Formation of the Street
Kotliarevskyi Street in Lviv, located in the Frankivskyi District, has a rich history and architectural heritage. It was originally named “Na Villakh” (“At the Villas”), reflecting the nature of its development — villas surrounded by gardens. In 1895, the street was renamed in honor of Ludwik Nabielak, a Polish poet and political figure. During the German occupation, starting in May 1942, it was given the name “Schillergasse” in honor of the German poet Friedrich Schiller. In July 1944, the name Nabielak was restored, and since 1946, the street has borne the name of Ivan Kotliarevsky, a renowned Ukrainian writer and poet.
Architects and Style
The building at 49 Kotliarevskyi Street — the former villa “Ludmila” — was built in 1908 by the firm of Ivan Levynskyi for Antoni and Ludmila Bobrikh. The villa is situated on a central street in Lviv’s prestigious Kastelivka district, between today’s streets of General Chuprynka, Horbachevskoho, Kastelivka, and Kolberha. The building stands out due to its refined Art Nouveau (Secession) design, notably the stylish inscription “LUDMILA” on its eastern façade.
Ownership History
With the arrival of Soviet occupation authorities, the house at 49 Kotliarevskyi Street was populated with new tenants. On the second floor of villa “Ludmila,” military personnel were settled, and after they were moved out in the 1950s, the villa was converted into a communal apartment. The wooden outbuilding on the western side of the villa was dismantled, and garages were built in the rear part of the property.
What Does the House Look Like?
The villa is a two-story brick and plastered building with a basement level, consisting of two unequal volumes: the main residential section under a high roof, and a narrow wing housing the staircase and servants’ quarters. The facades feature refined Art Nouveau details — pilasters adorned with wreaths, friezes with rings and waves, profiled cornices, ornamental panels above and below the windows, and Art Nouveau-style window frames. The eastern façade is especially notable for the inscription “LUDMILA,” highlighting the villa’s name, and the varied height of its sections, reflecting their different interior functions.
The main entrance is through a veranda with exterior stairs and a terrace, framed by Art Nouveau wrought-iron railings. The staircase interior has been preserved in its original design: wooden stairs on a stringer with wrought-iron railings and an ornamental tiled vestibule. The rooms still retain original ceramic stoves from Hlynsk. The building is a characteristic example of early 20th-century romantic villa architecture in Lviv’s Secession style.
What’s There Now?
Today, the residents of the building have established a homeowners’ association (OSBB) called “Kotliarevskyi, 49.” Initial restoration works have been carried out, including repairs to the terrace, restoration of the entrance doors, and renovation of the residential section of the basement.
Sources:
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Biryulov, Yu. The Zachariewicz Family — Creators of Metropolitan Lviv (Lviv: Center of Europe, 2010).
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Dorosh, A. Yu. Walks Not Without Pleasure and with Morals: A Guidebook (Lviv, 2008), pp. 111–113.
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Melnyk, B. V. Directory of Renamed Streets and Squares of Lviv (Lviv: Svit, 2001).
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Noha, O. Ivan Levynskyi: Architect, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist (Lviv: Center of Europe, 2009), p. 192.