Attractions of Zhovkva

The majestic church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary of the Dominican monastery was built in Zhovkva in 1655 at the expense of Sofiya Teofila Sobeska, who owned the city at the time - the mother of the future Polish king Yan III Sobeskyi.

The Catholic church in the early baroque style was built on the site of the wooden church of the Virgin Mary. The monastery is surrounded by high defensive walls with a round corner tower, which was part of the system of city fortifications. In the 18th century, the complex was supplemented with monastic cells.

Sofiya Teofila Sobeska is buried in the church, as well as one of her sons, Mark - the brother of King Yan III Sobeskyi, who died near Batoh in 1652. The allegorical tombstones of the work of the German sculptor Andreas Schlueter have been preserved.

During the Austrian rule, part of the premises of the monastery were taken away, and during the Soviet times the temple was closed.

In 1995, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was rededicated as the Greek Catholic Church of the Holy Martyr Josaphat, and the Zhovkva-Sokal diocesan administration of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was located in the monastery.

The wooden church of the Holy Trinity in Zhovkva is an outstanding work of Halician folk architecture.

Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in the category "Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Region of Ukraine".

Inside is a unique iconostasis made by local craftsmen (beginning of the 17th century) with 50 icons.

In the 1970s, the Trinity Church was restored, and in the 1990s, it was handed over to the Greek-Catholic community of the city.

The Basilian Monastery of the Nativity of Christ with the rich Baroque Church of the Sacred Heart of Christ was built in Zhovkva in 1612 on the site of the wooden Basilian Church.

The first abbot was Metropolitan Dosytheus, buried in the crypt under the church. Initially, the complex was built in the Renaissance style and had a defensive character. The reconstruction carried out in 1905 completely changed its appearance. The Renaissance carved white stone southern portal has been preserved since the 17th century.

The wonderful iconostasis of the work of the famous master Ivan Rutkovich is now kept in the National Museum named after Andrey Sheptytskyi in Lviv. Modernist wall paintings of 1911-1939 have been preserved in the interior. the works of Yulian Butsmanyuk, which, in particular, depict figures of the Ukrainian People's Republic of Ukraine and the West Ukrainian People's Republic. The portrait of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytskyi can be guessed in the image of Savaof.

The relics of Saint Parthenius are kept in the Church of the Heart of Christ.

The Neo-Renaissance-style Zhovkva City Hall is part of the Rynok Square ensemble.

The first city hall in Zhovkva was built by architect Peter Beber in 1687. A sundial and a sample arshin were placed on its walls. The old building was dismantled in 1832 due to its state of disrepair, and for a whole century the magistrate sat in the castle.

The current city hall was built in 1932. It was built according to the competitive project of the architect Bronislav Viktor on the site of the former barracks and casemates.

In pre-war times, the city trumpeter played the tune "heynal" at noon from the clock tower. Now, at noon, the bells of the clock play a part of the national anthem of Ukraine.

In the tower of the city hall there is a historical and local lore exposition "Museum "Zhovkva Tower" with access to the observation deck.

The Zhovkva Synagogue is an original and well-known religious building in the Renaissance style with Baroque elements, which was part of the system of city fortifications. The synagogue was adjoined by the city walls and the Jewish Gate, and it itself could have been a powerful defensive tower.

It was built in 1698 with the assistance of King Yan III Sobesky on the site of a burnt wooden synagogue.

In 1941, the ceiling and interior were destroyed by an explosion.

Until the early 1990s, the building was used as a warehouse. Restoration is currently underway, and the opening of the Jewish Center of Galicia is planned.

The architectural ensemble of Rynok (Vicheva) Square in the Renaissance style creates a surprisingly harmonious medieval atmosphere of the "ideal city" in Zhovkva.

The general planning and projects of the main buildings were developed by the architect of Italian origin Pavlo Shchaslyvy. Among them, the Zhovkva Castle and the Church of Saint Lawrence dominate. The Zvirinetsky Gate (XVII century) leads to the castle park. The town hall (XVII-XX centuries) rises between the castle and Hlynska Brama. On the northwestern side is the Basilian Monastery of the Nativity of Christ (XVII century). The square is surrounded by Renaissance buildings with arcaded galleries, in which cafes and shops are located.

Since 1994, the central part of the city has the status of a historical and architectural reserve, restoration work continues.

The majestic Saint Lawrence Church in Zhovkva was built at the beginning of the 17th century according to the project of the architect Pavlo Shchaslyvy.

Conceived as the main temple of the city, the tomb of the Zholkevsky family and a pantheon of knightly glory. The founder of the city, the crown hetman, Stanislav Zholkevskyi, a Lviv castelian, his wife and son, as well as the Danylovych family and Jakub Sobesky (father of King Yan Sobesky), are buried in the dungeon, which is why the Poles call the church "Little Wawel".

In the interior, there are preserved marble tombstones with sculptures by Voytsekh Zychlyvy: male figures in knightly armor, female figures in traditional long dresses. Also, the interiors were decorated with picturesque canvases of the 17th century: "Battle of Vienna", "Battle of Khotyn", "Battle of Kalushyn" (now they are in Olesko Castle). The Renaissance portal is decorated with images of saints, on the pediment there is a sculpture of Michael the Archangel.

Near the church is a late Renaissance belfry, built in the 16th century as a defensive tower. The preserved part of the city wall is adjacent to it.

During Soviet times, the Church of Saint Lawrence was closed, but now it has been returned to the Catholic parish, restored by Polish specialists.

Zhovkva Castle is an outstanding architectural monument of the Renaissance, the main element of the fortification system of the "ideal city" of Zhovkva.

Construction began in 1594 by the city's founder Stanislav Zholkevsskyi, the author of the first project was Pavlo Shchaslyvy. The castle is quadrangular, with towers located at the corners, connected by covered galleries with two-story buildings. The entrance with the Serlian portal is fortified by a four-story tower. In the courtyard there is a palace and office premises. In 1606, the "Zvirynets" garden was built, in which bison, deer and fallow deer were bred for hunting.

At the end of the 17th century, Zhovkva Castle was the summer residence of the Polish king Yan III Sobesky, and became one of the richest royal palaces in Europe (in 1676, celebrations were held here in honor of Sobesky's victory over the Turks near Vienna). Hetman Ivan Mazepa and Tsar Peter I stayed in the palace. Later, the castle became the property of the city.

Until recently, various municipal institutions, a school and even residential apartments were located here. Currently, a State Historical and Architectural Reserve has been created, a tourist information center and a small museum with an exposition dedicated to the history of the city have been opened. The central facade has been restored, and restoration work continues inside.