Development of the Street
Present-day Yevhen Konovalets Street began to take shape in the late nineteenth century on the former suburban area known as Baiky. Before urban development, the area consisted mainly of gardens, orchards, and private estates. Intensive construction began in the early twentieth century following Lviv’s urban expansion plans. The street soon became one of the city’s most prestigious residential districts, lined with elegant villas and apartment houses commissioned by architects, professors, entrepreneurs, and members of the city’s intellectual elite. It was in this setting that architect Mykhailo Makovych built his own villa—one of the finest examples of Lviv Art Nouveau residential architecture.
Who Was the Owner?
The villa was constructed in 1904–1905 as the private residence of Lviv architect and sculptor Mykhailo Makovych. The design was created in collaboration with architect Stanisław Dec, while Makovych himself executed the sculptural decoration. The building served as both his home and a showcase of his artistic approach to Secession architecture. Today it is protected as a local architectural monument and is listed in the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine.
Architectural Features
The villa is a single-storey brick building set on a high basement, with a mezzanine and attic, following an asymmetrical floor plan characteristic of the Art Nouveau movement.
Its façades are distinguished by exceptionally rich sculptural decoration. The most striking features are the large expressive mascarons, elaborate stucco window surrounds decorated with sunflower motifs, flowing floral ornamentation, and finely crafted wrought-iron balcony and fence details. The harmonious combination of sculpture, metalwork, and organic decoration makes the villa one of the most remarkable Secession residences in Lviv.
Interesting Facts
- The villa was designed and built by Mykhailo Makovych for his own family, allowing him complete artistic freedom in its design.
- It is especially famous for its oversized mascarons, which have become one of the building’s defining architectural features.
- During the twenty-first century, the villa underwent restoration that preserved and revived much of its original Art Nouveau decoration.
- In 2017–2018, the City of Lviv offered part of the building for sale while maintaining its protected heritage status.
What Is Here Today?
The villa remains a protected architectural monument and continues to serve primarily residential and administrative functions. Following careful restoration, it is regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of Lviv’s early twentieth-century Art Nouveau villas and is a prominent stop on the city’s Secession heritage route.
Sources and Literature:
- State Archive of the Lviv Region (DALO), F. 2, Op. 2, File 1228.
- Melnyk I., Lviv Streets and Houses, Walls, Corners, Suburbs, and Other Features of the Royal Capital of Galicia, Lviv: Center of Europe, 2008.
- Lemko Ilko, Mykhalyk V., Beglyarov H., 1243 Streets of Lviv (1939-2009), Lviv: Apriori, 2009.
- Melnyk B., A Guide to Street and Square Renaming in Lviv, XIII-XX Centuries, Lviv: Svit, 2001.
- Architecture of Lviv: Time and Styles, XIII-XXI Centuries, edited by Yuriy Biryulov, Bohdan Cherkes, Mykola Bevz, A. Rudnytsky, Center of Europe, Lviv, 2008.
- Oleska Novakivskyi Museum, 11 Lystopadovoho Chynu Street