L'viv

 

(ləvē'ū, ləvēf') , Rus. Lvov, Pol. Lwów, Ger. Lemberg, city (1989 pop. 791,000), capital of Lviv region, W Ukraine, at the watershed of the Western Bug and Dniester rivers and in the northern foothills of the Carpathian Mts. The chief city of W Ukraine, Lviv is a major rail and highway junction and an industrial and commercial center. Machine building, food processing, and the manufacture of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles, and textiles are the leading industries. Lviv is also an educational and cultural center, with a famous university (est. 1661) and several institutes of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. Landmarks include a 16th-century palace and two 14th-century cathedrals.

Founded c.1256 by Prince Daniel of Halych, the city was named for his son Lev and developed as a great commercial center on the trade route from Vienna to Kiev. It also served as an outpost against Tatar invasions. Lviv was captured by the Poles in the 1340s, the Turks in 1672, and the Swedes in 1704. During the first partition of Poland (1772) it passed to Austria, and became the capital of Galicia. Lviv was the chief center of the Ukrainian national movement in Galicia after 1848. The capital of the short-lived West Ukrainian Democratic Republic after World War I, the city was taken by Poland in 1919 and confirmed as Polish by the Soviet-Polish Treaty of Riga (1921). Lviv was annexed to Ukraine by the USSR in 1939. German forces held the city during much of World War II and exterminated the Jewish population; by the early 1990s the city's Jewish residents numbered about 17,000. In 1945, Poland formally ceded Lviv to the USSR, from which Ukraine declared its independence in 1991.

L’viv Львів
View of the historic Old Town of Lviv.
Coat of arms
Motto: "Semper fidelis"
Map of Ukraine (blue) with Lviv (red) highlighted.
Coordinates: 49°51′0″N 24°01′0″E / 49.85, 24.01667
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Lviv Oblast
Raion	Lviv City Municipality
Founded	13th century
Magdeburg law	1353
Government
- City Chairman	Andriy Sadovyi
Area
- City	km²  ( sq mi)
Elevation	m ( ft)
Population (2007)
- City
- Density	/km² (/sq mi)
Time zone	EET ([[UTC+2]])
- Summer (DST)	EEST ([[UTC+3]])
Postal code	79000
Area code(s)	+380 32(2)
Licence plate	BC (before 2004: ТА,ТВ,ТН,ТС)
Sister cities	Corning, Freiburg, Kraków, Novi Sad, Przemyśl, Whitstable, Winnipeg
Website: http://www.city-adm.lviv.ua

Lviv (Ukrainian: Львів, L’viv [l^jviw], Polish: Lwów; German: Lemberg; Russian: Львов, L'vov; see also other names) is a major city in western Ukraine, the administrative center of Lviv Oblast, and designated as its own raion (district) within that oblast. It is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine. In 2001, it had 725,000 inhabitants, of which 88% were Ukrainians, 9% Russians and 1% Poles,^[1] with a further 200,000 commuting daily from suburbs.

The city has many industries and institutions of higher education such as the Lviv University and the Lviv Polytechnic. It has a philharmonic orchestra and The Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The historic city centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lviv celebrated its 750th anniversary in September 2006.

Geography

Location

Lviv is on the verge of the Roztochia Upland, about 70km from the Polish border and about 160km (100 miles) from the eastern Carpathian Mountains. Lviv's altitude averages 296m above sea level, although it has many hills. Its highest point is the Vysokyi Zamok (High Castle), 409m above sea level. This has a commanding view of the historic city center with its distinctive green-domed churches and intricate architecture.

The old walled city was at the foothills of the High Castle on the banks of the river Poltva. In the 13th century, the river was used to transport goods. In the early 20th century, it was covered in areas where it flows through the city. The central street of Lviv, Freedom Avenue (Prospect Svobody) runs right above the river and the famous Opera House.

Climate

Lviv's climate is moderate continental. The average temperatures are −4°C (27°F) in January and +18°C (65 °F) in June. Average annual rainfall is 660mm (26 inches), with a notable deficit in summer. Cloud coverage averages 66 days per year.

History

Main article: History of Lviv

Lviv was founded by King Danylo Halytskiy of the Ruthenian principality of Halych-Volhynia, and named in honor of his son, Lev. When Danylo died Lev made Lviv the capital of Halich-Volhynia.^{[citation needed]} The city is first mentioned in Halych-Volhynian Chronicle from 1256. It was captured by Poland in 1349 and, in 1356, Casimir III of Poland brought in German burghers and granted the Magdeburg rights which implied that all city matters were to be resolved by a council, elected by the wealthy citizens. The city council seal of the 14th century stated: S(igillum): Civitatis Lembvrgensis. As part of Poland (and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), Lviv became the capital of the Ruthenian Voivodeship.

As Lviv prospered, it became religiously and ethnically diverse. The 17th century brought invading armies of Swedes and Cossacks to its gates. In 1772, following the First Partition of Poland, the city known as Lemberg became the capital of the Austrian Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. It was captured by the Russian army in September 1914 but retaken by Austria-Hungary in June the following year.

