Formation of the Street
Slovatskoho Street is located in the central part of Lviv and is part of a historic quarter bounded by Kopernyka, Doroshenka, Bankivska, and Stefanyka streets. Formed in the second half of the 19th century, it became one of the city’s prestigious addresses, featuring elite tenement houses in Secession and Modernist styles.
Builders and Styles
The five-story building at 4 Slovatskoho Street was constructed in 1912–1913, designed by architect Józef Awin for owner Henryk Bard. The building is a striking example of Lviv’s post-Secession style, combining transformed classical motifs with elements of late Secession. The facade is adorned with reliefs by sculptor Zygmunt Kurczyński.
Who Was the Owner?
The original owner of the plot was Henryk Bard, who in 1912 obtained permission to demolish the old two-story building and construct a new tenement. After World War I, the building came into the possession of Herman Axelbrad, owner of a mill on Zhovkivska Street (now Khmelnytskoho, 88).
What Does the Building Look Like?
The building features a symmetrical facade with two prismatic bay windows, between which balconies are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The bay windows are topped with loggias on the 5th floor. The central part of the facade is crowned with a massive stylized pediment with an oval window. The entrance portal is decorated with paired columns and figures of putti on fantastical animals. The facade is adorned with reliefs depicting a mourning procession of nude figures with wreaths. The decor includes stylized classical elements: dentils, garlands, palmettes, volutes.
Interesting Facts
-
The construction utilized the latest technologies of the time: a metal frame, an elevator by the Viennese company “A. Freissler,” and a central heating system.
-
The ground floor housed four shops with goods storage areas.
-
Part of the commercial premises was rented by the firm “Adolf Pfützner and Sons,” which manufactured laboratory equipment.
What’s Here Now?
Today, the building is a multi-apartment residential house. The ground floor accommodates a café-pastry shop and a bank office
References
-
4 Slovatskoho Street – Residential Building | Interactive Lviv
-
State Archives of Lviv Region (DALO) 2/2/4288
-
Ihor Zhuk. Description of the building at 4 Slovatskoho Street