Street Formation
The current Lystopadovoho Chynu Street initially was a field road between the park estates of the St. George bishops and the Jesuits. On a map of Lviv and its surroundings compiled in 1766 by Jean du Défi, it is evident that the main road from the city to St. George’s Cathedral ran from Krakowska Road (now Horodotska Street), along the current Zamknena Street, and then steeply upwards. Novakivskyi Street adjoins Lystopadovoho Chynu Street on the southern side. Throughout its existence, Novakivskyi Street has undergone several name changes—initially, from 1901 to 1941, it was named Zemialkowskiego Street, after Florian Zemialkowski, an Austrian statesman of Polish descent and the mayor of Lviv from 1871 to 1873. In 1946, it was renamed after Ukrainian painter Oleksa Novakivskyi. The street’s architecture is dominated by buildings in Historicism and Secession styles.
Builders and Styles
The house at 2 Novakivskyi Street was built in 1889-1890 by Ivan Levynskyi according to a design by architect Julian Zachariewicz in the Neo-Romantic style.
Who Was the Owner?
The house was built for Polish artist Jan Styka.
What Does the House Look Like?
The house consists of two sections: a three-story residential block along modern O. Novakivskyi Street (currently addressed as 2 Novakivskyi Street) and a studio along Lystopadovoho Chynu Street (currently addressed as 11 Lystopadovoho Chynu Street).
Archived materials include construction plans dated 1897, but after completion, the facade decorations of building No. 2 on Novakivskyi Street differed from the original design.
Interesting Facts
In 1907, the modern buildings at 2 Novakivskyi Street and 11 Lystopadovoho Chynu Street were purchased by Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky for the needs of the National Museum in Lviv. In 1909, the city council sent a letter to Andrey Sheptytsky requesting the house’s rainwater drainage system be connected to the city’s sewer system. In 1936, the city authorities issued a decree to the National Museum administration, demanding the restoration of the basement at the museum’s expense. The museum responded by stating that the basement was occupied by the house’s caretaker, Hryhoriy Protsyk, who had been living there since the house was built. Due to improper ventilation, the rooms were damp. The museum administration requested that the demand for basement repairs at the museum’s expense be withdrawn.
What Is It Now?
It is currently a residential building, with part of the premises used as a museum dedicated to the artist Oleksa Novakivskyi.