Villa of Jan Zubrzycki
Address: 29 Ivan Kotliarevskyi Street, Lviv
1. Formation of the Street
Ivan Kotliarevskyi Street belongs to the historic Kastelivka district — one of the first planned villa neighborhoods of Lviv. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during a period of rapid urban growth when the city began expanding beyond its medieval core.
Kastelivka was conceived as a “garden city”, a concept that combined comfort and aesthetics: private houses surrounded by greenery, with gardens, low fences, and quiet lanes. The district attracted architects, professors, and artists — the local elite of the Austro-Hungarian period.
It was in this environment that, in 1891–1892, the villa at what is now 29 Kotliarevskyi Street was built — a refined example of late historicist architecture adapted to the suburban, garden-like setting of the area.
2. Architects and Style
The villa was designed by two of Lviv’s most prominent architects — Julian Zachariewicz and Ivan Levynskyi, whose work defined the architectural character of the city at the turn of the 20th century.
The building was executed in the late historicist style with elements of Neo-Renaissance. Its balanced proportions, symmetry, and restrained decorative motifs reflect the refined taste of the era. At the same time, the architects gave the villa an intimate, human scale typical of private suburban residences.
Special attention was paid to the landscaping: the villa was meant to blend harmoniously with its garden surroundings, demonstrating how architecture and nature were intertwined in the design philosophy of the period.
3. Who Was the Owner?
Originally, the house was built as a private family residence — one of the early villas of the Kastelivka district.
In 1913, it became the property of Jan Zubrzycki, a well-known Polish architect, theorist, and professor who lived and worked in Lviv. Under his ownership, the villa may have been adapted or slightly redesigned to match the evolving architectural tastes of the early 20th century.
4. What Does the Building Look Like?
The villa’s façade displays the symmetry and harmony typical of late historicism: a central projection topped with a modest gable and flanked by two wings. The broad eaves and gentle roof slopes create an impression of lightness and proportion.
In the decorative details, one can discern Renaissance and Classical influences, but with subtle hints of the emerging Secession (Art Nouveau) style — especially in the plasticity of window frames and the rhythm of façade elements.
Set back from the street and surrounded by greenery, the villa maintains its original garden setting, one of the defining features of the Kastelivka concept of a “garden suburb.”
5. What Is There Now?
Today, the villa of Jan Zubrzycki remains a residential building. It has preserved its original spatial composition, architectural features, and overall integrity. The house is included in the Register of Local Architectural Monuments (protection number 1270-m).
Despite the passage of time and changes of ownership, the building continues to convey the spirit of its age — an era when architecture in Lviv balanced function, beauty, and craftsmanship.