A 1971 Soviet postcard depicting one of Lviv’s most famous architectural landmarks — the Boim Chapel.
What is shown on the postcard
In the foreground of the postcard, a group of Soviet tourists (about 15 people) is seen observing the chapel’s facade. In the bottom-right corner, a part of a white car is visible. In the background on the left, there is a building with a Cyrillic shop sign “Трикотаж” (Knitwear) and pedestrians. The Boim Chapel itself is shown featuring its highly ornate stone-carved western facade and a green dome.
Historical note
The Boim Chapel was built in the early 17th century (1609–1615) as a burial vault for the merchant Boim family. It is an outstanding monument of Late Renaissance architecture, unique for its extremely rich decorative stone-carved facade depicting biblical scenes.
Present day
Today, the Boim Chapel is operated as a branch of the Borys Voznytsky Lviv National Art Gallery. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list as part of Lviv’s Historic Centre and is open to visitors during the summer season.
Location (map)
Address: Cathedral Square, 1, Lviv, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates: 49.840956, 24.031175
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Google Maps, coordinates of the Boim Chapel in Lviv.
Questions and answers
- What year was this postcard issued? The postcard was issued in 1971.
- What is depicted on the chapel’s facade? The facade features complex high-relief stone carvings depicting various biblical scenes.
- What is the current status of the chapel? The chapel is a branch of the Lviv National Art Gallery and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Lviv from 1971.
