Cultural sightseeing in Ukraine. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The Armenian Cathedral is over six hundred years old.
»  The hall is still being decorated.
»  Once the Lviv settlement was formed, Armenian craftsmen and merchants started to come here at the invitation of the city founder. The members of the Armenian diaspora soon became an influential community. As a result, they built the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
»  In 1676, the building was seriously damaged by fire. It took almost a century to recover it. A statue of St. Christopher meant to protect the shrine was also installed then.
»  After the house of God was closed in the Soviet era, the building was used for different purposes: there used to be an art gallery and a museum. Only in 2000, the building was returned to its real owners.
»  The church itself is located in the middle of interconnected courtyards.
»  The inside part of the dome represents the wonders of mosaic art. Some mosaic tiles form portraits of famous citizens, while others create a national ornament.
»  The walls of the cathedral are made of stone blocks. They are 1.4 m thick. There are gravestones built into the brickwork. Stained glass windows depict scenes from the apostles’ lives.

» In 1460, having the town headman’s consent, members of the monastic order built the monastery. It was located outside the defensive fortifications, so there arose a need to surround it with a defensive barrier.
»  Over time, the shrine became an independent fortress with stone walls, loopholes, and a tower with an entrance. The additionally fortified point was surrounded by moats with water.
»  In 1630, the ashlar church, outbuildings, a room with cells, and a stable were constructed.
»  The church was named for Andreas Bemer, the architect who worked on the facade decoration.
»  In front of the house of worship, there’s a decorative pillar where a statue of Lviv’s patron saint used to stand. The cylindrical gazebo with a dome was also built to commemorate him. John of Dukla is buried in the monastery. It is believed that soon there appeared a spring with healing water from the grave.
»  A bell dating from 1588 used to hang on the belfry. To save the item from remelting in 1917, it was brought to the historical museum.
»  In 1784, an archive of ancient documents was created in the church.
»  During the Second World War, Jews used to hide from the Nazis in the underground tunnels. They left the dungeon only when Soviet troops arrived.

» The Church of the Transfiguration grew from a cathedral where worshipers of the Holy Trinity held their services.
»  When Catholic monasteries were banned, the building was taken over by a university. The church was turned into a library.
»  During the rebellion of 1848, the church was destroyed. The only thing that managed to survive was its foundation.
»  30 years after, the construction of a Greek Catholic church began here, which dragged on for decades.
»  It took eight years to decorate the church outside and inside.
»  While being strict and having just a bit of stuccowork on the outside, the church is truly impressive inside. The interior is rich and has lots of thoroughly decorated elements.
»  12 huge windows under the dome let sunlight into the room illuminating the stucco on the walls and reflecting off the gilded details.
»  There are 12 statues of the followers of Jesus installed in the wall niches.
»  The Church of the Transfiguration stands on the foundation of a destroyed church.
»  The basement has underground passages and galleries. There used to be tombs in the crypt, which were reburied later.
»  The memorial plaque by the entrance says the church is named for the Transfiguration of Christ.

» In the heyday of Kievan Rus, there was a village where the Kiev nobility used to stay. The settlement was surrounded by a birch forest. Hence the name – the village of Berestovo (‘береста’ (beresta) means ‘birch bark’).
»  The villagers had their own church. It’s mentioned in the chronicles of 1051.
»  In 1157, Yuri Dolgorukiy, the founder of Moscow, found the last shelter here. A sarcophagus-like tombstone was put on the place where the prince was buried.
»  Many centuries later, a bell tower was built near the main building.
»  The original brickwork – the stripes of pink mortar and slabs – was partially preserved in the church.
»  The interior has a 12th-century fresco called Miraculous Fishing. The painting pictures the apostles catching fish from a lake.
»  The walls were painted by the masters invited from Athos.
»  Today, the house of God looks like a five-headed building. The last renovation transformed the Church of the Savior at Berestovo. The roofing was repaired, and the domes were gilded. The temple that went through many alterations during the history is still functioning.
»  In 1900, during archaeological excavations, the slate tombs, presumably from the time of Ancient Rus, were found here.

