Lychakivska is one of those streets that you will definitely remember. So, we take the tram №2 on Rynok Square and let our route begin.
Get off at the last stop. There is a Lychakiv park, officially opened in 1892. You should have a walk there and, if you're lucky, maybe even feed squirrels. By the way, there is a legend about this place. It is said that at the end of the 17th century, there was a mill, and strong Lychakiv winds tore its wings. But locals believed it was possessed by a devil and called it "the devil's mill".
We cross the road and the amazing building of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, former Church of Our Lady of Ostrobramsk, appears before us. The church was built in the 30s of the 20th century. It's impossible not to notice a bell tower almost 60 meters high. Which looks like a Florentine campaniles. That's why the church is sometimes called Italian. From the front door you can see a wonderful view of the city.
Going down below the street, opposite the building №119, there is a chapel of the Mother of God. The first statue appeared here in the 17th century, but in 1958 it was bulldozed by the order of communist authorities.
Cross the road and at Lychakivska 86 you can have a coffee or a delicious breakfast at the Tsikava cafe. Or you can take a coffee to go because there are a lot of interesting places ahead.
Let's go. In front of you there is a small baroque church that once belonged to Pauline monks. Now it`s Peter and Paul church of the Orthodox church of Ukraine. Opposite it, there is a hospital of State Border Guard Service, former hospital of Dr. Soletskiy founded at the beginning of the 20th century. The building is a wonderful example of Secession style combined with Carpathian motifs popular at that time. You can come closer to see beautiful ceramic tiles on the walls.
And also, we recommend you to pay attention to the gates of the buildings, as a lot of them have already been restored and look marvelous.
So, continue our walk. №70 is one more gem of this street. It was built for a merchant Edmund Riedl in Secession style. Look at the wrought iron balcony and tiles above the windows of the second and the third floors. Aren't they amazing?
And of course, we're interested not only in architecture. One of the most famous food markets is located on this street. By the way, the famous British chef Jamie Oliver always recommends visiting such markets. Because, where else can you feel the flavor of an area? So why not buy some local food?
When we leave Vynnykivskiy market, we see a Roman Catholic church of St. Anthony of Padua. The church is built in baroque style. You can go inside if it's opened. There are a lot of statues and icons of St Anthony. He is portrayed with a lily and a child. And that's why on 13th of June, the day when he is honored, people bring lilies to the church.
And two beautiful buildings 34 and 36 definitely catch your eyes. They were built in 1913 for two brothers painters in the rational post-secession style. They are decorated with reliefs which show allegories of art. You can see a memorial plaque on the next building (№32). It is dedicated to the poet, archeologist and deputy head of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists, Oleh Olzhych. He was arrested here by the Gestapo and executed two weeks later in Sachsenhausen.
Our next point - Lychakivska 22, the bookshop of one of the most famous Ukrainian publishing houses - The Old Lion Publishing House. You can relax, drink coffee and get a glimpse of the latest books for children and adults. You can also find books in English.
Well, we're almost finished, and you probably see an old gate to the city. Go in this direction.
Lychakivska street ends at Mytna square, the name comes from the customs office that used to be here. The dominant of this square is the former church of the Order of the Saint Clare with a fairly modern tower (1938-1939) in the style of modernized functionalism with baroque elements. Now the Johann Georg Pinsel Museum is located there. It is definitely worth a visit.
Additional places where you can go on the route:
- Marinad Meat Bar is a meat restaurant with grilled cuisine and its own shop.
135 Lychakivska Street. Open from 11:00 to 22:00, daily. - Museum in the dark "Three after midnight". The only museum in Ukraine where all tours are conducted in the dark, with the participation of guides with vision impairment (has 2 branches: in Lviv and Kyiv). Lychakivska 8, from 10:00 to 22:00, daily. The cost is 250-300 UAH.
Our route is over. If you're hungry, go to Kumpel for the delicious Galician food and a pint of Lviv craft beer. See you on another street.
