“InLviv” tour operator wants to make the contribution by offering our guests the city tours and staying in the privately owned apartments. The apartments in Lviv city center that are offered at the discount rate are:

One room apartments:
Arkhitektors’ka Str 5/3a
www.inlviv.info/apartments/1room/43/
Vesela str 1
www.inlviv.info/apartments/1room/106/
Uzhorodska Str 19
www.inlviv.info/apartments/1room/173/
Staroyevreyska Str 11/10
www.inlviv.info/apartments/1room/118/

Two room apartments:
Lesi Ukrayinky Str 12/1
www.inlviv.info/apartments/2room/56/
Virmenska Str 2/6
www.inlviv.info/apartments/2room/105/
Ryleyeva Str 12
www.inlviv.info/apartments/2room/138/
Kniazia Romana Str 6
www.inlviv.info/apartments/2room/139/

Four room apartment:
Borovykovskoho Str 12
www.inlviv.info/apartments/4room/136/

These apartments as well as the city tour can be reserved for you at half price of that indicated on our web page. The apartments or tours can be booked at “InLviv” office, by e-mail or by phone:
www.inlviv.info/contacts/
Phone number +380322728001, +380984492525.

We advise to take advantage of this opportunity – such offers do not happen very often.

Gallery-PhotoClub “Ch/B.5×5” /White/Black 5 x5 (corner of street Brothers of Rogatinciv and areas of Koliivschini)

Art Project “Ch/B.5×5” proposes the exhibitions of known Ukrainian & foreign photo-artists, monochromatic format. Each exhibition consists of five large-format contemporary photo works exhibited on the facade of an ancient building ,located just in the heart of the medieval city and five conceptually related works are exposed in the interior of the PhotoClub “Ch/B.5×5”.

Gallery PhotClub “Ch/B.5×5″ is a new project of Art Association “Dzyga” and organization “Unia”. It presupposes the creation of some non formal photographic association ivolving as individual photographers regardless of skill level as already existing photo-groups.

The program of the mentioned association will include: a permanent art project “Ch/B.5×5” , solo & group exhibitions of the Photographic Association’s members, video presentations and discussions concerning the “portfolio” of young photographers, photography contests, master-classes of prominent photo-artist, lectures on actual topics of contemporary photo-art, nonstop slide-shows and just chats in an informal atmosphere.

Igor Gaidai was born in 1961.

1985 – graduated from the Karpenko-Kary Institute of Theatre Arts at Kyiv with a Specialist Degree of Cinema Operator
Thesis “DRAGON” awarded at the Festival “Youth,” “WORLD CINEMA SCHOOLS FESTIVAL,” etc.

1980 – 1984 – solo exhibitions in Kyiv

1985 – 1987 – professor at Film Directing Department, Karpenko-Kary Institute of Theatre Arts at Kyiv (photo lighting, composition)

1987 – 1991 – art photographer at Dovzhenko Film Studio

1990 – present – leads a private photo studio, Kyiv, Ukraine

1991 – exhibition at Hinesburg, Frankfurt, Germany

1993 – participation in the exhibition «IMAGES D’UKRAINE», Gallery “Chateau d`Eau”, Toulouse, France

1994 – solo exhition at the French Culture Center in Kyiv, Ukraine

1996 – Two solo exhibitions and publications in the photo magazine “Photo Magazine,” Leipzig, Germany

2001 – participation in the exhibition BRAND “UKRAINIAN”, Centre of Contemporary Art under National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Kyiv, Ukraine

2002 – exhibition “The Ukrainians. The Start of the Third Millenium”, Representative office of Kodak in Ukraine

2003 – exhibition “The Ukrainians. The Start of the Third Millenium”,“Art-East” Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine

2003 – project “The Ukrainians. The Start of the Third Millenium”,
Publication of the photo-book. Exhibition in the Centre of Contemporary Art, National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Kyiv, Ukraine

2004 – exhibition “Ukrainians …”, Wroclaw, Poland

2005
exhibition «NU», “L-Art” Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition “Cosmos of Ukrainian Bread”, «CAMERA» Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «Ukrainians …», Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «Ukrainians …», “Le Pont Neuf” Gallery, Paris, France
exhibition «Ukrainians …», «Ferme Sarasin» Gallery, Geneve, Switzerland

