Lviv, the biggest city in Western Ukraine. It is a wonderful city where you can meet beautiful Ukrainian ladies. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine.

The city is home to many industries and institutions of higher education such as the Lviv University and the Lviv Polytechnic. It has a philharmonic orchestra and the Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre. The historic city centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and has many architectural wonders and treasures. Lviv celebrated its 750th anniversary in September of 2006 and has a lion as its emblem.

Lviv's climate is moderate continental. The average temperatures are - 4 C (27 F) in January and +18 C (65 F) in June. Average annual rainfall is 660 millimeters (26 inches), with a notable water deficit in the summer months. Cloud coverage averages 66 days per year.

History of Lviv

Lviv was founded by King Danylo of the Ruthenian principality of Halych-Volhynia, and named in honor of his son, Lev. The city is first mentioned in Halych-Volhynian Chronicle from 1256 and became the capital of Halych-Volhynia. It was captured by Poland in 1349. In 1356, Casimir III of Poland brought in German burghers and granted the Magdeburg rights which implied that all city issues were to be solved by a city council and elected by the wealthy citizens. Lviv became the capital of the Ruthenian Voivodeship.

Monuments of Architecture

Lviv's historic churches, buildings and relics date back to the 13th century. Over the last few centuries, the city was spared some of the invasions and wars that destroyed many Ukrainian cities. Its architecture reflects various European styles and directions from different historical periods. After the fires of 1527 and 1556, Lviv lost most of its gothic-style buildings. It however retains a rich representation of structures built in the renaissance, baroque and classic styles. Also represented are works by artists of the Vienna Secession, Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

There are many stone carvings and sculptures to be seen on the buildings. The remains of ancient castles and old churches in various styles dot the central cityscape and some of the 3-5 story buildings have hidden inner courtyards and grottos.

The Lviv Opera and Ballet Theater, an important cultural center for residents and visitors.

Religion

Lviv is an important religious center in Ukraine. The city is the main center of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine and until August 21, 2005, it was the center for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. About 35% of all religious structures belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, 11.5% belong to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, about 9% belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate and about 6% belong to the Roman Catholic Church.

Museums and Art galleries

There are many museums and art galleries in Lviv. Most notable are the National Gallery, Museum of Religion (formerly Museum of Atheism) and National Museum (formerly Museum of Industry).

Education

Lviv is one of the most important education centers within Ukraine. It is home to three major universities and a number of smaller schools of higher education. There are 8 institutes of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, more than 40 research institutes, 3 academies and 11 state-owned colleges.