| Page Views: 1,106 Last Visit to Zhovkva: June, 2007 | Zhovka, an "Ideal Renaissance City" by om_212 - last update: Aug 21, 2007 |
Vynnyky, Zólkiew, Nestorov and Zhovka | clearing up: angel on the St. Lawrence Cathedral |
Zhovkva is a little town just 25 km to the north of Lviv with population around 13,000. it's hard to believe that this city once had been the center of the cultural and political life. nevertheless, Zhovkva happened to preserve around 40 architectural monuments, witnesses of city's once glorious past.
Some historical milestones:
1242 - the first written mentioning of the town, then called Vynnyky (tr. Wine area). the area has been inhabited by wine-makers, who had active trade with Lviv. (note, that the first written mentioning of Lviv was 14 years later).
1598 - Polish getman Zolkiewski, who was presented Vynnyky for his outstanding military deeds, renames it after his name - Zólkiew. the building of the "ideal city" starts. (Apparently, Zolkiewski, like Leonardo da Vinci, believed that a city built according to the “ideal city model” would have ideal life :)
1604 - Zhovka receives Magdeburg Right
1678 - Zhovkva becomes the favorite residence of Polish King Jan III Sobieski
1706 - Peter the Great spends quite some time in Zhovka, where he develops the strategic plan to defeat Karl XII
1951-1991 - the town is renamed to Nesterov, to commemorate a Soviet pilot Pavlo Nesterov, first to perform a "dead loop" during the IIWW, who died in a "ram attack" not far from Zhovkva
1991 - the city regains its historical name Zhovkva |
| the new city "architects" |
|  | the ideal and happy city? the "ideal city" has been built by an Italian architect Petro Schaslyvyi (trans. Peter, the Happy). allegedly, if you look on the city from the air, it has a shape of a snow-flake.
one can only speculate whether the architect name had a magic influence on the city atmosphere, but here, in Zhovkva, people do look carefree and happy. |
How did I finally get to Zhovkva Despite the fact that I used to live in the area for eight years, I haven't traveled been to Zhovkva. My knowledge was limited to two facts: Zhovka is a historical place, and in 2004 the city celebrated 400 years since Magdeburg Right was granted. may be I would never visited this place if it has been for yumyum and Horscheck. a big thank you to both of you for picking up my curiosity. | | | extremely "curious" person ;) |
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| Pros: | "historical place with splendid architecture" | | Cons: | "deteriorate state of monuments, undeveloped infrastructure" |
om_212's Zhovkva Travel Tips
 om_212's Zhovkva Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for om_212 about Zhovkva | | | | |
frankyboy5 Sun Sep 27, 2009 20:29 UTC
I think your pages are one of the best on the VT! | OilandSun Sat Sep 5, 2009 19:04 UTC
Thank you for all of the wonderful comments. How did you learn so much about Zhovkva? We are leaving for Kiev on 9-9-9 & will be touring UA till 10-2-9. Again thanks. | SLLiew Tue Aug 14, 2007 09:37 UTC
Fascinating architecture of cathedrals, monastries and historic buildings of Zhovkva. Enjoyed your detailed tips. | lotharlerch Mon Aug 13, 2007 20:09 UTC
A great page which recalls nice memories of a daytrip from L'viv. I was less lucky with the weather than you. |
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