» The complex consisting of a church, a bell tower, a chapel, and a tower is a representative of Renaissance architecture.
»  There used to be buildings on this place, but they were either destroyed by fire or fell into disrepair.
»  The Dormition Church dates back to 1591. It took about 40 years to build it.
»  The Church of the Assumption consists of three white stone structures: the main area, an altar, and an annex in front of the entrance. All parts are situated at the same level.
»  The temple is crowned with three domes with lamps.
»  The central base is supported by four columns.
»  The interior decoration is full of frescoes.
»  There are several rows of icons on the altar partition. They are over three hundred years old.
»  The ceiling has socket-shaped recesses. The eaves of the vault are decorated with stone carving.
»  The chapel is named for the Three Hierarchs. It was built in 1590. The bell tower (1578) is named after Konstantin Korniakt, the Greek industrialist who donated money for its construction. The 66-metre tower has four tiers.
»  In 1779, the bell was struck by lightning, which caused its deformation. The molten item was removed. A new one appeared four years later. Its ringing can still be heard.

» The stone structure with an elongated ledge belongs to the Latin Cathedral.
»  The interior is spacious – 67x23 metres. The building resembles a cube from the outside. Several chapels were later built around the architectural figure.
»  Until the middle of the 18th century, family vaults were located in the crypt. Memorial inscriptions have the information about the people buried here. Some tombs have sculptures as a token of sorrow.
»  Inside, the openings are supported by numerous columns. The vault and wall panels are rich in frescoes with scenes from church life and the formation of the urban settlement, which lasted for over 700 years. The altar is framed by marble sculptures of saints.
»  In 1360, the house of God started to be built on the site of the former Orthodox Church. The work lasted for over a hundred years.
»  In 1672, the Turkish attack on the city was repulsed. The cores of cannons hung on the cathedral walls serve as a reminder of those times.
»  When Austria occupied Galicia in 1772, indignant citizens barricaded the main entrance. The mured arched passageways can still be seen.
»  The spire on the tower ends with a cross that was covered with gold leaf in 1844.

» The royal family often visited the summer residence at the Crimean coast.
»  On the second floor, there is a permanent exhibition in the room where the nobles stayed. The interior of the rooms has been restored according to preserved pictures.
»  Five rooms are open for visitors. The spacious but not luxurious room with a lot of light belonged to Nicholas II. He did not love pretentiousness. The room of the hostess was served as a living room where relatives got together. There is preserved original finish, pieces of furniture, flowerpots, picturesque canvasses, and the piano. The Empress played it.
»  The luxurious spouses’ bedroom impresses with its luxurious interior. The furniture here is maple. The bed is covered with an ornate silk canopy.
»  There is a small dining room finished with yew. In the princesses’ classroom, there is a blackboard with inscriptions made by one of the girls.
»  The other exhibition is dedicated to the Yalta Conference. The Livadia Palace met the level of the international meeting. Pictures of world leaders taken on the background of the magnificent landscape appeared in all the media of that period.
»  In 1834, the Polish Count constructed the first building. The Livadia attraction is over 100 years old.

» In 1880, the two-storey palace started to be built for the son of statesman M. Vorontsov.
»  Later, the building came to Alexander III. Then, the third level was completed. The exterior was more luxurious. The Massandra building served as a hunting lodge more than a place of permanent residence.
»  When the monarch’s power was overthrown, the palace was nationalized and used as a hospital for TB patients. Then, there was a winery served as a summer cottage for party officials. The palace turned into a museum about 30 years ago.
»  The interior of the house dates back to the 19th century. When viewing two levels, visitors can see offices, audience halls, and private rooms of former landlords. The furniture was carefully selected. It serves all its intended purposes.
»  Each room is designed in its own style. There are a lot of famous Russian artists’ paintings. You can also see portraits of the imperial family. Porcelain items (vases, tools, and other dishes) were created over 200 years ago.
»  At the third level, there is an art exhibition with paintings and sculptures of masters of the 40s-50s of the 20th century.