The Church of Saints Olha and Elizabeth in Lviv

The Church of Saints Olha and Elizabeth in Lviv.

During a visit to Lviv in 1903, the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph contributed to the construction of a church which was named after his wife, the famous Queen Sisi (born Elizabeth of Bavaria) who had been recently assassinated.

Thus, the Church of Saints Olha and Elizabeth was born (it gained the "Olha" part after Ukraine regained her independence nearly 90 years later). If you're wondering who Olha is and why she is important to Ukrainians, please check out this post from all the way back on Day 127… it's one of my favorites.

At the beginning of WW1, the Austro-Hungarian Army confiscated the church bells for military purposes. After being bombed in 1939 and damaged by both nazis and soviets during WW2, the soviets scrapped the famous church organ and decided to use the premises as general storage for decades.

Today, sadly, the church still bears witness to the genocidal rage of neighbors – earlier this week, a hypersonic missile fired by the russian federation fell nearby the church, killing three children and their mother.

Front steps and beautiful wrought-iron doors.

Front window

Winter view. In the distance, center, you can see Lviv's famous train station that has become a crucial part of Ukraine's defense against russian aggression.

Bell tower.

Interior. Much of the original ornate interior decayed during nazi and soviet occupiers' neglect.

_______________________________

If you'd like to learn more about Lviv, you can read all about it in our series below:

Lviv's Early History | LAZ Bus Factory | Lviv in the 19th Century | Lviv in the 20th Century | Lviv of the 21st Century

_______________________________

The 926th day of a ten-year invasion that has been going on for centuries.

One day closer to victory.