Lviv, located in the far western part of Ukraine, a city of roughly 800,000 inhabitants and over 750 years old, is full of historical sites and architectural splendor, waiting to be discovered by tourists. Its Old Town, with its ancient buildings and ornate churches, as well as its rich and colorful tapestry of styles, was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1998.

All pictures by photojournalist © Cyril Horiszny
www.kyrylo.com

Some of Lviv’s structures date back to the 13th century as the city was spared some of the invasions and wars that destroyed many other parts of Ukraine. Even though Lviv lost some of its gothic-style buildings in 16th century fires, it retains an opulent sampling of structures built in the renaissance, baroque and classic styles.

A bedrock of Ukrainian culture and patriotism, Lviv, within the 20th century alone, has been part of four countries, absorbing influences from without, but never losing its Ukrainian identity within. During periods beginning with World War I, Lviv was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Poland and the Soviet Union, before taking its place in independent Ukraine in 1991.

Having suffered the effects of decades of neglect under Soviet rule, Lviv has used the last years to restore its beauty. Restorations began in the city’s heart – Market Square (Ploshcha Rynok) – around City Hall, and have since extended to other parts of Old Town.

Among Lviv’s architectural gems are the Opera and Ballet Theater, completed in 1900 during the city’s Austro-Hungarian period, as well as an abundance of churches – among them the Armenian Cathedral of 1370, the Bernardine Monastery complex of 1616, the Jesuit Church of 1630, the Dominican Church of 1764 and many others.