Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet

The Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet is an opera house and theatre located in Lviv, Ukraine. The building was built between 1897 and 1900. The Lwów Opera was originally called the Grand Theatre  until it was renamed in 1939 by the Soviet authorities.

At the end of the 19th century, Lviv felt the need for a large city theatre. In 1895, the city announced an architectural competition for the best design, which attracted a large number of projects.

An independent jury unhesitatingly chose the design by Zygmunt Gorgolewski, a graduate of the Berlin Building Academy and the Director of the Lwów higher art-industrial school. Gorgolewski pleasantly surprised the jury by planning to locate the building in the centre of the city, although it was already densely built-up. In order to solve the space problem, he boldly proposed to enclose the Poltva River underground, and instead of using a traditional foundation, use a solid concrete base for the first time in Europe.