2006
exhibition «Home Alone», «??????» Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «Ukrainians …», Krakow, Poland
exhibition “Cosmos of Ukrainian Bread”, Gallery of Art Development Fund, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «Ukrainians …», “Porcia” Palace, Vienna, Austria

2007
exhibition «AQUA», «KAMERA» Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «RAZOM.UA» (TOGETHER), Ukrainian House, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition « Along the way » joint with Jean Belondrad, Gallery of Art Development Fund, Kyiv, Ukraine
photos of a series «S???N», GOGOLFEST‘2007, part in the art-culture and museum complex
«ART ARSENAL», Kyiv, Ukraine

2008
exhibition « RAZOM.UA», Ukrainian House, Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «Along the way» joint with Jean Belondrad, Donetsk, Ukaine
exhibition «Ukrainians …», «Mediateque», Toulouse, France
exhibition «Along the way» joint with Jean Belondrad, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukaine
exhibition “Space of Ukrainian Bread”, GOGOLFEST‘2008, part in the art-culture and museum complex «ART ARSENAL», Kyiv, Ukraine
exhibition «Ukrainians …», Hophburg, Innsbruck, Ausrtia
exhibition «9 months + 3 days», Ukrainian House, Kyiv, Ukraine
publication of photo-book «9 months + 3 days»
exhibition «9 months + 3 days», «BOTTEGA» Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine

2009
exhibition «9 months + 3 days», gallery of «?», Ivano-Frankovsk, Ukraine
exibition «Family of Ukraine», «KAMERA» Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine

Lviv Has Been Recognized As The Cultural Capital Of Ukraine 2009

On the 28th of April 2009, Lviv has been recognized as the cultural capital of Ukraine. This status award was given based on expert research of The State service of tourism and resorts and “The Council on tourism and resorts issues”. The main reasons of such obtaining is the conducting of more than 100 festivals annually, 60 museums, 100 churches of different confessions, and the big tourist interest in Lviv.

For the past 2 years the tourist stream to the city increased in 40 %, and now it is more than a million people per year.

Among the foreigners, the biggest quantity of tourists are from Poland, Germany, Austria, Belarus, USA, Russia.

The city is known as a center of art, literature, music and theatre. Nowadays, the indisputable evidences of the city cultural richness is the big number of theaters, concert halls, creative units, and also the holding of many art actions. Temples, frescos, paintings, traditions, feasts, festivals, – all these are the heirdom of the past and the product of the present genius, which can be felt only in Lviv.

Owing to enriched cultural programme, developed infrastructure (now Lviv has more than 8 000 hotel rooms, more 700 caterings, free WI-Fi zones in the center of the city, and has good connection with many countries of the world, thanks to flights of Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, LOT, CarpatAir, low-cost-carrier Wizzair) Lviv has the biggest tourist potential in Ukraine.

This is also facilitated by the presence of stuff, which provides the demand in cultural and tourist spheres. Lviv has 23 educational institutions, of which 7 have such directions.

According to the statics, more than 10 thousand tourists come to each city festival.

In confirmation of the big potential of the development is the research of international consulting company Monitor Group, who drafts the strategy of Lviv competitiveness. According to this research, tourism and IT-sector are the most attractive clusters of the development in Lviv.

The special motivation factor is the possibility of holding the EURO-2012 in Lviv.

To make the infrastructure better, the new city transport strategy for 20 years is being working out. It is elaborated by German company PTV AG.

Besides, according to the latest data (the rating of well-known audit company KPMG), Lviv is one of the 30 most attractive cities of the world to develop the IT-technologies.

Lviv has established many city-feasts, such as Coffee and Chocolate feasts, the feast of pampukh, The Day of Batyar, such festivals as “Ethnovyr”, “Krayina Mriy”, the international theatrical festival “Golden Lion”, the young theatrical festival “Drabyna”, that has already became traditional for the citizens and visitors of Lviv.

In the course of ten days they will be demonstrating, in practice, restoration of two entrance doors on the renowned Rynok Square in Lviv downtown being a typical example of the local architecture of the late 18th – early 19th centuries, including that of classicism. A second stage of the trainings envisages elaboration of a long-term program to help rehabilitate the bramas in association with the German Bureau of Technical Cooperation (GTZ) that will co-fund the renovation works. In general, it is also planned to improve the state of historical monuments in the ancient part of Lviv inscribed into the UNESCO World Heritage List. As reported, the German government has decided to implement in Lviv a project entitled УRevitalization of Historical Areas’ in frames of UEFA EURO 2012 preparations. On May 13, 2009, UEFA selected Kyiv and preliminarily Donetsk, Lviv and Kharkiv as host cities for the UEFA EURO 2012 European Football Championship. Ukraine and Poland have been chosen as co-hosts for UEFA EURO 2012.

