Formation of the Street
Akademika Bohomoltsia Street in Lviv developed as part of the villa district in the Novyi Svit area, which was actively built up in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This area originally belonged to the suburb known as Novyi Svit, which began to grow in the second half of the 19th century, as Lviv expanded beyond its historical core.
Initially, the street was named Ferdynanda Street, in honor of Emperor Ferdinand I. During the interwar period, it was known as Stefana Batorego Street. After World War II, it was renamed after Academician Oleksandr Bohomolets — a prominent Ukrainian scientist and pathophysiologist, President of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR.
Bohomoltsia Street was planned as part of an elite residential area intended for members of the intelligentsia, university professors, wealthy entrepreneurs, and civil servants. The street is dominated by villa-style buildings in Art Nouveau, Historicism, and early Functionalism styles.
Its route follows the natural terrain: it runs east to west with a soft curve, giving it a cozy and intimate character. Spatially, it connects the modern streets of General Chuprynky, Konovaltsia, and Kotliarevskoho, forming an important inner-block link.
Today, the street preserves its historic ambiance and holds protected status as part of Lviv’s architectural heritage.
Builders and Style
The building was constructed in 1907–1908 based on a design by architect Julian Cybulski, commissioned by Dr. Józef Gratzka. Architecturally, the house combines elements of Historicism and Art Nouveau, typical for tenement houses of the early 20th century. The façade features decorative elements, including a corner bay window (oriel) and stucco ornamentation.
Who Was the Owner?
The original owner was Dr. Józef Gratzka, who lived here with his wife Janina and ran a medical practice in the building. In the 1930s, one of the residents was the well-known Lviv cinema entrepreneur Joachim Schall.
As of 2014, the building housed the Honorary Consulate of the United Mexican States and a travel agency office.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The building is a three-story structure located on the corner of Bohomoltsia and Klyonovycha Streets. The façade is adorned with a corner bay window, topped by a decorative gable. The entrance portal features Art Nouveau-style ironwork, and the interior retains original stucco decorations and tiled flooring.
Interesting Facts
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The building was designed with connections to the city’s water, sewage, and electricity networks, which was innovative at the time.
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In the 1930s, it was home to Joachim Schall, owner of several Lviv cinemas, including Grazyna, Atlantic, and Sztuka.
What’s There Now?
As of 2014, in addition to residential apartments, the building housed the Honorary Consulate of the United Mexican States and a travel agency office.
Sources
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State Archive of the Lviv Region (DALO) 2/1/133: 1–2, 10
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Informator Lwowski, 1932
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Address Book of the Royal Capital City of Lviv, 1914
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Jakub Lewicki, Between Tradition and Modernity: Architecture of Lviv in the Years 1893–1918 (Warsaw: Society for the Protection of Monuments, Neriton Publishing, 2005), pp. 258–260
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Directory of the Royal Capital City of Lviv (Lemberg, 1910)
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Directory of the Royal Capital City of Lviv (Lwów, 1920)
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List of Buildings in the City of Lviv, Address Book of Lesser Poland (Lviv, Stanisławów, Tarnopol, Yearbook 1935/1936), vol. 2