Street Formation
The street was originally known as Shtandivska, named after the Sholtz-Shtantslovych family, who founded the jurydyka (a form of private suburb) Shtantslivka in the 16th century. Due to a clerical error, the area became known as Shtandivka. In 1863, the street was renamed Khrestova (or Kshyzhowa, meaning “Cross Street”). Later, it was named Potocki Street in honor of Andrzej Potocki, the Governor of Galicia, following his assassination in 1908.
In December 1940, under Soviet control, it was renamed Pushkin Street, after the Russian poet. During the German occupation, the name was changed to Siegfriedstrasse. In July 1944, it returned to Potocki Street, but in December of the same year, it once again became Pushkin Street under renewed Soviet rule. In 1996, the street received its current name — General Chuprynka Street — in honor of Roman Shukhevych, who used the nom de guerre Taras Chuprynka.
Builders and Styles
The building at 103 General Chuprynka Street was constructed between 1906 and 1908, based on a design by architects Lev Levynskyi, Tadei Obminskyi, and the architectural bureau of Ivan Levynskyi. The building is designed in a folk-style Secession, representing a vivid example of Ukrainian Modernism in architecture.
Who Owns It?
The building was originally constructed as a boarding house (bursa) for the Ukrainian Pedagogical Society.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The building stands independently in the western part of the city, situated on a hill within a landscaped park. The main façade faces north and is clearly visible from the street.
This is a three-story brick structure on a high stone base, with a four-story central volume topped by a pyramidal roof. The building’s layout is a longitudinal rectangle oriented east to west, featuring five projecting risalits. The roof has a picturesque silhouette, adorned with carved elements inspired by traditional vernacular architecture. The façades are banded with brickwork rustication, and the base is faced with large stone slabs.
The building’s corridor-style layout features hallways extending from the central staircase to the side risalits.
Interesting Facts
On October 11, 2018, a memorial plaque honoring Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was installed on the building’s façade. The sculpture was created by Yaroslav Skakun.
The building is surrounded by a botanical garden. A walkway leading to the entrance is lined with globe maples. The garden primarily features plants from Europe, North America, and Asia, but also includes collections from Africa, South and Central America, and islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as Australia. It is the only botanical garden in Ukraine with a forestry profile.
Most of the garden is located on the left bank of the river running through the site. Its collections include over 500 species of trees and shrubs and more than 400 species of herbaceous plants. The garden showcases both native and introduced species. Notable plants include Ginkgo biloba, ancient oaks, tulip trees, walnut trees, magnolias, and multicolored tulips.
What Is It Now?
Today, the building serves as a campus of the Ukrainian State University of Forestry and Wood Technology.
Sources and Literature
Vul. Henerala Chuprynky, 103 – Forestry University | Interactive Lviv
Botanical Gardens of Lviv | lviv.travel
Architecture of Lviv: Time and Styles. 13th–21st Centuries / M. Bevz, Yu. Biriulov, Yu. Bohdanova, V. Didyk, U. Ivanochko, T. Klymeniuk et al. — Lviv: Center of Europe, 2008. — ISBN 978-966-7022-77-8.
