Lviv's Old Town (Ukrainian: Старе Місто Львова, Stare Misto L’vova; Polish: Stare Miasto we Lwowie) is the historic centre of the city of Lviv, within the Lviv Oblast (province) in Ukraine, recognized as the State Historic-Architectural Sanctuary in 1975.
Since 1998, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lists Lviv's historic center as part of "World Heritage". On 5 December 1998, during the 22nd Session of the World Heritage Committee in Kyoto (Japan), Lviv was included to the UNESCO World Heritage List. UNESCO gave the following reasons for its selection:
Criterion ii: In its urban fabric and its architecture, Lviv is an outstanding example of the fusion of the architectural and artistic traditions of eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany.
Criterion v: The political and commercial role of Lviv attracted to it a number of ethnic groups with different cultural and religious traditions, who established separate yet interdependent communities within the city, evidence for which is still discernible in the modern townscape.
The territory of the Lviv Historic Centre Ensemble covers 120 hectares (300 acres) of the Old Russ and Medieval part of the city, as well as the territory of the St. George’s Cathedral on St. George’s Hill. The buffer area of the Historic Centre, which is defined by the historic area bounds, is approximately 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres).
List of featured landmarks
Beside the listed items of three major areas there are some 2,007 other historical landmarks within the Old City's area, 214 of which are considered national landmarks.
Pidzamche (Sub-castle)
High Castle and Sub-castle neighborhood, the original center of the city also containing the neighborhood of Old Market Square, the castle was preserved in ruins, however the general area of the city is better known for its name
Church of St.Nicholas, the family church of the Halychyna (Ruthenian) kings
Church of St.Paraskeva-Praxedia (Good Friday), contains 1740 inconostasis of the church by Fedor Senkovych
Church of St.Onuphrius and Basilian Monastery, contains artworks of Lazar Paslavsky and Modest Sosenko
Church of St.John the Baptist (today – Museum of Lviv Ancient relics), the church was dedicated to the Hungarian wife of King Leo, Constance, a daughter of King Béla IV
Church of Snowy Mary (today – Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church), the church of German colonists of the city
Seredmistia (Middletown)
Ensemble of Rynok (Market) Square, contains Lviv Rathaus (center) and square perimeter of housing surrounding it
Ensemble of the Church of Assumption, beside the church includes Chapel of Three Prelates and Korniakt's Tower
Ensemble of Armenian Church, beside the church includes a belfry, a column with statue of St.Christopher, a building of former Armenian bank, a palace of the Armenian archbishops, Benedictine Armenian convent
Ensemble of Latin Metropolitan Cathedral, beside the cathedral of St. Mary includes Boim Chapel and Kampians' Chapel
Ensemble of Bernardine Monastery (now Church of St. Andrew), includes cathedral, monastery, belfry, rotunda, decorative colon, and defensive walls
Ensemble of the Jesuit Cathedral and Collegium
Ensemble of Dominican Church (now the Church of the Holy Eucharist), beside the church includes monastery and belfry
City's fortifications include the City's Arsenal, the Gunpowder Tower, the Turners and Ropemakers' Tower, the Royal Arsenal, a bastion of lower defense wall
House of the "Dnister" Insurance Company
Church of St. Yura (St. George), the Dragonfighter
St. George’s Cathedral, beside the cathedral includes the Metropolitan's Palace, capitular houses, belfry, and fence with two gates (Market's and City's)
Old Town landmarks that are not part of the World Heritage Site
Church of Carmelites, the Barefooted (today – Church of St. Michael)
Church and Nunnery of Carmelites, the Barefooted (today – Church of Purification)
Church of Poor Clares (today – Museum of Sacral Baroque Sculpture)
Church of St.Martin (today – Baptist Church)
Church of Transfiguration
Church of St.Casimir
Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet
Potocki Palace, Lviv, currently a residence of the President of Ukraine
Commodity Stock Exchange
