Street Formation
Hlyboka Street in Lviv is a historic street located in the Frankivskyi District, connecting Stepan Bandera Street with Kyivska Street. Its formation dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during a period of intensive residential development aimed at the middle class and intelligentsia.
Originally named Kanonerska Street (until 1871) due to the nearby artillery warehouses, it was renamed Hlyboka in 1871, likely because it crossed a ravine or stream. In 1935, the street was renamed Pininskiego in honor of Leon Piniński—a lawyer, diplomat, and rector of Lviv University. During the Nazi occupation, it was called Yorkgasse, and in 1944, the name Hlyboka was reinstated. From 1968 to 1990, the street was named Chekistiv, after which its historic name was restored.
The architectural styles on Hlyboka Street range from Secession and Historicism to Constructivism and Functionalism. Many buildings are of architectural value. For instance, buildings No. 11 and 13 were constructed in 1938–1939 in the Functionalist style, designed by architect Oleksandr Pezhanskyi for employees of the “Karpatia” association.
A notable site is building No. 8, where the parents of the famous American singer of Ukrainian origin, Kvitka Cisyk, once lived. A memorial plaque in her honor is installed on the façade.
Today, Hlyboka Street retains its residential character. In 2023, one-way traffic was introduced to improve transportation. Historical elements have also been preserved—for example, building No. 19 features restored “fan-style” doors, part of Lviv’s architectural heritage.
Hlyboka Street is a vivid example of the harmonious coexistence of historical architecture and modern urban life, preserving the atmosphere of old Lviv.
Architects and Styles
The house was built in the early 20th century according to a design by architect Władysław Hertmann for the owner Helena Rysiakowa. The project was approved in September 1907.
Who Owned the House?
Helena Rysiak submitted the building plans for a three-story house with a basement to the city magistrate and requested a construction permit. On September 21, 1908, she requested permission to occupy the house, which she received on October 31, 1908—the date the magistrate certified the construction’s completion. According to a purchase contract dated March 9, 1909, the new owner of the house became Eleonora Herdliczkowa, née Majewska.
What Does the House Look Like?
The residential rental house at 4 Hlyboka Street was constructed in the early 20th century as part of the street’s continuous development and is fully designed in the ornamental Secession style. It is a three-story brick building with a high basement, plastered façade, and a symmetrical layout with a centrally placed entrance.
The first and second floors are visually separated by a profiled belt course. The entrance portal with a transom window is framed by decorative plant-inspired stucco. The windows on the second floor are surrounded by recessed panels filled with stucco representations of chestnut leaves. The balconies on the second and third floors project outward and are supported by sculpted brackets, featuring Secession-style wrought iron railings. The façade is crowned with a profiled cornice, below which runs a frieze with floral ornamentation, topped by a parapet with stylized obelisks.
What’s There Now?
Today, it remains a residential multi-apartment building.
Sources
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State Archives of the Lviv Region (DALO) 2/2/2361: p. 20.
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Księga adresowa Małopolski (Lwów; Stanisławów; Tarnopol, 1935/1936), p. 17.