L'viv

While I write this, the Russian army is bombing and shelling Ukraine, targeting and killing civilians indiscriminately. Whole towns are obliterated and millions of Ukrainians are fleeing the front lines. So far, L'viv being the western most major city of Ukraine has been spared the worst, but individual bomb raids have reached it. Hopefully, the precious jewel that is L'viv will remain unscathed, while the Ukrainians repel the Russian army.

One justification for the war can be found in Putin's now infamous pseudo historic treatise on Ukraine. It's major claim is that there is no such thing as an Ukrainian nation. All Ukrainians are really Russians at heart; Russians who need to be bombed back into the nation they belong to.

The whole argument is bs. Nations are constructs, not natural or historic givens. By Putin's logic, Austrians and the German speaking Swiss should be German; they decidedly are not. Listen to me and Philipp discuss the abuse of the German language that is parkieren, or try to explain to me what a Paradeiser (?!) is, and you will understand. Parken und Tomate are the proper German words if you are wondering.

In 1870, when Germany unified under Prussian banners, some felt German, but most felt they were Hessians, Prussians, Bavarians, Frisian (my paternal ancestors), Polish, Danish and what not. The German nation had to be created not just by blood and iron as Bismarck succinctly put it; and there was way too much of …

Lviv (Lvov, Lemberg) is a beautiful Central European city, but you shouldn't expect a grand majestic city like Prague, Budapest or Cracow. It is much more intimate in character. Its historic centre portrays medieval and Renaissance architecture, while its surroundings is mainly made of Neoclassical boulevards (prospects in Ukrainian) and churches (like the prominent St. George Cathedral). Some art nouveau architecture is present too (as for instance, the railway station) whereas Stalinist style buildings are surprisingly sparse.

In the centre there are numerous churches, the most special of which are, in my opinion, the Boim Chapel and the Armenian church. The Boim Chapel is an impressive family church, built in the 17th Century entirely of black stone and is artistically interesting.

The Armenian church is hidden in one of the smaller streets of the old town. Its entrance is hidden behind a barber shop. It has beautiful medieval frescoes and an atmospheric courtyard.

Look for the impressive sculptures of Pinsel, a local German artist of the 18th Century. His works are found in several churches and there is even a museum entirely dedicated to his oeuvre.

An important museum is the National Museum where you can admire the history of Ukrainian art. Its most important feature is its collection of historical icons.

After the first partition of Poland in 1772, L'viv (Polish Lvov, German Lemberg) became part of Austrian Empire and was the capital of the region of Galicia. It would grow to be the 4th largest city of first the Austrian, then the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Walking around it's old town today, you clearly see the Austrian influence in the architecture: It's feels like a small Vienna, quite out of place this far east.

While the Austrians, initially tried to Germanize the region, they never succeeded. Eventually, Polish became the administrative language spoken in the city by the Polish elite, while Ruthenian (Ukrainian) was the language of the countryside and the peasant population. It's a role reversal compared to cities further west where Polish was the peasant language while German the language of the city elite.

After the 2nd World War Stalin forcibly resettled the Polish (west) and Ukrainians (East) populations. The Polish replaced the Germans of Silesia that were expelled and had to migrate further west. This is why, if you are in Wroclaw (Breslau) you will find restaurants serving Lemberg/Lvov cuisine.

Wandering the streets of L'viv you feel like you can see a glimpse of the glory of the Austrian empire. This was a vibrant, cosmopolitan city, with Jews/Jiddish, Armenians, Polish, German, and Ukrainian influences. The Armenian church is a true gem as is eating at an authentic Jewish/Jiddish restaurant. It all ended due to World War 1.

L'viv rivals other central and eastern …

The Historic Centre of L’viv presents an eclectic mix of architectural and artistic highlights of both Eastern European and Western origin. I stayed there for 2 nights during the long Pentecost weekend. The city is very popular with Polish tourists – the border is only an hour away – and has a lively atmosphere with cafés, terraces and street performers. Cost levels are very low, they are comparable to those in Belarus which I visited last year and a fraction (25-30%) of those in Western Europe. It is easy to navigate in L’viv as signs around town are in English as well: a souvenir from the Euro 2012 football championships.

L'viv has traditionally been a trading city, and has been part of the Kingdom of Poland (until 1772) and Austria-Hungary (until 1918). It attracted different populations that lived in their own communities - from Armenians to Jews, and from Ukrainians to Germans and Hungarians. Reminders of this multicultural history can still be found, though most of them have only been revived since post-Soviet times. Much of the buildings that one sees nowadays around town date back to ca. 1900, and subsequently there is a lot of Art Nouveau.

The city has no exceptional highlights that would warrant a WH listing on its own and it lacks a certain prettiness that for example attracts the tourist masses to a town like Cesky Krumlov, but there is a bunch of sights that are worth seeing anyway. The Armenian Cathedral for …

The Old Town in Lviv was named a Unesco World Heritage Site not without a reason. In the old city of Lviv different cultures reflect. Here the respective rulers - Poles, Austrians, Ukrainians - left their mark. The old town of Lviv is reminiscent of the old Austria or Krakow. However, it has not been renovated.

Everywhere there are places where one can feel transported into a bygone century. The center of the old town is the Rynok. Here is the Ratusha. The old town hall houses today the county government of Lviv region. You can climb the great tower of the building for a small fee (about 40 euro cents). Then you have a wonderful panoramic view of the entire old town. In the old town there are eight churches. The oldest of these is the Armenian Mary's Cathedral in the Krakivska road. It was built around 1356. And such a variety of galleries and museums... The Ukrainian National Museum boasts a large collection of icons. As for the old synagogue in the Staroevreiska road, unfortunately the foundation walls are only preserved. Another highlight of the Old Town is the old Opera Lviv.

Our first visit to Lviv was fall of 2010....a very old city with rich history....We stayed in the city center and were blown away by the beautiful old buildings, monuments, churches. Parks. Needed some upgrading to be sure, but such a surprising "find". Subsequent visit in 2011 showed construction everywhere-streets, airport , downtown- in preparation for the Eurocup in'12 . Still very enjoyable to stroll, rest in coffee shops, visit museums. On this, our 3rd visit to Lviv , summer, 2013, we are amazed by the positive changes in the city..the new airport is stunning, and the old buildings downtown have been refurbished. So much to see and enjoy in this old city.....I predict a flood of visitors when word gets out on the quality of hotels, food, transportation and the best part, the people who are giving such good service ! Things have changed !!

If you want to relax, eat good food and take long walks in a beautiful town with brilliant architecture, Lviv is the place for you. Though still quite expensive to reach, it's financially rewarding once you get there. A three-course meal in the best restaurant in town did not cost me more than 14 euros and the average price was far below that.

The Rynok Square is the centre point of the town and is in the old town and it is here you will find the true historic atmosphere. As a trading point between the east and the west, the rich town of Leopolis developed here already back in the 13th century. My personal prediction is that within 10 years from now, Lviv will be a serious destination on the tourist map of Europe. Just wait until Lviv has transformed from its current state of faded beauty and it will be a place well worth discovering for those looking for the absolute best pearls in Eastern Europe.