Development of the Street
Akademika Bohomoltsia Street is one of the finest examples of early twentieth-century urban planning in Lviv. The street was laid out in 1904 after the subdivision of a large private estate with a villa and gardens owned by Klementyna Witosławska (née Bochdan). Until then, the area between today’s Ivan Franko and Kotsiubynskoho streets had formed a single property. Following the subdivision, the municipal authorities created a new street named after the Polish poet Adam Asnyk; since 1946 it has been known as Akademika Bohomoltsia Street.
The street was developed between 1904 and 1908 according to a unified urban concept. Unlike the traditional continuous perimeter blocks common in Lviv, the new neighbourhood was arranged around a landscaped public square, following contemporary European “garden city” principles that promoted healthier living conditions with more light, fresh air, and green space. Most of the buildings, including House No. 6, were designed by the architectural bureau of Ivan Levynskyi. Today, the ensemble is regarded as one of the best-preserved Art Nouveau residential quarters in Lviv and an outstanding example of early modern urban planning.
Who Was the Owner?
The building was commissioned by Lviv entrepreneur Leon Stauber, who purchased the plot shortly after it had been subdivided. The project was developed by the architectural bureau of Ivan Levynskyi, the artistic design of the main façade was created by Tadeusz Obmiński, and the structural calculations were carried out by Kazimierz Teodorowicz. Construction was completed in 1906, and the building became an elegant rental apartment house. Today it is protected as a local architectural monument.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The three-storey apartment house is considered one of the finest examples of ornamental Art Nouveau in Lviv. Its asymmetrical façade is distinguished by elaborate floral stucco decoration, large windows, elegant wrought-iron balconies, flowing architectural lines, and a richly decorated entrance portal. The composition reflects the influence of Otto Wagner’s Viennese school of architecture, which shaped much of Central European modern architecture at the beginning of the twentieth century. The building was also equipped from the outset with electricity, running water, and a modern sewage system.
Interesting Facts
House No. 6 forms part of a unique ensemble of six Art Nouveau townhouses surrounding a landscaped square. The ensemble has survived almost intact and is considered one of the finest preserved Secession quarters in Lviv. Although part of the ground floor was remodelled in 1936, many original interior features—including timber joinery, doors, and decorative finishes—have survived.
What Is It Used for Today?
Since 2004, most of the building has housed the Center for Urban History of East Central Europe, which includes research facilities, offices, a library, and accommodation for visiting scholars. Part of the building remains residential, allowing it to preserve its original function while continuing to play an important role in the cultural life of the city.
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