Lychakiv cemetery, Lviv, Ukraine. Description, the famous burials

Lviv is one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine, which apart from possessing the status of the cultural capital of the country is one of the objects of the world cultural heritage of UNESCO. This unique city is a real cultural treasury. A truly priceless pearl of this national and cultural heritage is Lychakiv Cemetery - one of the few ancient burials that have been preserved in Europe.

Historical details of origin

In the middle of the 14th century, the city of Lviv was dominated by the Polish king Casimir the Third. This affected the appearance of the city, which began to change rapidly. The urban infrastructure is expanding: there are taverns, prison institutions and, of course, cemeteries.

In the Middle Ages, it was considered the norm to bury the dead on consecrated ground - near temples. However, over time it became clear that this neighborhood is a lot of problems. Cemeteries, located in close proximity to residential areas, created many threats to people's lives. Therefore, the then Emperor Joseph II in 1783, it was decided to remove all the subhumans beyond the city limits.

The city of Lviv was divided into several parts and created four cemeteries. The residents of the fourth section and the center got one of the old cemeteries in Lychakiv.

The cemetery received its official status in 1786, but burials there were made earlier. According to historians, in the thirteenth century people who died during the plague epidemic were buried there.

Since the residents of the center were mainly urban nobility, it is not surprising that after a while the Lychakiv cemetery became the main necropolis of Lviv.

origin of name

Lychakiv cemetery became so called due to the area in which it was located. This part of Lviv was settled in the fifteenth century and was considered a suburb. Through these places in those far times passed caravans, which were sent to Constantinople. The road was called Glinyanskaya, as she led to the town of Glinyany. It took its origin from the gate of the monastery located here. However, part of the road was called Lychakovskaya due to the name of the local settlement.

Commenting on the origin of the name "Lychakov", historians to this day do not have a common opinion. Some believe that this is a distorted version of the German Lutzengof, derived from the German colonist Lutz, who once lived in these parts. Others adhere to the version that the basis for this name was the word "lychaki". In those days, the poorest inhabitants who wore wicker from a bast (the bark of a tree) called shoes.

The ancient name has got accustomed, and now except for a cemetery here so the area of Lvov, park, station and one of streets is named.

Lychakiv cemetery in the pre-revolutionary period

Since its official opening, this place immediately behind the scenes has received an elite status. The most famous people of Lviv tried to find their last shelter here: politicians, musicians, poets, representatives of the clergy, military leaders and just rich people. Actually, it was thanks to their efforts that the Lychakiv cemetery became more like a museum.

In 1856, local authorities decided to improve the territory. To this end, the well-known masters of garden art were invited: K. Bauer and T. Tkhuzhevsky. The masters transformed the cemetery, creating paths, alleys and lots of greenery. Now it has become more like a beautiful park, shading with its natural beauty the uniqueness of these places.

The unique popularity of the Lychakiv necropolis became so huge that it had to be expanded several times until it reached the current area of 42 hectares, covering 86 fields.

Later, from the gloomy realm of death, the renewed park was transformed into a blooming and luxurious garden in which one could walk and enjoy the beautiful creations of the masters Tadeusz Baronch and Leonard Marconi. A special place in the design of the necropolis belongs to the family of Shimzer, who gave Lviv two generations of sculptors: Anton and Johann, as well as their descendant Julian Markovsky, the author of the famous "Sleeping on the couch", which has already become a visiting card of the cemetery. There you can admire the famous mourners from Hartmann Whitwer, thanks to the talent of which this image of tombstone was established. Some of the sculptors are buried here.

Lychakiv Cemetery: legends

Crypts and tombs, tombstones, tombs that are here are not only reminders of the life of different people or entire families, but also tell a lot of stories.

One of them is the legend of Jozef Bachevsky, who, during his lifetime, took care of his last refuge. His family engaged in hot drinks and became famous for them all over the world. A special enterprise was shown by Jozef Adam, whose name is well known in this business sphere. He also approached his funeral in an original way, building a chapel in advance on the territory of the Lychakiv cemetery and ordering an interesting device. The mechanical funeral-robot not only delivered Juzef to the cemetery, but also put it himself in the coffin.

Another story is connected with an unusual tombstone. Here on either side of the bust of the remarkable doctor Yuzef Ivanovich, two of his dogs - Pluto and Nero - are located. True to his master and after his death, they remained with him in the cemetery. There are monuments with an interesting history that are inconspicuous by their modest decoration. For example, about the brave soldier of the army, Franciszek Zaremba, who, having escaped death in the war, lived a long life in 112 years.