With the collapse of the Habsburg Empire at the end of World War I, Lviv became an arena of conflict between the local Ukrainian and Polish populations. Between the World Wars, it was the third largest Polish city (after Warsaw and Lodz) and the seat of the Lwów Voivodeship. Lviv and its population suffered greatly from the two world wars and the Holocaust. It remains today one of the main centres of Ukrainian culture and the origin of much of the nation's political class.

Government

Administrative division

Lviv is divided into six raions (districts), each with its own administrative bodies:

• Halytskyi (Галицький район)
• Zaliznychnyi (Залізничний район)
• Lychakivskyi (Личаківський район)
• Sykhivskyi (Сихівський район)
• Frankivskyi (Франківський район)
• Shevchenkivskyi (Шевченківський район)

Notable suburbs include:

• Vynnyky (місто Винники)
• Briukhovychi (селище Брюховичі)
• Rudne (селище Рудне)

Transport

Buses

The public bus network is not well-developed: it has few lines. A cheap alternative are the marshrutki, small private buses which go where the city buses do not. Marshrutki have no fixed stops or timetable but are cheaper (1 hryvnia ≈20US cents) and fast. The marshrutki also run on suburban lines to most nearby towns e.g. to Shehyni at the Polish border.

Tramways

Main article: Lviv tram

The first tramway lines were opened on 5th May 1880 and the last horse-powered line was electrified on 31st May 1894. In 1922, the tramways were switched to a right-hand-side system. After World War II and the annexation of the city by the Soviet Union, several lines were closed but most of infrastructure was preserved.

The Lviv tramway now runs about 220 cars on 75km of track, most of which is in very poor condition. The trams are in fair condition but can be very full during rush hours. A ticket for one journey (any distance) costs 50 kopiek (≈20 US cents / 8 Eurocents).

Trolleybuses

After the war and expulsion of most of the population, the city grew rapidly, due to evacuees returning from Russia and the Soviet Government's vigorous development of heavy industry. This included transfer of entire factories from the Urals and other distant places to the newly "freed" (acquired) territories of the USSR, including Lviv.

The city centre tramway lines were replaced with trolleybuses on 27th November 1952. Later, new lines were opened to the blocks of flats at the city outskirts. The network now runs 200 trolleybuses, mostly of the 1960s 14Tr type.

Railway

Modern Lviv remains a hub on which nine railways converge, providing local and international services. Several trains cross the nearby Polish-Ukrainian border (mostly via Przemyśl) e.g. the luxurious Kiev-Kraków link. There are good connections to Slovakia (Košice) and Hungary (Budapest). By western standards, the trains are slow but cheap. A journey to the western border with Hungary or Slovakia (several hundred kilometres) costs a few euros/dollars. Many routes have overnight trains with sleeping compartments.

Picture of Railway terminal

Airport

Lviv International Airport (LWO)^[2] is 6km from the city centre.

Culture

L’viv - the Ensemble of the Historic Centre*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Ukraine
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, v
Reference	865
Region†	Europe and North America
Inscription History
Inscription	1998  (22nd Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Since 1998, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lists Lviv's historic center as part of "World Heritage." UNESCO gave the following reasons^[3] for its selection:

Criterion II: In its urban fabric and its architecture, Lviv is an outstanding example of the fusion of the architectural and artistic traditions of eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany.

Criterion V: The political and commercial role of Lviv attracted to it a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions, who established separate yet interdependent communities within the city, evidence for which is still discernible in the modern townscape.

Architecture

Lviv's historic churches, buildings and relics date from the 13th century. In recent centuries, it was spared some of the invasions and wars that destroyed other Ukrainian cities. Its architecture reflects various European styles and periods. After the fires of 1527 and 1556, Lviv lost most of its gothic-style buildings, but it retains many buildings in renaissance, baroque, and classic styles. There are works by artists of the Vienna Secession, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco.

The buildings have many stone carvings and sculptures. The remains of ancient castles and old churches dot the central cityscape. Some 3-5 story buildings have hidden inner courtyards and grottos in various states of repair. The fine carving on large doors, hundreds of years old, attracts the attention of passers-by. Some cemeteries are of interest and some visitors from nearby countries come specifically to see the Lychakivskiy Cemetery. Leaving the central area, the architectural style changes radically as Soviet-era high rises dominate. In the centre, the Soviet era is reflected mainly in a few modern-style national monuments and sculptures.

There is concern for preservation of the city's architecture. For example, sculptures are looted and resold, residents cut new doorways into historic façades, historic architectural monuments crumble from the weather and human neglect. Weakened by layers of impurities deposited on building façades and the runoff that seeps into their stonework from marshy soil, the city faces a literal erosion of its history.^{[citation needed]} While some buildings are being restored, many more are neglected from lack of funds. For some older buildings, large blocks of the same building lie on the adjacent footpath.^{[citation needed]}

In the historic centre, some cobblestone streets are in disrepair (or patched with asphalt) and suitable only for pedestrians. Poor drainage leads to large puddles after rain.^{[citation needed]}

Pictures of Lviv

Monuments in Lviv

Religion

Lviv is the centre of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine and (until 21st August 2005) was the centre of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. About 35% of religious buildings belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, 11.5% to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, 9% to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate and 6% to the Roman Catholic Church.

