Townscape of Lviv – phases of development (13th – 18th centuries)

Authors: 

Bohdan Posatskyy

Lviv Polytechnic National University 
12, Bandery str., 79013Lviv, Ukraine

This article considers the evolution of the townscape of Lviv in connection with natural landscape,civil buildings and housing during the 13th – 18thcentury.

[1]    The first written reference to Lviv in the Halych-Volyn Chronicles dates back to 1256. Today Lviv has a population of 760000 and is the administrative centre of the Lviv region (“oblast”), important industrial, transport and cultural centre.
[2]    The view of the primeval urban core of Lviv during the days of Halych-Volyn Principality is described according to: 
Ivan Krypiakevych Istorychni prokhodyp o Lvovi. – Lviv, 1932. New edition 1991. – P. 13.
[3]    Ibidem. – P. 22.
[4]    Trehubova T. O., Mykh R. M. Lviv. Arhitekturno-istorychnyj narys. – Kyiv, 1989. – P. 45–51.
[5]    In the second half of the 14th century Lviv and suburban areas were incorporated into the Polish Kingdom. In 1356 the Lviv took on the Magdeburg Law.
[6]    This hypothesis was published by Andriy Rudnytskyy in: Istoria Lvova // under red. V. V. Sekretariuk. – K., 1986. – P. 21.
[7]    According to researches by TetianaTrehubova see note 4.
[8]    Istoria Lvova v dokumentach i materialach. – K., 1986. – P. 61–69.
[9]    Katalog hraviur 17–20 st. (Architektura Lvova). – Kyiv, 1989.
[10]    Vujcyk V. S. Derzhavnyj istoryko-architekturnyj zapovidnyk u Lvovi. – Lviv, 1991. – Vydannia druhe. – P. 15.
[11]    Ibidem. – P. 30.
[12]    Trehubova T. O., Mych R. M. …… p. 51.
[13]    After the Church Union of Brest was endorsed (in 1596) the Greek Catholic (the Uniate) Church was formed. Ukrainian people were divided into Orthodox and Uniates.
[14]    Today 45 houses are located on the Market Square.
[15]    Houses beyond Lviv’s walls, perhaps, were built already in the 16th c. and the end of the 18th c. built up.