On June 2009, the news magazine “Focus” has presented its annual list of “55 best Ukrainian cities”. Lviv became the winner of the ranking.

Lviv left behind Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivci, Yalta, Kharkiv, Odessa, Illichivsk, Simveropol, and Sevastopol.

Lviv has secured its first position due to the high records by all criteria. Particularly high was the “Focus” representatives’ recognition of business and educational potential of the “City of Lion”, as well as the level of cultural events and solicitude. By the last two criteria Lviv has scored the maximum number of points possible.

Online map of Lviv region (in Ukrainian language)
http://www3.city-adm.lviv.ua/lvivregion.html

Online map of Lviv (in Russian language)
http://www.maps.meta.ua/

Anyone who was born in Lviv, used to live there or ever visited Lviv dreams of coming back here again. Even though in thoughts, to cherish, and rejoice, to love and get excited. Anyone departing from Lviv pines for it, leaving unforgettable impressions and recollections.

Lviv… Where’s the secret of its lure, what lies in the heart of its uniqueness? We strive to reveal the secret of Lviv, to figure out its mystery. The one who manages to discover it finds happiness. But who is going to do it?

The phenomenon of Lviv attracts with incredible power. Bells and silence, city walls and Lviv rain know more about the city than any human, while hundreds of stony lions are guarding its heart day and night.

Anyone not indifferent to beauty and eager to discover the new and the mysterious is welcome to Lviv and welcome to fall in love with it!

THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

Lviv is an old and picturesque city, a spiritual capital of Ukraine, the key political, economic, cultural, and scientific center of Western Ukraine.

Lviv is a large regional center. It covers the territory of 155 square km. Its population is 757 thousand people, ethnically mostly Ukrainians, however traditionally also Polish, Jews, Greeks, Germans, Russians, Armenians, Czechs and representatives of other nations.

The city is located in the highlands of Roztochchya where the main European watershed runs separating the rivers of the Baltic and Black Sea basins. Whatever way you reach the city, its most explicit characteristics will be the Castle Mountain which is seen from afar. The High Castle standing on this hill within XIV XVIII centuries gave name to the mountain. It was the Castle Hill that gave rise to the city. Today remnants of the walls dating back to the princedom epoch are found here. A beautiful view of the city with its old quarters and modern buildings, church domes and Roman church broach spires opens before you eyes from the height of over 400 m above sea level. Lviv was founded by Danylo Romanovych, the prince of Halychyna and Volyn, in the middle of the 13th century at the ancient settlement site and was named after Lev, Danylos son. The first historic written reference of Lviv is dated back to 1256. Within the Kingdom of Halychyna and Volyn period the town grew into the center of economic and cultural life in the region. Architects, skilled craftsmen and merchants would come by trade arteries from Western Europe to the Eastern countries, and from the Baltic region to the Black Sea and Byzantium. The town of hospitable and sincere Ukrainians became sweet home for many of them. In the 14th Lviv was conquered by Kazimierz III, the Polish King. For a few centuries Halychyna gets under the rule of Poland. Within a short period (1370 1378) the town is under the Hungarian crown.

In 1356 Lviv is granted the Magdeburg right and acquired the status of self-governing town which contributed significantly to its development. Crafts are developed and guilds founded, churches erected and exuberant houses constructed. Following the division of Poland in 1772 Halychy- na enters Austria. Intensive industry development falls for the second half of the 19th century. This is the time of establishing railroads, tram lines, gas illumination followed by electric illumination. New city quarters are built, theatres, hotels, banks rise, public organiza- tions are established. In 1870 Halychyna is awarded the status of autonomy. Collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire which resulted from World War I enabled the constituent countries to gain independence. On November 1, 1918 the Western Ukrainian Peoples Republic is declared in Lviv. The newly established state only manages to exist a few months. After the Ukrainian The monument to King Polish war the city gets again under the Polish power.

