merchants, doctors, poets, scholars, painters, masters and apprentices from Lvov made frequent visits to Cracow, Prague, Moldavia, Silesia, Nuremberg, Paris, Italy and Muscovy. They returned enriched with knowledge, full of exciting impressions and new ideas that abounded in that turbulent age.

Almost opposite to the Powder Tower is another arsenal named Royal (Korolevshy Arsenal) to distinguish it from the Town Arsenal.  Royal Arsenal is located on the podvalnaya 13 st.

From 1939 till nowadays it houses the Regional Historical Archives.Royal Arsenal was built in 1630 by directive of Wladyslaw IV Waza – it was used as an [...]]]>

Almost opposite to the Powder Tower is another arsenal named Royal (Korolevshy Arsenal) to distinguish it from the Town Arsenal.  Royal Arsenal is located on the podvalnaya 13 st.

From 1939 till nowadays it houses the Regional Historical Archives.Royal Arsenal was built in 1630 by directive of Wladyslaw IV Waza – it was used as an arsenal for the weapons.  Royal Arsenal was built  by the Commandant of the Lvov fortress, Pavel Grodzitsky, a military engineer and architect. Royal Arsenal is probably one of the most charming relics of ancient Lvov architecture.

The very purpose of the edifice demanded clarity, simplicity and austerity of style and ruled out all attempts at ostentatious magnificence and exuberance. Nevertheless the building is utterly free of the gloominess inherent in fortified constructions and gladdens the eye with lightness and elegance. The central, or Southern facade begins with a simple arched portal, topped by two stone cannons symbolizing the purpose of the building. Although their muzzles are raised there is nothing formidable about them. The entire second floor has been constructed as an arcade balcony with three bays. The arcade is supported by slender Tuscan-style semi-columns. The third floor is typical baroque with a triangular pediment, a balcony framed by two vases and embellished with volutes and scrolls.

The arsenal is a long building with two wings enclosing a small open courtyard fenced off from the street by a railing. The yard faces the long eastern facade consisting of several projections ending at the ground floor with a terrace. The original baroque portal makes a decided impression with its’ bold and ingenious construction, though a bit over-worked. Hardly a visitor will be unmoved by this remarkable corner of ancient Lvov with its captivating charm.

Of the same “age” as Powder Tower is the Town Arsenal (Gorodshoi Arsenal) – it was built in 1554-1556. Town Arsenal is  Situated further along the podvalnaya street. Arsenal Town is a long one-store building shaped in the form of an irregular rectangle with a beveled corner.

During the Swedish attack in 1704 the Arsenal was [...]]]>

Of the same “age” as Powder Tower is the Town Arsenal (Gorodshoi Arsenal) – it was built in 1554-1556. Town Arsenal is  Situated further along the podvalnaya street. Arsenal Town is a long one-store building shaped in the form of an irregular rectangle with a beveled corner.

During the Swedish attack in 1704 the Arsenal was ruined but two years after that it was rebuilt again. It was restored in the years 1979-1981. Currently it’s a museum of weapons – mostly cold weapons. It has one of the biggest collection of a cold weapons in Ukraine. There are hundreds of knifes and bayonets from ancient days till nowadays.

From Arsenal Street you can see a nice view of the remaining 14th-15th century walls; and from the northern side – the remnants of an “octagonal tower” which in olden times was usually defended by the guilds of rope-makers and masons. The thick stone walls and loophole windows are reminiscent of a fortress. The well-developed cornice and its horizontal partition belong to the Renaissance style of architecture. In 1799 a memorial plaque was installed on the southern wall of the Arsenal. Dating to 1655 it has the coats of arms of Lvov and two prominent Polish magnates (Sobesky and Yabl0novsky) taken from the dilapidated walls encircling the town.

Lvov grew rapidly. The outskirts merged with Lvov proper, the nearby villages were turned into suburbs. Following the partition of Poland in 1772 Eastern Galicia fell to the Austrian Empire. The medieval walls and ramparts were – destroyed in the direuct and figurative meaning of the word. Numerous ancient churches and fortifications were either torn [...]]]>

Lvov grew rapidly. The outskirts merged with Lvov proper, the nearby villages were turned into suburbs. Following the partition of Poland in 1772 Eastern Galicia fell to the Austrian Empire. The medieval walls and ramparts were – destroyed in the direuct and figurative meaning of the word. Numerous ancient churches and fortifications were either torn down or remodelled – the Austrians were not concerned about the cultural and historical relics of a tributary state. Of those vestiges that have been preserved there is the Powder Tower (porohhovaya Bashnya) that was built between 1554-56. This large, monolithic structure of roughly-hewn stone boulders in podvalnaya Street is quite impressive with its narrow loopholes that make a striking contrast with the powerful walls (three metres thick at the base). It has been restored at 1954and remodelled and it is now used as the Architects’ Club. Powder Tower is the only tower that have remainded till this days from the 17th towers that was built.

Lions are a very popular theme in Lvov