Batory St. (now Prince Roman St.) is part of one of the oldest streets in the city, the Halytska St., dating back to 1382 in city documents. It is probable that the street itself was paved even earlier, as it was the beginning of the Halych trade route. However, one of the many fires (1381) that occured in the central part of Lviv destroyed the original wooden ratusha (City council house) and documents, so in many cases 1381 is the oldest reliable date in city history. After the defending walls were taken down and the city's territory was reorganized in 1885, the street in the picture was separated from the Halych St. and renamed in honour of the Polish King Stefan Batory, whose entrance to Lviv lay through the Halych St. and the Halych Gate. In the early nineteenth century the Austrian authorities attempted to adapt the buildings of the former St. Leonard Cathedral and Monastery of the Order of Shod Carmelites (which had left the city) to house some new institutions. It is known that the criminal court was moved to the house at the street's corner, which was part of the Bielski Palazzo in the mid-nineteenth century, however more detailed information is not available. It is, however, known that the Francis Joseph Gymnasium in 5 Batory St. was constructed at the site of the St. Leonard Catherdral in 1875-1876, following a project by architect J. Hochberger. The monastery complex housed a prison. The postcard presents a view of the new courthouse from the Halych Square. The Criminal Court Building, or Palace of Justice at the intersection of the Halych Square and Batory St. was constructed in 1892, following the project by architect Franciszek Skowron. The building's attic is still decorated by a sculptural composition by sculptor Leonardo Marconi. Today the building functions as one of the academic buildings of the National Polytechnical University in Lviv.