In 1939 Western Ukraine becomes a member of the USSR. The advent of the Soviet army brings the city cruel civic repression. 19411944 are the years of the Nazi German occupation. Troops of Ukrainian patriots are to conduct unequal struggle both against the Nazi and the communists during World War II. In 1944 Lviv becomes a part of the Soviet Ukraine. At the sunset of the second millennium, in the 80-ies, like through all history, Lviv played the leading part in struggle for independence and democracy, standing out for the time-honored traditions of the Kyiv Rus and the Kingdom of Halychyna and Volyn. At the dawn of the establishment of the Independent state and the introduction of national symbols the blue-and-yellow flag was first raised in the Lviv sky, from where it spread to all Ukrainian cities. Declaration of Ukrainian independence on August 24, 1991 laid down the beginning of the new epoch in the history of the Ukrainian state and Lviv in particular. More than one generation took pride in this wondrous town, for it became the unconquerable stronghold of the Ukrainian tradition and a heritage of the national culture.

Lviv is kind of created for poets, artists, musicians and tourists admirers of the beautiful, for the city itself is like a legend, like a song. Lviv is a city of the time-honored history, versatile culture, high art, well-developed science, education, sports, industry, as well as a city of open and industrious people. Architectural monuments and archeological relics, museums and galleries, theaters and concert halls, national traditions and rites, business activities and convenient communications all this makes Lviv a tourist center. The city with unique monuments, located in the region of rare pure ecologic climate conditions, claims to be awarded the status of the tourist world center. Despite the 20th century cataclysms, Lviv cultu ral, historic and spiritual heritage has preserved much better than in any other regions of Ukraine. It is not only to be saved for future generations, but to be used as a significant tourist resource as well. It is in Lviv where you can participate in the revived traditions of generations and experience the feeling of integrity and common thinking with them. This is Lvivs peculiarity enticing tourists. The culture of the past and present against the background of the authentic architectural ensemble shape the tourist product Lviv can offer. Tourism in Lviv is an unmatched network of possibilities. The place of Lviv in the world tourist process stands out with cultural and cognitive, business, religious, sentimental, scientific tourism, along with tourism for sports and recreation. Amiable and open-hearted hosts welcome anyone eager to have a rest and get to learn this beautiful and unique city closer.

Business and Exhibition Lviv

Interest in visiting Lviv on business is boosted by its attractiveness as a tourist center. Closely combining well-developed industrial and scientific and technical potential with unique culture and art Lviv has become an outstanding center for business. It was not incidentally that the Sixth Summit of the Summit Presidents of Central and Eastern Europe took place in Lviv in May 1999. Lvivs location near the borders of the Central and South-Eastern European states at the crossroads of transit international motorways, railroads, and airlines plays an important part in developing foreign economic activities. Production capacities and qualified staff, high class manufacturing culture attract wide circle of home and foreign business men. Lviv companies deal with trade partners from over 100 world countries. Economic potential of Lviv is definitely worth mentioning. There are over 219 big industrial companies of different forms of property, over 40 commercial banks, 4 stock exchange markets, 13 investment companies, 80 insurance organizations, 24 leasing companies, 77 auditing firms. About 9 thousand small scale business companies operate here, most of them concentrated in the field of wholesale and retail, operations with real estate, hotel and restaurant business. Lviv occupies a leading place in Ukraine in production of certain kinds, in particular fork-lifts, electric lamps, buses, confectionery, yeast. Among industry branches the most significant part falls for food and light industries, mechanical engineering and metal processing, pharmaceutical, chemical and petrochemical industries. The leading companies to mention here are JSC Lviv Fat Industrial Complex, JSC Lviv Brewery, JSC Lviv Confectionery Company Svitoch, JSC Lviv Kholodkombinat, JSC ENZYME, JSC Mayak, Joint Ukrainian-Swiss JSC Vesna, JSC Halychpharm, State Company Lvivdialik, JSC Lviv Chemical Plant, JSC Iskra.

The city enforces much ffort to improve transport infrastructure, telecommunications, business infrastructure, hotel service, services area. Successful development of numerous fields of city economic life provided fruitful ground for drawing both home and foreign investments. Lviv is a reliable partner in business relations with known strategic investors nd leading The Lviv Palace of Arts world financing institutions.

