The monument construction began late in 1903 under the direction of <br />

architects Alfred Zachariewicz and Józef Sosnowski. On October 29, 1904 <br />

the grand opening of the monument took placeBuilding No. 8 behind the monument at one time was the highest building <br />

in Lviv – Lviv’s version of a skyscraper. It was built in 1914-1921 for <br />

businessman Jonah Sprecher, but its construction was associated with a <br />

scandal since all the architects of Lviv publicly objected to the <br />

project. During the interwar period many establishments were located <br />

here. During the Soviet era the largest bookstore in the city – "House <br />

of Books" – was located on the first floor of the building, where it <br />

still is located today.