Everyone who has missed Lvov on his or her holiday path should definitely visit this magnificent city. Summer has already gone and we still have some time ‘til next vacation, but this is OK. There are many chances during the year for the short trip. Lvov is the perfect destination either in the hot summer sun or during cloudy autumn rains.

Why Lvov? First of all I am Polish and I have special attitude toward this “lost Polish city”. I am also a granddaughter of the emigrants from Lvov. I still have in mind their stories and I still remember their black and white photos from before the Second World War. But I decided to go to Lvov not only for personal reasons. The great history of this city is enough to convince everyone to this journey.

We still can hear loud voices from last Ukrainian election in 2004 and their Orange Revolution. Old wounds were touched again and the Ukrainian revolution moved hearts of three generations.

The decision to go to Lvov was taken during the students’ demonstration for democracy in Ukraine on the streets of Wroclaw, another beautiful Polish city. It was a quick decision. Costs were roughly calculated. Someone found the phone number to a cheap hotel in the city (less than 5 EUR per person), we booked our places and that’s it! We had no problem with collecting people – the New Year was coming and everybody wanted to celebrate it in Lvov. And it was so cheap…

The trip from Wroclaw on the South of Poland took us approximately 12 hours, including changes and queues on the border. From Wroclaw to Przemysl we took the train, then to our destination, the bus. Going through towns and villages and looking out the windows we received our first impressions. We are almost there, eager to see the magnificent city of Lvov.
And here it is – the charming place from my grandmother’s stories, old centre of culture and art, but… transformed somehow! The first scene that welcomed us: the bus station, looking like a cosmic disc on the edge of a concrete labyrinth, and nearby, on something that used to be a grass field, there is a woman riding a horse like crazy and waving a plastic bag!

Grasping the city map in our hands, we started our march to the city centre. We passed terrible clusters of concrete blocks from the 1970’s. They abuse all humanitarian feelings. The concrete elevations are damp and cracked. No parget, no warm-up, but there are fancy verandas and additional storeys, in which gyms, workshops and pantries are hidden.
This ring of terrifying districts shows us the first, unknown face of the city. Everyone who wants to see the great old town and beautiful monuments must be brave enough to go through this. Let’s forget it though and go deep into Lvov’s old secrets.

Even though our hotel (a concrete block of, course!) was far from the city centre, Lvov public transport allows you to reach the old town and market place at any time of the day or night. Almost every minute come trams, colorful “trolleybuses” (buses on electric wire like a tram), minibuses (called “marshrutki”) and very cheap cabs. And here I have to make two warnings: minibuses are not the best solutions for those who do not known the city, because they are always very crowded, you never have a chance to sit, and when you stand, windows are at the level of your knees and you can hardly see where and when to leave. You often go out mid-motion, shouting to the driver to let you do it! As for the cabs: be ready for a tough experience! You never know if the driver is sober or not. On our first day, my colleague came to me shocked and said that the cab driver only twice used indicators, used the horn five times, and he drove faster than 140km per hour!

The other important warning: traffic. Do not trust the traffic lights! They are only for drivers, and only red and green. What does it mean in practical life? When you try to cross the street, don’t wait for any sign that it is possible and safe. Everybody simply steps on a street and forces cars to stop or go around him. No one will stop to let the pedestrian walk to the other side. When cars wait on the red light, you can try to use the moment and jump, but mind the hedge of cars that will move right at you when the light turns to green.

Most streets are built of causeway and tram tracks. In many places, there are no lines for cars. Everything is conventional. When there are no cars opposite, the one on a street uses its whole width, in other case cars easily mix.

But this wild, chaotic atmosphere has its internal rules that regulate traffic, so public transport, pedestrians and cars work together perfectly. Usually nothing goes wrong, even though it looks like a glaring anthill. All you have to do is jump on the right track and feel like a part of this huge puzzle, you have to move on.

Sometimes I dropped out of my track and stood on the side to check my map or look at buildings. People were pushing me, pointing at me or treating me like a stranger. My friends and I we were often hooked and we did not feel safe. On streets you may see groups of drunk or drinking man, “children of the street”  are almost everywhere.