A kind of visiting card Lychakivsky cemetery was a sculpture of a sleeping girl. This mysterious story is connected with this poetic tombstone. Pictured here, Jozef Markowska died in 1877.

Mysterious and sudden death caused a lot of sense. There are several versions. One of them says that Jozef was an actress and, getting used to the role, died right at the time of the premiere. The second - about the unhappy love of a girl who, after learning about the infidelity of her beloved, was poisoned. The third version is associated with the dead children of Jozef. The source of the fourth is the Polish source, which claims that a man is buried here - Stanislav Zborovsky.

Famous historical figures buried here

A lot of stories and legends today are associated with such a mysterious place as the Lychakiv cemetery. Who is buried here from famous personalities? Of course, among them the most famous figures of culture, science, art of Ukraine: the well-known composer, author of "Vodograi" and "Chervona Ruta" - Vladimir Ivasiuk; Poet, public figure Ivan Franko; Writers Osip Turyansky and Mikhail Rudnitsky; Scientists Vasily Levitsky and Maxim Music; Historian Isidor Sharanevich and others.

Also, besides compatriots, you can also see the graves of famous Poles who lived in Lviv: the author of wonderful children's fairy tales by Maria Konopnitskaya, the mathematician Stefan Banach, the artist Arthur Grottger, the world-famous surgeon - Louis Ridiger, Zygmunt Gorgolevsky - the author of the Lviv Opera House, and many others Figures of science and art.

Memorial complexes of the cemetery

Especially impressive are the vast territories of mass graves. Lychakiv cemetery (Lviv) contains several famous memorial complexes, which are known all over the world. There are several of them:

• Memorial dedicated to the dead soldiers of the Ukrainian National Army;
• The Field of Mars, where the burial places of almost four thousand Soviet soldiers are buried, which died here during the Great Patriotic War;
• Lviv "eaglets", a memorial dedicated to the young Poles militia who died here during the Ukrainian-Polish war;
• The hill of the rebels - in this place people who took part in the Polish uprising in 1863 are buried;
• Tombs where the sisters of the monastic order are buried.

Cemetery of Lviv "eaglets"

The problem of restoring this burial was discussed for a long time, since in the Soviet period (in 1971) it was practically destroyed. After Ukraine gained independence, the Polish authorities asked to create a memorial complex here, restoring the barbarously destroyed burial of the legendary Polish eaglets. So called the young Poles who took part in the defense of Lviv and fought here during the Polish-Ukrainian war. Another name for this burial is the cemetery of the defenders of Lviv.

In 2005, the memorial complex was finally restored, and a grand opening was held with the participation of the heads of state of Ukraine and Poland.

Planning the territory of the cemetery

The territory of the modern Lychakiv cemetery is huge, however, despite this, everything here is arranged competently and harmoniously. There is a stone fence with spire gates, which are connected by a wrought iron grate. Passing the fence, you can see nearby monuments and chapels that are located on the territory surrounding the entrance area and side alleys. The latter lead the guests into the deep greenery of the parks, concealing grave masterpieces. Further, having risen on a small elevation, they are connected to a large ring road, from which different avenues branch into different directions, penetrating into all corners of the cemetery.

Visit to the cemetery

Do not go here - it means not to see one of the amazing sights of the city. Moreover, since 1990 the Lychakiv Cemetery (Lviv) has received the status of a historical and cultural museum. As you know, it is better to visit such places with the help of a guide. The need for the presence of the latter is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the huge territory of the cemetery, which is difficult to get around in one day. Secondly, it will be possible to hear interesting life stories of people buried here.

The time of visiting the cemetery is from nine to seventeen. To fans of thrills the administration of the museum offers excursions at night.

Today, travel companies provide short-term tours to Lviv among their services. Acquaintance with its sights includes visits to theaters, museums, temples, as well as excursions to the Lychakiv Cemetery.

How to get there

Today the area of the Lychakiv cemetery covers 42 hectares of land, so it is not surprising that it is easy to get lost here. And even the inhabitants of Lviv can not boast of the fact that they are well-oriented in 86 fields, where the Lychakiv cemetery is now located. How to get to this interesting place, can tell residents of the city, who willingly respond to similar questions guests. You can get here by tram number 7 or 2, after reaching Mechnikov Street. Then you should go through the gates, erected here in 1875, and you will see several avenues in front of you. Here the tourist makes the choice himself: either to seek help from the administration and order an excursion, or to cope on their own using the Internet, maps and personal preferences.

Lychakiv cemetery is a kind of a city of the dead, which lives its own life. Like people, such places are born, grow and die. It is rare to find such an exception as this necropolis. Its history dates back more than two centuries, and the concentration of stories of destinies, legends and miracles sometimes seems simply incredible.