Rynok Square is located at the exact center of historic Lviv. In some ways, the
square is quite typical, an elemental part of the arrangement of any
European historical town of its type. Yet each town square bears its own
singular architectural markers which prove crucial in lending a city
its particular identity. Among “walled cities”, Market Square was the
largest of these urban areas in which the civil, political, and social
functions of city residents were concentrated – home to an endless array
of activities and events. At the Square’s center sits the city’s most
recognizable structure – and home of the City Council – the Town Hall
(Ukr., ratusha). The square encompassed the most highly valued
properties within the city, residences constructed for Lviv’s wealthiest
families by noted architects of the day.