Lvov – the beautiful city with loads of monuments is not completely ready for tourists. It seems that people in Lvov cannot measure the value of their treasures. Even though the museums are open, there is no interest in them. You can hardly find any information about what and where you can see anything. If you don’t know Cyrillic alphabetic, you will not learn about any units displayed. But you will not be disappointed. Fantastic collections of medieval icons and sculpture, magnificent, unfortunately devastated rococo sculptures.
Churches are definitely in the best condition. Most of them are used for worship, but between services they are open to visitors. Lvov is often called the city on the edge of cultures. It manifests its character also by the number of religions one can found in this city. There are three cathedrals: Latin, Orthodox and Armenian. Most of inhabitants belong to the Orthodox Church of the Moscow or the Kiev patriarchate. There is also the Orthodox Autokefalic Church, the Roman-Catholic Church, Armenian Church and more. The number of religions are reflected in church decor. Visitors have a chance to admire magnificent iconostases and the highest quality baroque altars.
In recent years, these interiors were renovated and their brilliance came back. They’re rich in frescoes, epitaphs and monuments.

Everyone who decides to visit Lvov should read the guide beforehand. The most interesting objects are situated within walking distance, in the historic city centre. The marketplace is a must (founded by Polish King Kazimierz Wielki – the Great) with a city hall decorated with a very high tower. Visitors may marvel at the beautiful view from the top. On the marketplace, there are also two renaissance houses worth seeing: Black and Royal, the second one belonged to Sobieski - the Polish royal family. Both of them contain museums. The Royal house has a beautiful courtyard with ambulatory, similar to those on Krakow’s Royal castle in Poland (Wawel). 
East from the marketplace, visitors should go to the baroque Dominican church and the ‘Woloska’ Russian Orthodox church with the chapel of Three Saints and ‘Koniaktova’ tower. Also the Claris church with baroque Pinzl sculptures. Nearby, pieces of gothic city walls can be found with the gate and armory. The beautiful Bernardinian church is also nearby.
At the marketplace, is also situated the Latin cathedral and two magnificent late baroque chapels: Boims and Kampians. Nearby them, between the houses, visitors will find the Armenian Orthodox church with amazing XIX century frescoes and the copula design by the famous Polish painter Joseph Mehoffer. It is good idea to walk West, through “Svoboda prospect” with the Opera house, passing beautiful buildings, hotels, University, the House of Science… Then, along with the park, you will find the Orthodox church of Saint Jur overlooking the city. At the top of this church, Saint George fights the Dragon. This sculpture was made by Pinzl, already mentioned above.
Behind the Saint Jur church, the modern district spreads out with a number of picturesque villas and very interesting examples of Jewish architecture (for example the former Jewish hospital).
From this point, I advise to go to the main train station. This is great ornament of the city, definitely worth seeing. Renovated and in perfect condition, it may bring to mind impressionists paintings from Paris or London, exhibiting transparent constructions, roofs of glass above platforms, varied architectural details and plenty of different materials.

It is very important to mention the ‘Lyczakowski’ Graveyard and Lvov Eagels Graveyard. I felt so moved visiting these places. We got there after dark and it started to rain and snow. Little “snow stars” twinkled in the air. We passed through the Lyczakowski Graveyard, following the light of not many torches. The graves were in the gloom. Only here and there gleams touched damp stones with the shape of angels, crucifix, and figures of saints praying for souls of those who have passed away… Eventually the Lvov Eagles Graveyard appeared on the other side of the hill. Lines of white, small, identical crosses standing like little soldiers’ squads – what an eye-catching view.

It was a great journey and a great adventure. I saw incredibly beautiful monuments and sculptures, I walked on the streets of my grandparents’ stories, I looked patiently at hundreds of effigies of Holy Mary, I drank vodka with red pepper, for a while I was the part of Lvov’s colorful puzzle. This is a magic place. If you also would like to feel this magic, you have to go to there.

Text and pictures by Iwona Miszczyk

For more photos of Lvov, Ukraine visit the EURO<26 Gallery!