Formation of the Street
Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street is one of Lviv’s oldest thoroughfares, formerly known as the Zhovkivska Road. Since the Middle Ages, it served as a trade route connecting Lviv to Zhovkva, Belz, and further north. By the 19th century, this district had developed into a dense urban-residential and industrial area, with factories, depots, and tenement housing.
The area near No. 9 was gradually transformed into a central urban zone, with early 20th-century buildings forming a continuous urban frontage.
About the Building at 9 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St.
Builders and Styles
The building was constructed in 1912–1913, designed by architect Alfred Piller, a representative of the rational Secession (Art Nouveau) movement in Lviv.
This is a three-story income house, with an asymmetrical façade, arched portal, vertical window lines, and decorative wrought-iron balconies. The stucco ornamentation includes stylized floral and geometric motifs — all typical of Piller’s work.
Who Was the Owner?
The building was commissioned by a private investor and intended for middle-class rental apartments. During the interwar period, it was home to civil servants and teachers. After 1939, the house was nationalized, and today, most units are privately owned.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The façade features arched entrances, vertical bay windows, iron balconies, and a restrained Art Nouveau decor. The building reflects early 20th-century urban modernism, with functional layouts and elegant styling.
Interior elements such as terrazzo flooring, wrought-iron railings, and wooden doors may still be preserved.
Interesting Facts
-
Alfred Piller designed several other apartment houses in Lviv in the Secession style.
-
This house illustrates the transition from ornamental to rational modernism in Lviv’s early 20th-century architecture.
-
Located at the boundary between the old artisan district and the growing modern city center.
What Is There Now?
The house remains a residential building, with ground-floor commercial premises.
Bibliography
-
Biriulow J. Architecture of Lviv: Secession Period
-
Melnyk I. Lviv: Architectural Mosaic
-
Vuytsyk V. Architecture of Lviv