The main building of the Forestry Institute is a Gem of the Ukrainian Secession

The rapid development of the royal capital of Lviv at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries did not escape the progress of the large Ukrainian community. Construction and education were the fields in which Lviv Rusyns, at the beginning of the new century, went hand in hand with the peoples of the multinational empire. There is an architectural monument in Lviv that harmoniously combines these fields and is one of the most striking in Ukraine. This is the former gymnasium and bursa of the Russian (Ukrainian) Pedagogical Society, which was named after Cardinal Sylvester Sembratovych., now the main building of the National Forestry University, and one of the most beautiful buildings in the style of the Ukrainian modernism. It was built over 100 years ago by the Levynskyi construction company on Potocki str.(later Pushkin str., now General Chuprynky str.).

Today, as we contemplate the architectural perfection and majesty of this building, we remember with gratitude that it was built, as the periodicals of the time wrote, "by the donations of an entire nation". Ukrainian workers did not hesitate to spend their hard-earned money for the building, which was to be used for the training teachers for rural schools... The first 14,000 crowns were donated by Cardinal S. Sembratovych on behalf of the Greek Catholic Consistory. The benefactors later included such prominent figures as Dr Stepan Fedak and the famous singer Oleksandr Myshuga. The building committee was headed by O. Chapelsky and Dr O. Makarushka. Thanks to the charitable activities of the Ukrainian Galician community (a total of 46,000 crowns has been raised), the construction, which began in 1906, was completed in the second half of 1907.

The 5,000 crowns donated on the day of the inauguration and the 400 m2 of purchased adjacent area to the south-east of the Vulka stream completed the Greek Catholic Metropolis's contribution to the construction.

The architectural and compositional solution has been entrusted to a team led by a prominent artist, professor, head of the Department of Applied Architecture at the Lviv Polytechnic, entrepreneur and public figure Ivan Levynskyi.Ivan Levynskyi, Oleksandr Lushpynskyi, Lev Levynskyi and Tadeusz Obminski participated in the designing of the building in 1906.

A subtle connoisseur of folk architecture and contemporary artistic trends, I. Levynskyi managed to combine the Art Nouveau Secession style with elements of folk ornamentation, Boyko and Hutsul Baroque in the design of the Russian Pedagogical Society building. Unlike other buildings by Ivan Levynskyi's Construction Bureau from the "ornamental" period (1903-1908), this building is almost devoid of majolica decorations (except for the sandriks on the second floor of the risalit). This project became a true masterpiece of national architecture, ranking among the five best buildings in Ukraine in the 20th century and has been realized by the architect's own expense.

The main faсade of this majestic house on a hill in the Kastelivka district faces south. The frontal composition combines five elements, three of them are frontal and dominant. The central part is particularly expressive, crowned by a stylised tower top, under which there is a large figured pediment with two cartouches (shields). They depicted two iconic emblems - the Galician Lion and the Kiev Archangel Michael - symbols of the unity of the Ukrainian national revival. This was emphasised by the architectural design of the large main portal, which had a trapezoidal cut, common in Central and Eastern Ukraine. The words of Taras Shevchenko were carved on the platbands of the portal: " In your own house is your own truth and your own power and your own will ".

The wall below is decorated with elongated stones - rusticated stones, stylised as the chopped elements of Carpathian houses. The wide overhang of the roof and the rafter overhangs are also symbolic. Rows of large windows give the building an open feel. In addition to the main facade, it looks extremely attractive from the rear thanks to the projections of volumetric forms. While the main facade is full of heroic and patriotic semantics, the rear facade is lyrical.

All this gave the building artistic perfection. That is why the leaders of the Construction bureau once wrote: "This will be our new stronghold, with which we, autochthons, will obtain our ancient rights to our land by our own efforts".

Unfortunately, during the struggle against Ukrainian nationalism after the Second World War, both coats of arms disappeared from the pediment. The chamfered parts of the portal were removed for ideological reasons, as the traditional Ukrainian cut was unofficially banned at the time. The inscription with Shevchenko's words was destroyed. The sculpture of the Mother of God in front of the main entrance was also dismantled.

As a result of these alterations the main facade has been a victim of these changes. The original intention of the architect was neglected.

The building was consecrated on 20 June 1909 in the presence of Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky.

In 1912 Metropolitan Andrew bought a building from the Russian Pedagogical Society for the Monastery of St. Mokrina and Basilian nun sisters, which opened a girls' gymnasium. In 1922 a Private Girls' Teachers' Seminary of Basilian nun sisters was opened. Initially, it was run by the abbesses Teresa Hicke and Solomea Tserokh, and in 1925 Professor Mykola Chubaty, a prominent Ukrainian historian, became its director. Graduates of the seminary had the right to work as teachers in schools on an equal footing with graduates of state seminaries.

In the 1920s, on the initiative of Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky, the building was used as an orphanage under the patronage of the Basilian nuns.

In 1936, the construction of the Greek Catholic Church of St Ivan Bogoslov was begun, designed by Roman Hrytsai. The church was to form a single complex with the bursa of the Russian Pedagogical Society. The construction involved the use of reinforced concrete; the floors were formed by steel structures over 20 m long without supports. In terms of style, the building can be attributed to functionalism. Due to the outbreak of World War II, the church remained unfinished. Later, the church was converted into a library. Today it is the Scientific and Technical Library of the National Forestry University of Ukraine.

During the years of German occupation, the building and adjacent buildings housed the infirmary of the Lviv concentration camp, whose entire territory was fenced in with barbed wire. Its remains can still be seen in the trunks of old trees in the arboretum. After the Second World War, the building served as a military hospital for some time.

Early 1945, the Lviv Forestry Institute was established, which had previously functioned as a faculty of the Lviv Polytechnic. The building at 103 Pushkina Street became the main building of the Institute, and a small botanical arboretum grew on the site of the monastery garden. The premises were extremely neglected. The staff and students of the institute built the classrooms themselves, as well as other premises for the library, dormitories, dining hall, outbuildings and apartments for the academic staff.

The building remains an outstanding architectural monument. Today, the university is constantly working on its renovation. Instead of a five-pointed star, the emblem of the Ukrainian National Forestry University was placed on the pediment and the Latin motto "AD NATURAM VIVERE DISCIMUS" (We learn to live in harmony with nature), which indicating the strong environmental orientation of the educational institution. In 2008, during the reconstruction, the roof was covered with natural tiles and "spruces" were attached to the side spires of the roof.

In 2023-2024, thanks to the position, understanding and efforts of the Rector of the University, Professor Volodymyr Zahorskyi, to preserve the cultural heritage and the Gem of the Forestry University, with the active participation of benefactors and patrons, the facade, interior and balconies of the building will be renovated.

In honour of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, the memorial plaque by YaroslavSkakun was unveiled on the facade of the building in 2018, which reads: "...so that the useful work of Ukrainian foresters, begun with God's blessing, may continue". Metropolitan Andrey's working to benefit the Ukraine, care for young people and support for education must continue!

The spiritual foundation laid by Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky is now bearing good fruit. Many people who studied in this building have brought a wealth of knowledge to the world. Today this historic building houses the University Administration, the Postgraduate School, the Educational and Research Institute of Computer Science and Information Technology, and classrooms.

Nataliya Myrovych – Director of the Scientific and Technical Library of National Forestry University of Ukraine;
Valentyna Novosad – Head of the Funds Maintenance and Storage Department of National Forestry University of Ukraine;
Sona Romanova – Head of the cultural and educational work sector of National Forestry University of Ukraine.