L'viv (Lemberg)

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L'viv (Lemberg)

Journey by train

On my first trip into the Ukraine, I met a nice couple which was on the way from Cracow - the old Polish capital - to Odessa in the south of the Ukraine.

After 5 hours stay at the Polish Ukrainian border with changing the chassis, because of the bigger gauge of the Ukrainian rail network, the trip now continued with breaking in the dark. We was only 5 passengers in the entire train. Just few minutes after departure of the border railway station of Przemysl we had a conversation. And hardly a half hour later, we touched with a classic 'na sta rowje' the cups with vodka. The proverbial hospitality and improvisation skills of the Russians were here expressed. Just in minutes was the blank table in the compartment, with plates and cups covered. I was invited to eat with evening. There were cold chicken with paprika, bread - and yes of course - vodka served.

In the meantime it growed dark already and the bald landscape passed at the window. We exchanged also our e-mail addresses.

The four hours trip passed like three hours - no miracle, I had forgotten a time changeover already again.

The dismissal went then, like so often, very quickly. When I getting out, one was still helpful to me and accompanied me up to the platform departure. The railway station was completely roofed and was dived in yellow orange light. Here it was very quietly, almost as after departure of the train the light would already be switched off.

Later then, as I went at the waiting room into the station hall, I saw how many people were so late in the evening at the railway station.

Uncommon was the height of the freight cars and also the locomotives seemed gigantically. The last time appeared me locomotives as big as I was a little child. Then, quickly some hints more and the final 'do swidanje' before the train was dispatched.

Photo Series
[11 Photos]

Change of the Running Gear in Przemysl

Map L'viv City

For orange marked points are photo series available on this site.

Further Maps

Google Map Ukraine in Ukraine

Map Upper Town, Podil, Pecers'k, Chrescatyk, Pan'kivscyna in City Kyjiw (Kiev)

Map Kiev Centre in City Kyjiw (Kiev)

ct.lviv.ua - Official Site

lvivtoday.com.ua - Newspaper

Weather service deactivated

Searching for a hotel

The changing of the money and the searching for a room afterwards took up approximately 75 minutes. Afterwards I had asked a passer-by for a fair price to the innercity, then I boarded into a 'private' taxi. I chose 5 hotels from my list which I steered. However they was either shamelessly expensive, a building site, not a hotel or does not exist.

The hotel that a taxi driver recommended to me, lay a little outside of L'viv and was directly attainable from the center with the streetcar. The room cost € 30.- approximately - and was so to speak 'first occupancy after renovation'. From the old restored parquet ground over comfortable chairs up to the SAT-TV was existing everything!

History

L'viv is named after the son Lev of the prince Danylo Romanovyc, which had erected a fortress for the defense against the Mongolians.

The city, that is mentioned authentically for the first time in the year 1256, got the Magdeburger freedom of the city adjuged 1356. Between 1387 and 1772 was L'viv under Polish reign.

After 1772 stood L'viv under the reign of the Habsburger. Within a century changed the province small town into a representative city. L'viv was after Vienna, Budapest and Prague the fourth biggest city of the Habsburger Monarchy.

1918, after the disintegration of the Habsburger Monarchy, L'viv was seat of the West Ukrainian People's Republic.

1919 already conquered Polish troops the city. Now L'viv belonged to Poland together with East Galicia until 1939 again.

In consequence of the Hitler-Stalin-Pact, East Galicia become part of the Soviet Union. Many Jews and also many Polish intellectuals was murdered. After the invasion of the German Troops was L'viv in the time 1941-44 the capital of the German District Galicia.

In L'viv had exist also a Jewish Ghetto. 136.000 Jews from L'viv became victims of the holocaust. This was almost the half of the living people in the city.

After the war began a time of intense building activity and industrialization under leadership of the Soviet. Thousands Ukrainians and Russians from the entire Soviet Union came to L'viv. Today lives more than 800.000 people in L'viv.

Photo Series
[33 Photos]

The L'viv's Innercity

Impressions

Still today in the streets of L'viv often you can see the old trucks with the lettering 'XLEB' for bread. They supplies the grocery stores several times daily.

The assortment of kinds of bread is by the way very big in the Ukraine, as well as the assortment of wines. With sausages dominate rather the hard smoked sausages and the types of salami. Cheese find one almost exclusively in form of Edamer and Gouda.

Potatoes are sold directly from the truck, fish swim in the bathtub - an expedition through the city brings surprises with itself again and again.

In regard to gastronomical flair, I was impressed of the Grand Hotels restaurant. Excellent menu, excellent wines, fashionable interior and charming service. Piano- as well as harp music included.

As alternative I can recommend the cafè and restaurant 'Vienna' across the street. My recommendation is not limited to the two restaurants however: in the streets around the town hall exist some other comfortable as well as remarkable pubs!

Tickets for the streetcar - here tramway named - buy you in the car directly. The conductor goes during the trip through the car and offers tickets about approximately € 0,15. No fear, they come to you, even if the tramway is crowded!

Some persons refuse to by a ticket.

By the way is a trip with the tramway or the bus a comfortable possibility to explore the city, which is much bigger than it seems at the first sight.