Locations for shooting films in Lviv: registered, unregistered, unknown

Picturesque landscapes, ancient buildings, authenticity of interiors, accessibility of infrastructure and support of local experts on shooting locations – these and other things attract filmmakers to create in Lviv. Yes, there are already several different lists of filming locations compiled by different organizations. The main one is compiled by the Lviv Film Commission, which belongs to the city council. In addition, there are known unofficially accessible places that nevertheless became scenery for filming. Visit.Lviv makes one big list of these.

Natural objects

Of course, parks dominate here. After all, movie scenes have been filmed there since Soviet times, if not earlier. However, parks can attract both the landscape and the objects in them. Let’s list them too.

Stryi Park – a spacious lower alley (a continuation of Parkova Street), an active children’s railway, a greenhouse, interesting buildings for sports, a large and quiet lawn next to the “Lviv” movie theater.

Culture Park – active attractions, the “Yunist” stadium or tennis courts, a recently restored arch and a small yoga area.

Ivan Franko Park is the oldest and most central park in the city. In it, a large rotunda or a main avenue can attract. It leads to a dog-walking area, also a potentially “cinematic” place.

Shevchenkivskyi Grove is a Lviv open-air museum, where films were repeatedly shot against the background of houses, churches, a windmill… The place became a scenery as early as 1982, when the musical film “Vatra klyche na svyato” was filmed here. And in 2016, even Indian filmmakers shot scenes of the film “The Winner” here.

Pohulyanka – few people recommend this park for filming, but next to it there is an interesting building of the Center for Creativity of Children and Youth of Galicia with a spacious square in front of it and old villas in the neighborhood. And at the beginning of the park’s main avenue are the ruins of a winery, where several scenes of the movie “Plan A” were filmed in the fall of 2019.

Buildings

The Potocki Palace is the most impressive building at Kopernyka street. Refined interiors and exteriors are regularly used as backdrops for music videos, photosessions and films. This is one of the places where the President of Ukraine meets with leaders of other countries.

The Palace of Arts is a neighbor of the Potocki Palace, much more modern and pragmatic. Both the exhibition halls, the arcade of the front facade, and the roof or a small inner courtyard…on the second floor can be interesting here.

The Lviv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office is one of the dominant buildings on Shevchenko Avenue. Rich in bas-reliefs and stained-glass windows.

The House of Scientists – elegant stairs and other interior elements have been imitating palaces and estates in movies and TV shows for decades. Yes, in 2020, “Coffee with Cardamom” was filmed here. In addition, there is a large balcony.

The head office of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Lviv region – thanks to its special brick and red roof, it vaguely resembles cozy English buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries. It has an inner courtyard, and a park is next to it.

The Lviv regional state administration is a pompous palace building. Filming is more likely next to it, namely in a small park, because it is an important state body.

Lviv National Scientific Library named after Vasyl Stefanyk – a rather closed institution, however, the facade of the library appeared in various films.

Lviv regional universal scientific library – convenient location and simplicity in interiors.

The Institute of Law and Psychology of the National University “Lviv Polytechnic” is not a very attractive building from the outside, but inside there is a lot of space both in corridors and offices.

The Court of Appeals at Soborna Square – the special interior of one of the halls became the scenery for a large part of the scenes of the film “Secret Diary of Simon Petlyura”.

Yards

The Italian courtyard is a palace-type building, the Renaissance arcade of which has repeatedly appeared on wide screens in various films and commercials. And in addition, there is also a cozy place to imitate the summer playground of a coffee shop.

Passage Andreolli – has been used as a filming location many times, as there are not many passages in the city as such, and this one is not only well-preserved, but also has access from both entrances. In addition, there is a good perspective on the tower of the Town Hall.

“Something interesting” is a small gallery in the city center, located in the courtyard of the building. A rather long corridor-tunnel leads to it.

The yard-museum of the SPSR is a relatively “young” place on the tourist map of the city, as well as on the cinema map. Tenants of the building on Lva street left old paintings, busts, posters, etc. in the yard. At the same time, they preserved the authentic mailboxes and the board of the residents of the building. The combination of these artifacts created the charm of the era.

The yard at Kopernyka, 30 – a residential building with a “well”, in which the “bottom” was repaired several years ago. Now there are neat cobblestones.

The Armenian courtyard is a passage between Lesi Ukrainky and Virmenska streets. One of the features is the side transitions from it to the courtyard of the Armenian temple with its arcade and the majestic Crucifixion.

Temples

The Latin Cathedral is the only Gothic church in Lviv. This is noticeable both inside and outside. Not only films are shot in it, but also holiday concerts for TV shows.

St. George’s Cathedral is a magnificent architectural complex on top of a hill. There are parks and a small square nearby. Many scenes of the film “Vladyka Andrey” were filmed here.

Church of St. Mary Magdalene is a functioning church and organ hall at the same time. Therefore, here you can film a religious ceremony to the real sound of an organ or even an orchestra.

The Garrison Church is also known as the Jesuit Church. A few years ago, most of the ceiling paintings were restored. The dungeon of the temple is a famous tourist attraction. In front of the main entrance is a small square and the Andreolli passage.

The church of the Dominicans has a compact square and a tiny square in front of it. This combination has repeatedly appeared in modern Ukrainian films and series.

The Armenian Cathedral is a cozy temple with large and mysterious paintings, the play of light that breaks through here on sunny days.

The Benedictine Monastery is an architectural complex: a church, monastery premises, a courtyard and an entrance gate. Part of the monastery is now a school.

The building of the “Mistoproekt” institute is a strict late-Soviet building with an inner courtyard.

Lesya Ukrainka Street is a pedestrian street. However, this can be an advantage. Various films and music videos were shot on it many times.

The Boim Chapel – the facade of the building has rich sculptural decoration, and the main Roman Catholic church of Lviv is located near the chapel.

The Powder tower is now used as an exhibition space. The entrance attracts figures of sleeping lions and an avenue of chestnut trees that begins here. The legendary ensemble “Vatra” shot their musical film in “Porohivka”.

Industrial buildings

Lviv International Airport named after Danylo Halytskyi (old terminal ) – built according to a typical project of Moscow architects. Therefore, even in the 21st century, the middle of the 20th century can be conveyed here. What was done during the filming of the TV series “Beauty in the Soviet Way”.

Danylo Halytsky Lviv International Airport (new terminal) – metal and glass walls, a spacious lobby, escalators – all this is suitable for shooting commercials, movies or holding Lviv Fashion Week events. In addition, here you can officially organize a marriage in a day, which indicates the multi-functionality of the terminal.

The ceramic factory has a spacious yard and spacious workshops. In one of them, the largest climbing wall in Lviv situated here.

Arena Lviv is the largest and most modern sports building in Lviv. Located near the exit from the city. A large, spacious parking lot can be used for shooting car scenes of movies, including shooting from the air with a drone or other equipment for panoramic shots.

Cover photo of the Lviv Film Commission: filming in Lviv on Kosciuszka Street.