Vul. Lystopadovoho Chynu, 03 – residential building

ID: 2429

This large residential townhouse is an integral component in the housing of the Galician Sejm (Diet) block. It was built in 1896-1897 under a project designed by architect Julian Cybulski. The building is an architectural monument of late Historicism; Baroque and Mannerist motifs were stylized in its décor. Now the house is used chiefly as a residential apartment building; some ground floor premises, which can be entered from the street, are rented by a bank and by a boutique shop; there are also several offices in the wing.

History

In the second half of the 19^th century on the north side of the block, now centered around the main building of the Lviv National Ivan Franko University (the former Galician Sejm building), there was a plot under conscription number 586 2/4 bordering Svyatoho Yura (later Mickiewicza, now Lystopadovoho Chynu) street. As of the 1850s-1860s, there was an old L-shaped in plan house on this parcel; the western part of the parcel was occupied by a garden. It is known that around 1862 it was owned by Josef Kolischer (DALO 2/02/1219: 42).

In 1866 Józef Wiedeń, a constructor, was commissioned by Kolischer to make a considerable rearrangement: the main building was rebuilt, wings were renovated and added; altogether, three reconstructions were carried out (DALO 2/2/1219: 45; 2/2/1220: 64, 77).

A few years later Josef Kolischer sold his real estate number 586 2/4 to count Mieczysław Przeździecki; the contract was signed on 3 January 1872 (DALO 2/2/1219: 29). However, as early as 1873 the next owner’s name, Stanisław Brykczyński, appears in archival documents (DALO 2/2/1219: 25). In 1876 a stable and an apartment for the caretaker were added in the depth of the plot (DALO 2/2/1219: 47). At that time the plot’s area was decreased as its southern part was attached to the territory of the future Sejm building.

Since the plot was located in a prestigious area, within the Sejm block and just in front of the casino for nobility, its old buildings were dismantled completely within 20 years. The new owners initiated the construction of two large residential buildings, the twin houses number 3 and 5 on Mickiewicza street, meant for élite tenants.

The house number 3 became owned by Tadeusz Sołowij, a well known Lviv lawyer; the house number 5 belonged to Karol Zenowicz. The projects of these two buildings were designed by architect Julian Cybulski. The corresponding plans were approved by the Magistrate resolution dated 10 June 1896 (DALO 2/2/1219: 46; 2/2/1222: 13). On 28 September 1897 the completion of the construction works was certified by the Magistrate commission (DALO 2/2/1219: 43).

Tadeusz Sołowij owned the house number 3 on Mickiewicza street till 10 March 1908. Under a contract of sale, concluded on that day, the building became the property of the Provincial Department, the Galician Sejm executive body, which turned it over to the Provincial Bank (DALO 2/2/1219: 9). The house continued to function as a residential one.

After the First World War the townhouse on Mickiewicza street 3 (along with other Provincial Bank’s property) was inherited by the Regional Economy Bank of Poland. In 1929 constructor Andrzej Szymański reconstructed the second and third floors premises, arranged a garage on the ground floor and divided the courtyard in half by a wall (the houses number 3 and 5 had a common courtyard till then) (DALO 2/2/1220: 59, 60). In 1931-1932 another reconstruction was carried out to rearrange the apartments and to replace wooden bridgings between the floors with reinforced concrete ones; the project was designed by constructor Antoni Mokrzycki (DALO 02/02/1219: 1; 02.02.1222: 18).

Now the house number 3 on Lystopadovoho Chynu street is used chiefly as a residential apartment building. Some ground floor premises, which can be entered from the street, are rented by a bank and by a boutique shop. Several offices have also been arranged in the wing; they can be accessed from the courtyard.

Architecture

The building occupies a rectangular plot included in a dense housing area on the north-west side of the University block. It borders on the north wing of the Lviv National Ivan Franko University main building (Universytetska street 1) and on the building of the Lviv National University of Physical Culture (Kostiushka street 11).

The four-storied townhouse forms an integral unit with the neighbouring house number 5 on Lystopadovoho Chynu street. The two buildings, number 3 and 5, which were owned by Sołowij and Zenowicz respectively, are "twins": their façades and interior layouts are reproduced in mirror image. The symmetrical main façade, which is common to both the houses, is constructed along the street regulatory line. Its left half (7 window axes) belongs to the house number 3.

On the façade’s left side, there is a three-window wide slightly protruded wall section and a bay window; on its right side, there is a portal with a passageway leading to the courtyard. A wide balcony can be seen on the second floor; there is another, more narrow balcony on the third floor, as well as windows with triangular pediments and shelf cornices. The second floor window openings are segmental. The entrance gate and all the windows have trimmings.

The lower tiers of the façade, which is divided horizontally by a narrow cornice, are decorated with banded rustication. Their upper ones are partially covered with unplastered facing bricks. The cornice has modillions, denticles and egg-and-dart ornaments. A high "French" roof used to have picturesque lucarnes and a hip construction over the protruded wall section (these parts have not survived).

The building consists of a front part, whose street façade is oriented toward the north-west, and an L-shaped wing going round the courtyard. The front staircase, whose block projects on the rear façade, can be entered from a passage leading from the street to the courtyard. Another staircase is arranged between the wing’s tracts. The courtyard façades have no decoration; they are encircled by a balcony gallery at the upper floor level.

The townhouse’s front part contains two tracts of premises on each floor; the premises are connected by corridors; the enfilade principle is also used. According to the original project designed by Julian Cybulski, two large apartments were to be arranged on floors 1-3, as well as a stable and a cart shed in the wing. Subsequently the house’s residential premises were rearranged; a part of the ground floor premises were adapted for offices and commercial enterprises; a garage was arranged in the courtyard.

The house is an architectural monument of late Historicism; Baroque and Mannerist motifs were stylized in its décor (Baroque cartouches on the front façade are its characteristic features). It has many details worthy of attention. Among them are like balcony consoles with chimera masks on the second floor; and a lion mascaron with a cartouche, where the date of the construction completion, "1897", can be seen (between the third and the fourth floors); and skillful forged decorations.

Personalities

Andrzej Szymański — a constructor who managed the reconstruction of some residential premises on the 2^nd and 3^rd floor of the townhouse, arranged a garage on the ground floor and divided the courtyard by a wall into two halves
Antoni Mokrzycki—a constructor who designed a reconstruction project which was carried out in 1931-1932. Some residential premises were rearranged, wooden floors were replaced by reinforced concrete ones
Joseph Kolischer – owner of the building plot 586 2/4 from the 1850s till 1872. An old house was located here, which was reconstructed three times during this time.
Karol Zenowicz– owner of the building on Mickiewicz str.
Mieczysław Przeździecki – count, owner of the real estate 586 2/4 in 1872 Stanisław Brykczyński – owner of the real estate 586 2/4 in 1873-1876. He commissioned a construction of a horse stable and a caretaker's room
Tadeusz Sołowij – a famous Lviv lawyer, owner of the building before 1908
Józef Wiedeń – a constructor commissioned by Joseph Kolischer to reconstruct the old building located here, to attach new wings, and to repair the existing ones in 1866
Julian Cybulski – architect who designed two twin buildings on ul. Mickiewicza 3 and 5 (today vul. Lystopadovoho Chynu)

Sources

1.     State Archive of Lviv Oblast (DALO) 2/2/1219.
2.     DALO 2/2/1220.
3.     DALO 2/2/1222.

Material compiled by Ihor Zhuk