Formation of the Site
The building at 5 Markiyan Shashkevych Square was constructed between 1913 and 1916 specifically for the Ukrainian Music Society and the Higher Music Institute named after Mykola Lysenko. Its construction became one of the most significant Ukrainian cultural projects in early twentieth-century Lviv. A prominent corner plot on the newly established Shashkevych Square was acquired for the project, allowing for the creation of a representative public building with distinctive architecture.
Who Designed the Building?
The principal architect was Yevhen Chervinskyi, who worked in the architectural bureau of Ivan Levynskyi. Other architects associated with the Levynskyi school, including Oleksandr Lushpynskyi and Tadeusz Obmiński, also contributed to the project. The interiors were decorated by renowned Ukrainian artists Modest Sosenko and Oleksa Novakivskyi, while the sculptural decoration is attributed to Hryhorii Kuznevych.
Architectural Features
Although the building is often included in Lviv Art Nouveau routes, its architecture represents late Art Nouveau with a strong Neo-Classical influence. The symmetrical façade is distinguished by its restrained composition, high plinth, vertical pilasters, and large rectangular windows that provided abundant natural light for the educational spaces.
The Art Nouveau character is most evident in the interiors, where decorative murals by Modest Sosenko, elegant stucco ornamentation, and numerous original decorative details have been preserved. These interiors are considered the building’s greatest artistic treasure, reflecting the synthesis of modern architecture with Ukrainian national art.
Interesting Facts
- It is one of the few public buildings in Lviv constructed specifically for Ukrainian music education in the early twentieth century.
- The Higher Music Institute named after Mykola Lysenko became the leading Ukrainian music school in Galicia.
- The interiors were created by prominent Ukrainian artists, making the building not only an educational institution but also an important monument of Ukrainian modern art.
- The building is listed as a local architectural heritage monument.
Today
The building continues to serve its original educational purpose. It is now home to the Stanislav Liudkevych Lviv Professional College of Music, one of the oldest music education institutions in Ukraine. For more than a century, the building has remained an important centre of music education and cultural life in Lviv.
Sources and Literature:
- State Archive of the Lviv Region (DALO), F. 2, Op. 2, File 1228.
- Melnyk I., Lviv Streets and Houses, Walls, Corners, Suburbs, and Other Features of the Royal Capital of Galicia, Lviv: Center of Europe, 2008.
- Lemko Ilko, Mykhalyk V., Beglyarov H., 1243 Streets of Lviv (1939-2009), Lviv: Apriori, 2009.
- Melnyk B., A Guide to Street and Square Renaming in Lviv, XIII-XX Centuries, Lviv: Svit, 2001.
- Architecture of Lviv: Time and Styles, XIII-XXI Centuries, edited by Yuriy Biryulov, Bohdan Cherkes, Mykola Bevz, A. Rudnytsky, Center of Europe, Lviv, 2008.
- Oleska Novakivskyi Museum, 11 Lystopadovoho Chynu Street