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in front of VT headquarters for the coffee break
VT friends, Lviv, UA
Partisan cellar, Lviv, UAOld Lviv
It is hard to believe how much history there is in Lviv. The old town is not like an ordinary town but more like fairy-tale town, open air museum, something from the past that miraculously lives today. Not surprisingly it was added to UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.
The oldest part of the city, High Castle and its surroundings, is from 13th century. Middle Town around Rynok square was built just slightly later in 14th century and it still holds its original layout. The most astonishing thing about Lviv is diversity of its cultures, peoples that lived here, styles and countries that ruled it. Soon after its foundation, Lviv attracted people of mixed ethnicities who lived in separate parts of the town. Many communities lived here, Polish, Jewish, German, Ukrainian, Italian, Greek, Hungarian, Armenian,... and it is their rivalry that created this fascinanting mixture of styles. Although many buildings were renovated and rebuilt in new stiles through the history and new buildings were built it didn't damage the overal magic of the place.
In spite of that Lviv didn't escape hard times through the centuries. In 1527 the fire destroyed most of the city but it was rebuilt in relatively short time. In 1672 Lviv was besieged by Ottomans but the piece treaty was signed before city fell. Still it left heavy wounds and the city was not yet recovered by 1704 when it was defeated and pillaged for the first time in its history by Charles 12th of Sweden. During the Austrian times city experienced its golden age but then many wars followed which left buildings intact but devastated its population and multiethnic character. Soviet rule after 2nd WW may be seen as another form of devastation because much of the old city was left to decay. Today lots is being renovated and city is trying to get back some of its splendour.
