Imagine spouses who were born in Austria, married and gave birth to children in Poland, lived in Germany, died in the Soviet Union, and is buried in the Ukraine. And for all my life will not move. This could happen in Lviv - great city, which in its history, a lot of time passed from hand to hand. Over the past hundred years it was called Leopolis, Lemberg, Lvov and Lvuv.

Title Lviv

Ukrainian city name - Lions , meaning the city of "Leo" the Lion - the son of Daniel - the founder of the city. Numerous stone, metal lions, which can be seen in the city - a sign of respect for Prince Lev.

Lviv Location

Located at the intersection of trade routes from the Black Sea and Baltic Sea, eastern Ukraine, Central and Western Europe, so to speak, on the border of civilizations, Lviv has always been an important center for international trade and coexistence of cultures of many peoples. Favorable geographical location of Lviv attracted merchants from all over the Germans, Poles, Swedes, Armenians, Jews created in separate quarters and left their mark on the city's history.

The population of Lviv

Lviv - almost 750,000 residents. Approximately 80% of the population - the Ukrainians with the impurities of other ethnic groups. In his history of Lviv was a real Babylonia, home to Armenians, Greeks, Jews, Poles, Italians, Scots, Hungarians, Czechs, Germans, Russian, Tatar, Saracens and the Karaites. The interaction of different cultures, each of which has left a legacy of his identity, and formed a "city of the Lion." That is why the architecture of the city joined the Gothic and Baroque, Renaissance and Romanesque, Rococo and Empire. Each of these trends and styles have identified a unique flavor of modern Galician Lvov.

History of Lviv

The first documented mention

of Lviv came to us from the chronicles in 1256. Galicia-Volyn Prince Danilo of the Rurik dynasty founded the city on the western expanses of Kievan Rus. Strategic location along the trade route from East to West - the main Central European Watershed - wasted, near the main Carpathian mountain passes leading to the town and many people did not just Lions cosmopolitan European city, but also attractive prey.

In the XIV century. by King Casimir III, Lvov came under Polish rule. Later, in 1596 was the introduction of the Greek Catholic Church, also known as the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which is the result of a compromise between the Polish and Ukrainian Orthodoxy Roman Catholicism: the Ukrainians have recognized the primacy of Rome, not departing from the Orthodox Byzantine rites.

After the first partition of Poland in 1772, the south-eastern Poland and western Ukraine came under the jurisdiction of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the collapse of the monarchy in Gabzburskoi the end of World War II, the newly formed Ukrainian National Rada proclaimed an independent Ukrainian government Western Ukrainian Independent republic, which housed in Lviv. Soon the Polish forces occupied Lviv and Western Ukraine back under Polish control.

1939, due to the Soviet-German nonaggression pact Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a vast territory in western Ukraine has moved from Poland to the USSR. Lions first came under the rule of Moscow. With the arrival of the Red Army began brutal repression - the mass arrests and executions.

In 1941, the Lions occupied by Germany, which mercilessly destroyed almost the entire Jewish population of the city. After the defeat of the Nazis and left in 1944, the Soviet army again won the city.

Culture and Education

Ever since the medieval city played an important role in the cultural development of the then Eastern Europe. In the XV-XVIII centuries. There are several schools of religious brotherhoods and monasteries. Founded in 1661 Lviv University - one of the oldest in Central Europe and the first university in the Ukrainian lands. The first in Ukraine prints "The Apostle" and "Primer" came out in Lviv, printed them, Ivan Fedorov. The peculiar aura of Lviv inspired creativity of many world famous people. Among them, John Franco, Solomiya Krushelnytska, Novakovsky Olexa, Michael Hrushevsky, Maria Konopnitskaya, Alexander Fredro, Bruno Schulz, Jan Matejko, Leopold Ritter von Sacher-Masoch, Stanislaw Lem, Joseph Roth ...

Architecture of Lviv

« Little Paris », - sometimes referred to as Lvov their city, because an abundance of historical, cultural and architectural monuments of the Lions resembles an open air museum. In Lviv, located more than fifty percent of all the monuments in the territory of Ukraine. Within the boundaries of Lviv were built housing middle-class homes. It is basically a two-storey house, rectangular in plan, often with an inner courtyard. Logical, clear system of distribution facilities well was read on the facade: a horizontal division, the rhythm of windows and accents the main entrance and a balcony with consoles in the form of a lion's head, or acanthus leaves. On smooth surfaces - sculptural reliefs of the traditional classical subjects and often - Halych merchant emblems: Mercury, dolphins, a cornucopia of success for the host. In the niches - the holy patrons-patrons. Some of these houses survived to our time and wonder simplicity and consistency. Visiting apartment Lviv, rent apartment where you can rent the houses of different styles you do appreciate the diversity of the architecture of the city . The architecture of Lviv, which is not badly damaged during the wars of the 20th century, reflects many European styles and trends, corresponding to different historical epochs. After fires in 1527 and 1556 are almost no traces of the Gothic in Lviv, but well presented later Renaissance, Baroque, Classicism. Characteristic of Lviv became the style of secession, there are also examples of Art Deco and Art Nouveau in Berlin.

central part of town has been declared a historical and cultural reserve. The uniqueness of Lviv has been recognized by UNESCO, which had made it to the list of cities that occupy a prominent place in world cultural heritage.

Today Lviv is a city where the past meets the future. Dive into the small streets of the city and admire the beauty of centuries of frenzied cultural heritage, where each house has a rich and interesting history. In the sculptures, fountains, and even in the ornaments of the walls can feel the spirit of the people who lived there, the diversity of views, beliefs and preferences. Enjoy parks and public garden, to absorb the spiritual treasures of the temples.

The city is alive and growing. It is trying to continue to reserve the spiritual, intellectual and cultural leadership (an acute sense of identity has always been inherent in Lviv). Lions striding confidently into the future with modern Europe.

where you want to go, and how you want to do, and for the happiness You go only to the city!