Among the provincial cities of the Polish Realm, Lwow takes its place as one of the most respectable towns, due to the number of inhabitants ( 330 thousand- third place in numbers ), in relation to its surface of 63 sq km. and in regards to its historical past.

Lwow, cultural center of the southwest territory, is the seat of three archbishoprics (Roman, Greek and Armenian ), houses the University and other institutes of higher education. It harbors multiple associations and three performing arts theaters.

Lwow, since antiquity, was the crossroad of the commercial and military trails from the East and West.

City of beautiful parks and greenery, famous for the beauty of its women and the heroism of its young defenders, those "Orlat", who, in the year 1918, saved the city from the Ukrainians for Poland. In recognition the city was bestowed with the Cross of Virtuti Militari " Semper Fidelis" for safeguarding it for the homeland.

Lwow is situated in the Peltwa valley, a drainage region of the Bug river and hence in connection with the Vistula of the European river system. It lies at the foot of the High Castle Mountain range which, together with the hill of Lublin Union ( 413 m. elevation ), dominates the city. Beautiful vistas unfurl into Podole as well as into the expanse of Zotkiewia and Zmiesienia.

Founded in the year 1250 by the Russian prince Lwa, Lwow was permanently transferred in the year 1340 into Polish Dominion. City rights and privileges were bestowed to the city by Kazimierz the Great and Wladislaw Jagello (1386-1434) which became the basis of its development and the source of its wealth. The city remained victorious in wars against the Tatars, the Turks, the Wolochians and the Cossaks, the Muscovites and the Swedes. During the First Division of Poland it found itself under the domination of Austria and was annexed as capital of the province Galicia. From that point on for the next 146 years and in spite of suppressive domination by Austria, it maintained zealously its Polishness and that of the neighboring regions. It was always a shining example of commitment and patriotism, which was best attested in the year 1918 in the prolonged bloody fighting with the Ukrainians, when i became victorious for Poland, achieving glory in the whole world.

Lwow is a nodal point for the railroads, connecting with all major cities of Poland. It is five hours travel time from Krakow, seven hours travel time to Warsaw and has connecting lines to the exterior. Airlines connect it to Warsaw and Bucharest. It offers first class hotels: Georges ( Marjacki Square 1 ), the Krakowian ( Bernardynski Square 7 ), the Warsaw hotel and others. It offers excellent restaurants, coffee shops and pastry shops.

In spite its centuries old past, Lwow is today a modern city with wide streets, lined with beautiful buildings interesting from architectural and historical standpoint. It has richly endowed museums, gardens, squares and monuments, it harbors impressive public works, educational and commercial entities. In the suburbs are the three railroad stations of which the main one is the largest and considered the most beautiful in Poland. In the heart of the city, the market, surrounded by old brownstones, a daily lively market is carried out. In addition the most vivacious activities we found on Akademicka and Legionow streets as well as on Marjacki, Halicki and Akademicki squares which become lively, particularly during evening hours.

Lwow has many historical monuments worth seeing. The one that comes to mind first is the town hall dating back to the middle of the 19^th century and which replaces the earlier one from the 14^th century. Portraits of all the city's presidents adorn the large conference room and in the courtyard there is a 76m tall tower.

As we said, old buildings from the 16^th and 17^th century surround the market place. Two of these were bought by the city and are used to house the city's collections. “Czarna” meaning black was erected in 1577 and is the home of Lwow´s Museum of History and “Krolewska” meaning royal houses the Jan III Sobieski National Museum. The latter was built by the architect Barbon and belonged to the rich bourgeois Korniakt family. It later passed into the possession of Sobieski. During his many visits to Lwow, King Jan III spent his time here. The city bought the “Krolewska” in 1908 and restored it to what we know it today. Apart from that, it is worth taking a look at some other houses on the market square. Nr.2 is a fine specimen of Italian renaissance, nr. 3 has a Rococo façade, nr. 9 where King Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki died and nr.14 the so-called “Venetian House.” During the recent renovation of the facades, valuable architectural monuments were discovered.

Not far from the market square, in the 5 Podwale Street, there is the former city armory dating back to 1555 and decorated with the coat of arms of Jan III and Commander-in-Chief, Jablonowski. The former royal armory built in 1638 by King Wladyslaw IV is also to be found here and is today home to the State archives. Right next to them on the Gubernator Ramparts we have the “Gunpowder Tower,” the last remnant of the city walls from the 16^th century.

Lwow is proud of its many Catholic and Orthodox churches and synagogues. And so we have the immense Roman Catholic cathedral, on Kapitul Square near the market square. It was founded by Kazimierz the Great in 1360 and completed in the Gothic style in 1494. The Rococo style interior and the wall paintings by Marcin Stronski, which can be seen today, date back to the 18^th century. The cathedral has a number of chapels the most beautiful of which is the Kampian Chapel. Many of the people of Lwow rest in its vaults and tombs. The intellectual world flocks here on Sundays, to take part in the so-called “12 o’clock.” Next to the cathedral stands the Boim Chapel with its sumptuously sculptured façade. It was built in 1609 in the German renaissance style and is regarded as the beauty of Lwow.

Although work on the Armenian cathedral began in 1363 it underwent many reconstructions over the years and today it combines the motives of Armenian and Gothic architecture. In recent years, the cathedral has undergone careful restoration including the addition of beautiful Mehoffer mosaics and Rosen wall paintings.  

