Latin Cathedral in Lviv

Located in the Old Town of Lviv is an attraction that is of great historical significance and is still in use today. The Latin Cathedral, or Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the main church of Roman Catholics in the city. Even though the first stone of the church was laid in 1349 by King Kazimierz, the church now features a variety of architectural styles as improvements were made over a number of years.

There was originally a Roman Catholic Church on the site of the Latin Cathedral, but due to damage caused by a fire, the church was unable to be saved. Gothic style architecture was selected for the new church, and in 1405 the church was consecrated. The bishop was sent to the Latin Cathedral from Halych in 1412, and changes to the cathedral were continued until well into the fifteenth century, with the last consecration taking place in 1481. Numerous famous visitors entered the cathedral, including Cardinal Isidore and John II Casimir.

Refurbishments to the tall bell tower and other areas of the cathedral took place between 1761 and 1776, adding baroque architecture to the structure. The Mother of God icon was moved to the main altar of the cathedral in 1776, and neogothic styles were added to the Latin Cathedral between the years 1892 and 1898 in the form of stained glass. The glass was designed and installed by Jan Matejko and Jozef Mehoffer. Pope St. Pius X honored the cathedral with minor basilica status in 1910.

World War II saw to is the cathedral’s icon was moved to Krakow, after which it was moved to Lubaczow in 1974, where it was crowned in 1983 and remains till today. A copy was installed in the Latin Cathedral, and in 2001 it was crowned by Pope John Paul II. During the soviet rule many churches were closed, with the exception of the Latin Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Church of St Anthony, which is located in Lychakiv. Pope John Paul II had to reactivate the diocese in 1991, as the bishops had moved to Lubaczow during the closures. The Latin Cathedral is a wonderful monument and historical structure and a recommended attraction for visitors and architecture enthusiasts.