Forgotten Galicia - Physical Traces Archives

Ghost Signs of Przemyśl

Areta — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:18:46 +0000

Today a small city in eastern Poland, Przemyśl (Peremyshl in Ukrainian transliteration) was once a major city in Galicia. Przemyśl’s population consisted of many nationalities, including Ukrainians, Poles, Jews, Germans, and Czechs. According to the Austrian census of 1830, the city was home to 7,538 people of whom 1,508 (20%) […]

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Ferrum Lwów Sidewalk Stamps

Areta — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 07:36:00 +0000

Ferrum-Lwów Machine Factory and Iron and Metal Foundry was part of a large company that had factories in several cities including Łódź, Poznań, Kraków, and Sosnowiec near Katowice. In Lviv, the factory was located in the Pidzamche neighborhood and in addition to various iron and metal works such as manhole covers and […]

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Waterworks Plates of Lviv

Areta — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 11:15:54 +0000

Before World War II, companies that installed plumbing and sewers in Lviv (Lwów/Lemberg) attached plates on building where such services were provided. A few of these plates, which state in Polish that “wodociąg w tym domu” (water supply in this house) was installed by such and such company, can still […]

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Headless Statues and Etched-Out Faces: Vandalism and Ruin in Lychakiv Cemetery

Areta — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 08:50:23 +0000

The beautiful Lychakiv Cemetery greets visitors with its winding paths adorned by exquisite artistic statues and grave vaults, evoking a nostalgic journey through time. However, amidst its splendor, one can’t help but notice the destroyed headstones and vaults. This made me wonder why so much damage can be found in […]

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Decorative Hangers in Lviv’s Courtyards

Areta — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:45:43 +0000

These intriguing metal fixtures are a common sight in many of Lviv’s courtyards. They are decorative hangers integrated into the ironwork of the galleries’ banisters. Historically, they served for drying, brushing, and airing out coats. Another theory suggests they may have been used for hanging plants or flowers. Similar hangers […]

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Architectural Celebration and Financial Security: How the Dnister Insurance Company Appeared in Lviv

Areta — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 12:05:00 +0000

From Lokalna Istoriya – text and photographs by Yuliya Korytska-Holub, original in Ukrainian The building of the Dnister Insurance Company, situated at the corner of Pidvalna and Ruska streets in Lviv, has been considered a gem of the city since its inception. Recent renovations have only heightened its elegance, though not without […]

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Memorial Cross on Bila Hora Honoring Leader of Literary Revival in Galicia Markiyan Shashkevych

Areta — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 12:20:36 +0000

On Bila Hora, in the village of Pidlyssia, Lviv region, stands a 25-meter-tall memorial cross dedicated to Markiyan Shashkevych, a renowned poet, writer, Greek Catholic priest, member of Ruska Triytsa (Ruthenian Triad), and co-author of the first Ukrainian-language almanac Rusalka Dnistrova. Shashkevych is often hailed as the “Builder (Budytel’) of […]

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‘Nie Zamykać’: A Reminder Not to Close the Door Behind You

Areta — Mon, 29 May 2023 15:55:06 +0000

Around Kraków, near the handles of old doors you can find signs asking you to “nie zamykać” (don’t close) the door. The reason is that the door had a special door closer – a mechanical device that automatically closed the door in a controlled manner. As such door closers were […]

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‘Obuwie Wycierać’: A Reminder to Keep Kraków’s Entryways Clean

Areta — Mon, 15 May 2023 07:21:35 +0000

In several of Kraków’s pre-WWII buildings, one can find inscriptions near the entrance asking those entering to “wipe your shoes” (“Uprasza się obuwie wycierać”). Maintaining a clean building would have been more difficult in those times as fewer streets were paved, making it muddier than today. There would have also […]

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Ghost Signs of Kraków

Areta — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:36:52 +0000

Kraków was considered as the unofficial capital of the western part of Galicia and the second most important city in the region. As in other former Galician cities, today various traces of its time under the Austrian Empire can still be found in the urban landscape. In particular, Kraków has […]

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