One of the most beautiful parts of old Lwow is home to the Armenian Cathedral with its old belfry and to the remains of the old Armenian cemetery.

The rococo style Dominican Church, built in the middle of the XVIII century, has a wonderful oval cupola, the interior of which is decorated with sculptures by Thorwaldsen. Not far away stands the Orthodox Church Woloska, noteworthy for its slender campanile and richly decorated chapel, the Three Kings. This church, harmoniously combining renaissance and Byzantine motives, is the most beautiful example of Renaissance architecture in Lwow. The baroque Church of the Bernadine’s (1630) possesses a beautiful renaissance façade and same belfry to which the remains of the city wall and a spacious monastery adhere. It is one of old Lwow´s  most beautiful monuments and can now be better seen since the buildings in front of it were recently demolished.. The column of the blessed Jan and Dukla, erected in memory of the defenders of Lwow from the Tartar and Cossack attacks in 1649, stands in front of the church.

On the hill dominating the city, there is the Greek Catholic Church of Saint Jura. It was built in the second half of the XVIII century according to the plans of Merettini, an Italian, and is the most remarkable example of a Polish rococo-style building.

The neo-Gothic Church of St. Elizabeth is among the most striking more modern churches. It was built in 1907 on the Bilczewska Square according to the plans of Talowski. Churches of other denominations worth seeing include the old synagogue, the Golden Rose, which exhibits elements of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.  It is situated in the Blacharska Street.

The secular buildings worthwhile visiting include the University of Jan Kazimierz (former Galician Seym building from 1881) situated in the Marszalkowska Street, the Polytechnic in the Sapieha Street, 12. The beautiful paintings in its auditorium are the work of Matejko´s pupils and according to the master’s sketches. There is also the Great Theatre on the Goluchowski Square and the monuments of Adam Mickiewicz (1855) on the Mariacki Square and Jan III Sobieski on the Hetman Ramparts.

Lwow has many museums and rich art collections, the majority of which are municipal and relatively recent dating back to either just before or after the war. And there are a number of private museums, too.

For the visitor, the most interesting is the City Gallery of Paintings consisting of 1000 canvasses almost solely the work of Polish painters from the XVIII and XIX centuries. Part of the collection is kept in the National Gallery in the Hetmanska Street, 20 and part in the Lozinski collection in the Ossolinski Street, 3. The former building also houses the City Museum of Manufacturing Arts. A considerable part of the municipal collection is to be found in the aforementioned buildings:  the “Krolewska” (City Square, 6) with the Jan III Sobieski Museum, which includes cultural and historical souvenirs, church art, portraits of the nobility from the XVII and XVIII centuries, and a splendid armory with rooms especially dedicated to Ruthenian and Jewish art and the “Czarna” which houses Lwow´s Museum of History.

The private collections worth seeing are: the Bol. Orzechowicz Collection and the Prince Lubomirski Museum in the Ossolinski Street. This collection consists of a resplendent gallery of paintings including a series of canvasses by foreign painters headed by Titian, Tintoretti, and Canalett. And there is the Dzieduszycki Museum (Rutowski Street, 6), with rich ethnographic and natural history collections. In addition, there are two interesting Ruthenian museums namely the Ukraine Museum (Mochnacki Street, 42) and the Stauropigialn Institute (Blacharska, 12). 

A splendid park has been created on the slopes of the “Wysoki Zamek”, a large hill towering above the city. In 1869, the mound, “Lubelski Union”, was built, commemorating the union of Poland with Lithuania in 1569.

To the south of the city, there is the Stryjski Park, regarded as the most beautiful park in the Republic and a great favorite with citizens of Lwow. Behind the park, situated on an expansive plateau is the area called “Eastern Fairs”. An enormous trade fair takes place here every year, in the second week of September. Amid these buildings there is the Raclawicka Panorama, which accommodates the magnificent panoramic painting by Jan Styk and Wojciech Kossak, depicting the Battle of Raclawice. A neighbouring building is home to the interesting diorama “Lwow in the XVIII century and today”.

Two days suffice to visit the city and its sights, which include the Mariacki Square, the Cathedral with its Boim Chapel, the City Square with the Jan III Museum and the Museum of History, the Greek Orthodox Church Woloska, the Dominican Church, the Armenian Cathedral, Wysoki Zamek, Raclawicka Panorama on the “Eastern Fairs” the Kilinski Park and the theatre.

Whilst in Lwow one must not forget to visit the cemetery “Defenders of Lwow”, a part of the Lyczakowski Cemetery. Here rest the remains of the defenders of Lwow – men, women and children, recently joined by their commander, Brigadier Maczynski RIP of the “Lwow Defence”. Here too is grave of the Unknown Soldier, empty since the remains were removed and taken to Warsaw. 

The modern baths are also worth a visit, too. They are located in the Jablonowska Street, the Zelazna Street, the Zamarstynowie, on the playing fields and by the sports facilities in the Stryjska Street.

Touring the surrounding area is best done by car or bus. Trips to Zolkwia, Janow, Winnik and Brzuchowic will show how wonderfully picturesque the countryside is. Interesting but longer trips would include the oil fields in Boryslawia and the nearby spa, Truskawiec as well as other health resorts situated in the beautiful valley of the Opor and on the Lwow-Lawoczne rail route.