1. Formation of the Street
Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street is one of the longest and oldest thoroughfares in Lviv. It begins near the city center and extends northeast toward Zhovkva and the northern border. Historically, this road was known as the Zhovkivska Route and passed through Zamarstyniv, one of Lviv’s oldest suburbs.
The area around present-day No. 165 developed primarily between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the northern outskirts transformed into a mixed industrial-residential zone. Rail infrastructure, customs facilities, and working-class housing were built here. The street was renamed in 1946 after Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
2. About the Building at 165 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St.
Builders and Styles
This two-story masonry house with an attic was likely built in the 1920s as part of low-density residential development. Architecturally, it features late historicist forms with touches of functional modernism — a gable roof, symmetrical layout, minimal exterior decor, and rectangular windows.
It reflects a transitional architectural style between rural villas and urban tenement houses, common in Lviv’s suburbs during the interwar period.
Who Was the Owner?
Originally, the house was privately owned by a family — probably a civil servant or small business owner. It may have been designed for single-family use and later divided into multiple apartments after 1939. Today, it remains privately owned and residential.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The house has two main floors plus an attic, a plastered brick façade, and a simple, stretched horizontal form. The façade is symmetrical, with central or side entry. Window placement is uniform, with either original wooden frames or later plastic replacements. The gabled roof is steep and covered with metal or slate. The plot includes a small garden or yard.
Interesting Facts
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This area of the street developed in the 1920s–30s as a working-class settlement near the railway and customs zones.
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The house likely shares construction history with neighboring No. 167, which has similar architectural features.
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Despite its peripheral location, the area was economically linked to Lviv’s logistics and infrastructure in the early 20th century.
What Is There Now?
The building is currently in use as private housing, with individually accessed units and some possible renovations. It represents a well-preserved example of early 20th-century suburban architecture, contributing to the distinctive character of northern Lviv.
Bibliography
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Vuytsyk V. Architecture of Lviv: Times and Styles
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Biriulow J. Lviv’s Urban Periphery in 20th-Century Architecture
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Melnyk I. Lviv: Space and Memory