Active business environment development is enhanced by running business fairs and exhibitions in Lviv. Lviv fair traditions enjoy rich and glorious history. Fair traditions in Lviv date back to the 19th century when Lviv was justly considered one of the biggest fair centers. Early in the 20th century the Eastern Fair was gaining popularity in Europe. In 1923 Lviv became one of the twenty cities-founders of the European Association of Fair Organizers. Today Lviv is one of five leading exhibition centers of Ukraine. Annual number of international exhibitions and fairs of various specialization held in Lviv reaches over 20. Special place among Lviv exhibitions is taken by the Investment Fair within the International Economic Forum on Cross-Border Cooperation. Book The Publischers Forum fair is held annually in Lviv, which is considered the most popular one of its kind in Ukraine. The leading fair organizers are JSC HalExpo, exhibition bureau Expo-Business Service, Lviv Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Publishers Forum. Lviv exhibitions and forums became important means of promoting the city as a strong industrial, cultural and tourist European center.

Architectural monuments of Lviv, their peculiar beauty are not only special in our art, but also in world art. This intertwining of eastern, western cultures and Ukrainian folk art, the artistic ensemble testifying to high and noble soul of the nation, exquisiteness of its tastes and customs. Unique character of the city stays in congruence with variety of cultural traditions, styles of different epochs ranging from the 13th to the 20th centuries Renaissance, Roman style, Gothicism, Baroque, Rococo, Empire, Classicism, Constructivism, and Secession.

The age imparts beauty to Lviv. Along with a new constructive building you can see an ancient tower or the remnants of a medieval wall. Next to the constructions dating back to the Old Rus period (St. Nicholas Church and John the Baptist Church) you will hardly leave unnoticed the masterpiece of the Renaissance architecture the Assumption Church complex and the Ensemble of the Rynok Square, Gothic Arches of Ensemble the Latin Cathedral, the exquisite Baroque of St. George Cathedral and the world-known building of the 20th century Lviv Opera House.

Lviv is one of the richest Ukrainian cities in terms of a number and significance of historical, architectural, and cultural monuments their number reaches over 2000. On December 2, 1998 at the sitting of UNESCO 22nd session in Kyoto the Ensemble of Lviv Historic Center was included in the World culture heritage list.

To tackle the problems of the ancient city the Government of Ukraine adopted a Complex project of preservation of Lviv historical buildings in 1997 which presumes a special status of Lviv as a monument city. In order to engage the public and donators in preservation and restoration of architectural monuments a Charitable Fund of Lviv Historical and Architectural Heritage preservation was founded in 2000.

We have not enough information on what the city looked like at the dawn of its foundation, but it probably must have looked like other fortified settlements in Rus. Researchers believe, the lower hill must have been occupied by a fortress with a prince palace. At the foot of the mountain, in the Poltva river valley (today Pidzamche district) a city spread with craftsmens, merchants houses, trace and public council squares, and churches. This oldest part of the city many times used to serve the scene of fierce fights, it was destroyed with fires, especially after the city center was moved to a new place, todays Rynok Square, and Pidzamche became a suburb almost devoid of any protection against hostile attacks.

Almost no buildings dating back to the Princedom epoch have preserved intact. Apart from the fragments of the High Castle fortifications, St. Nicholas Church is the oldest stone construction which used to stand on the Volynskyi way. The reference of it is mentioned in Prince Levs deed in 1292. The church would belong to the Levs family. Its structure resembles a public cathedral: small entrance door and windows, thick walls which enabled the building to serve as a protection against the enemy. Its modern look the church acquired in the first half of the 17th century.

In the vicinity of the church you will find John the Baptist Church which was built in 1260 for Constance, Prince Levs wife, daughter of Bela IV, Hungarian King. Several times the building was destroyed, then recovered, and in 1886 it was reconstructed in the Roman style. Both sanctuaries were built in the Old Rus style with regard to the peculiarities of Byzantine architecture.
Late in the 13th century the Armenians built St. Ann Church (it hasnt preserved till today), while the German community of the city constructed the Roman Catholic Maria Snizhna Church, which is considered the oldest church in Lviv. Its modern look the church acquired due to the restoration in the 19th century.

The history of the church and the monastery of St. Onufriy dates from the Princedom times. They take a meaningful place in the history of the Ukrainian culture. The icon wall is the most outstanding church decoration. Ivan Fedorov founded a printing house in this monastery in 1573. In 1564 he published “Apostol” – the first printed book in Ukraine.