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.