Until 2005, Lviv was the only city with two Cardinals: Lubomyr Husar (UGCC) and Marian Jaworski (RCC).

In June 2001, Pope John Paul II visited the Latin Cathedral, St. George's Cathedral, and the Armenian Cathedral.

Museums and art galleries

The most notable of the museums and art galleries are the National Gallery, the Museum of Religion (formerly the Museum of Atheism) and the National Museum (formerly the Museum of Industry).

Sports

Lviv was an important centre for sport in Central Europe. The first professional football club, Czarni Lwów, opened in 1903 and the first stadium in 1913. Lviv now has several major professional football clubs and some smaller clubs. FC Karpaty Lviv, founded in 1963, plays in the first division of Ukrainian Premier League. Sometimes, the youth of Lviv assemble on the central street (Freedom Avenue) to watch and cheer an outdoor broadcast of a game.

Lviv's Ukraina Stadium is to be renovated and will host three group matches during EURO 2012.

Music

Lviv is the hometown of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 winner Ruslana, who has since become very popular in Europe.

Films and books featuring Lviv

Portions of Schindler's List were shot in the city centre, as this was less expensive than in Kraków.

Some of the Austrian road-movie Blue Moon was shot in Lviv.

Parts of the movie and novel Everything Is Illuminated take place in Lviv.

Brian R.Banks' Muse & Messiah: The Life, Imagination & Legacy of Bruno Schulz (1892-1942) has several pages which discuss the history and cultural-social life of the Lviv region. The book includes a CD-ROM with many old and new photographs and the first English map of nearby Drohobych.

Sister cities

Economy

Lviv is one of the biggest cities in Ukraine and is growing rapidly. It typifies a post-Soviet era developing city. It has problems with infrastructure and pollution, including heavy downtown car pollution on weekdays, some local corruption and irregularities in water supply (especially hot water).^{[citation needed]}

According to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the average salary in the Lviv Oblast is a little less than the average for Ukraine, which, in September 2006, was about 1000 UAH or roughly 200 USD.

In 2006, Ukraine's economic freedom was rated at 3.24, where a rating 1.0 is "freer" than a rating 5.0. According to the World Bank classification, Lviv is a lower middle-income city.

There are many street vendors of food, books, clothes, traditional cultural items and tourist gifts. There are many restaurants and shops, some of which sell expensive western-made goods.^{[citation needed]}

In an interesting mixture of the past and present, peasants from the countryside sell their goods beside a cellphone shop in a medieval building.

Banking and money trading are an important part of the economy, with many banks and exchange offices throughout the city.

Education

Main article: List of universities in Ukraine

Lviv is an important education centre of Ukraine. It is home to three major universities and a number of smaller schools of higher education. There are eight institutes of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, more than forty research institutes, three academies and eleven state-owned colleges.

Universities

• Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical Academy - (Львiвський Національний Медичний Унiверситет iм. Данила Галицького)
• Lviv University – (Львівський національний університет імені Івана Франка)
• Lviv Polytechnic – (Національний університет "Львівська політехніка")
• Ukrainian Catholic University – (Український Католицький Університет )

Tourist attractions

• the Old Town
  • Ploshcha Rynok Market Square; 18,300 square metres.
    • Black House
  • Armenian Cathedral
  • Orthodox Cathedral with Korniakt Bell Tower
  • Latin Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • St. George's Cathedral of the Greek-Catholic Church
  • Dominican Church of Corpus Christi
  • Chapel of Boim family
• Lviv High Castle hill overlooking the historical center
  • Union of Lublin Mound
• Lychakivskiy Cemetery

750th Anniversary

Lviv celebrated its 750th year in September 2006. One large event was a light show around the Lviv Opera House.

References

See also

• List of famous Leopolitans
• Polish football clubs in Lviv: Pogoń Lwów, Czarni Lwów, Lechia Lwów

External links

Administrative divisions of Lviv Oblast, Ukraine
Lviv (capital)
Raions	Brodivskyi · Buskyi · Drohobytskyi · Horodotskyi · Kamianka-Buzkyi · Mostyskyi · Mykolaivskyi · Peremyshlianskyi · Pustomytivskyi · Radekhivskyi · Sambirskyi · Skolivskyi · Sokalskyi · Starosambirskyi · Stryiskyi · Turkivskyi · Yavorivskyi · Zhovkivskyi · Zhydachivskyi · Zolochivskyi
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Urban-type settlements	Slavske · Olesko · more...
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Cities with special status	Kiev City · Sevastopol City
Autonomous Republic	Autonomous Republic of Crimea
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World Heritage Sites in Ukraine