This color postcard from 1970 shows the fountain on Adam Mickiewicz Square in Lviv, capturing the appearance of this iconic urban space during the Soviet era.
What is shown on the postcard
The image depicts a circular fountain with a multi-tiered bowl in the center, enclosed by a low decorative metal fence and a flowerbed with red flowers. Passersby, including adults and children in summer attire from the 1970s, stand around the perimeter. In the background, neatly trimmed decorative trees, the silhouette of the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, and the facades of historical buildings on the square are visible.
Historical note
Adam Mickiewicz Square (formerly Mariacka Square) was historically adorned with a well featuring a statue of the Virgin Mary, erected in the 19th century. In 1950, Soviet authorities dismantled and relocated the original sculpture. In its place, they built a classical Soviet fountain with bowls, which is captured in this 1970 postcard.
Present day
In 1997, a copy of the historic Virgin Mary statue was installed on the square, restoring the fountain’s original sacred and architectural character. The original sculpture is now kept in the Church of St. Andrew. The square remains one of Lviv’s central landmarks.
Location (map)
Address: Mickiewicz Square, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates: 49.839700, 24.030100
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of Adam Mickiewicz Square in Lviv.
Questions and answers
- What statue stood here before the Soviet period? Until 1950, the site featured a statue of the Virgin Mary, which was replaced in the Soviet era by the bowl assembly shown on the postcard.
- What is visible in the background of the postcard? The background shows the silhouette of the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, neatly trimmed trees, and the facades of surrounding historical buildings.
- How does the fountain look today? In 1997, the fountain was reconstructed, and a replica of the historic Virgin Mary statue was restored to its central position.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Lviv from 1970.
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