Formation of the Street
Yosafata Kotsylovskoho Street is located in Lviv’s Lychakivskyi District, in the historic Pohulianka area. The street emerged in the early 20th century during the city’s expansion eastward, toward Stryiskyi Park, Pohulianka, and the Vynnyky route.
In the 19th century, Pohulianka was a wooded recreational zone, favored by locals for walks and spring outings — its name comes from the Ukrainian word “to stroll.” At the turn of the 20th century, the area was developed with villas, private residences, and tenement houses.
The street was laid as part of the urban regulation near modern-day Levytskoho Street. Its name changed multiple times: Stefanikgasse (1943), Torosevycha (1944), Matyushenka (1945), and since 1992 — Kotsylovskoho, in honor of Blessed Bishop Yosafat Kotsylovsky, a martyr of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church under Stalin’s regime.
The built environment features a mix of interwar Polish modernism and post-war Soviet architecture, with a number of outstanding sculpturally adorned façades surviving to this day.
Builders and Styles
Building No. 15 was erected in 1911 by architects Henryk Zaremba and Julian Pinkerfeld. It is stylistically transitional between Neoclassicism and Art Nouveau. The facade features five allegorical bas-reliefs sculpted by Tadeusz Błotnicki, representing the themes of “Transport,” “Labor and Art,” “Ancient Civilizations,” “Prometheus,” and “Muses.”
Who Was the Owner?
There is no detailed public information about the original owner of Building No. 15. It was likely built as a profitable tenement for middle-class residents.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The building is five stories tall with a symmetrical façade. A central oriel anchors the structure, and the bas-reliefs are set into the second and third floors. The windows are large and rectangular, framed with molded surrounds. The balconies have wrought-iron railings, and the main entrance features stucco details. Much of the façade has retained its original appearance.
Interesting Facts
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One bas-relief depicts a railway worker, driver, and pilot — symbols of technological progress in the early 20th century.
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The building is one of Lviv’s finest examples of the synthesis between architecture and monumental sculpture in residential design.
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Sculptor Tadeusz Błotnicki was a student of Cyprian Godebski, a notable Polish sculptor of the era.
What Is There Now?
The building remains residential, with privately owned apartments. Some spaces have been adapted for offices or studios.
Bibliography
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Encyclopedia of Lviv. Vol. 2.
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Architecture of Lviv: Time and Styles. XIII–XXI centuries. — Lviv, 2008.
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Melnyk I. Lviv Streets and Tenement Houses. — Lviv, 2008.
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Sculpture on Lviv’s Façades.
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History of Pohulianka: An Urban Landscape.