Lviv's Old Town (Ukrainian: Старе Місто Львова, written in Latin letters: Stare Misto L’vova; Polish: Stare Miasto we Lwowie) is the historic center of the city of Lviv, located in the Lviv province of Ukraine. It was recognized as a State Historic-Architectural Reserve in 1975.
UNESCO
Since 1998, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has listed Lviv's historic center as part of the "World Heritage." On December 5, 1998, during the 22nd Session of the World Heritage Committee in Kyoto, Japan, Lviv was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. UNESCO provided this explanation for its selection:
The area of the Lviv Historic Centre Ensemble covers 120 hectares (300 acres) of the Rus' and Medieval part of the city, as well as the area of St. George's Cathedral on St. George's Hill. The buffer area of the Historic Centre, which is defined by the historic area bounds, is approximately 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres).
List of featured landmarks
In addition to the three major areas listed, there are about 2,007 other historical landmarks in the Old City. Out of these, 214 are recognized as national landmarks.
- High Castle and Pidzamche neighborhood, the original center of the city including the Old Market Square
- Church of St. Nicholas, the family church of the Halychyna (Ruthenian) kings
- Church of St. Paraskeva-Praxedia (Good Friday), has 1740 inconostasis of the church by Fedor Senkovych
- Church of St. Onuphrius and Basilian Monastery, has artworks of Lazar Paslavsky and Modest Sosenko
- Church of St. John the Baptist (today – Museum of Lviv Ancient relics), the church was named after Constance, the Hungarian wife of King Leo, who was the daughter of King Béla IV
- Church of Snowy Mary (today – Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church), the church of German colonists of the city
- Ensemble of Rynok (Market) Square, includes Lviv Rathaus (center) and the surrounding buildings that form the square’s perimeter
- Ensemble of the Church of Assumption, beside the church includes Chapel of Three Prelates and Korniakt's Tower
- Ensemble of Armenian Church, beside the church includes a belfry, a column with a statue of St. Christopher, a building of the former Armenian bank, a palace of the Armenian archbishops, and a Benedictine Armenian convent
- Ensemble of Latin Metropolitan Cathedral, beside the cathedral of St. Mary includes Boim Chapel and Kampians' Chapel
- Ensemble of Bernardine Monastery (now Church of St. Andrew), includes cathedral, monastery, belfry, rotunda, decorative column, and defensive walls
- Ensemble of the Jesuit Cathedral and Collegium
- Ensemble of Dominican Church (now the Church of the Holy Eucharist), beside the church includes monastery and belfry
- Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet
- City's fortifications include the City's Arsenal, the Gunpowder Tower, the Turners and Ropemakers' Tower, the Royal Arsenal, and a bastion of the lower defense wall
- House of the "Dnister" Insurance Company
- St. George's Cathedral, beside the cathedral includes the Metropolitan's Palace, capitular houses, belfry, and a fence with two gates (Market's and City's)
- Church of Carmelites, the Barefooted (today – Church of St. Michael)
- Church and Nunnery of Carmelites, the Barefooted (today – Church of Purification)
- Church of Poor Clares (today – Museum of Sacral Baroque Sculpture)
- Church of St. Martin (today – Baptist Church)
- Church of Transfiguration
- Church of St. Casimir
- Church of Sts. Olha and Elizabeth
- Potocki Palace, currently Borys Voznytsky Lviv National Art Gallery
- Commodity Stock Exchange
Gallery
- A wide view of the Old Town showing the towers of several buildings, including the Latin Cathedral, Town Hall, Bernardine Church, Dominican Church, and Assumption (Dormition) Church, from left to right
- Market Square
- Armenian Cathedral
- Bernardine Church
- Latin Cathedral
- Boim Chapel
- Kampian Chapel
- Church of the Assumption
- A tram moving along a street in the Old Town
- Saint George's Cathedral
- A view of the Old Town from Freedom Avenue
- Grand Hotel