One of the things that must be done by tourists who visit Lviv for the first time or not - is to see the city from a height. And indeed - the panorama of Lviv is fascinating. Before the eyes of guests is a plexus of colorful roofs and miniature windows and balconies, and the majestic temples are visible in the palm of your hand and they are perceived quite differently. In addition, the panoramas of the city will allow you to truly dive into history, see where Lviv arose, how it grew, developed and changed epochs.
There are enough man-made locations in Lviv, which offer a view of the city – City Hall Tower, the bell tower of the Church of Olga and Elizabeth, and the site of the newest Memorial of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred and of course the terraces of restaurants, hotels and shopping centers. Even the highest and most famous mountain in the city - the High Castle, is not a completely natural object - the observation deck is a bulk structure.
But today we would like to tell you about the location of its own purely natural origin, which offers an unsurpassed panorama of Lviv - Mount Lion, a place with an interesting, even at times a little scary history.
The history of this location began in the fourteenth century - the castle of Prince Lev, son of King Danylo- the founder of Lviv, was built here. It is to this prince that Lviv owes its name. The castle was destroyed in 1340, during the attack on the city of Poles and was not rebuilt, and one of the names of the mountain was “Bald Mountain”. In addition, the mountain was also called Sand, Calvary, Stephen, Witch Mountain.
The height of the Lion's Mountain is 389 meters above sea level, and it is second only to the Castle Mountain. Also, one of the reasons why the mountain is called Bald is that it is almost not covered with forest - only on its southern and eastern slopes there are bushes and trees. The reason for this is the local relief - the hill consists mostly of sand and sandstone.
At the end of the 17th century, sand and stone were actively mined here for the construction of townhouses on the newly formed streets, which in turn significantly reduced its size. Thanks to the protests of historian Isidor Sharanevich, the quarry and quarry on this mountain were liquidated.
The mountain is also called “Witch mountain” because of a number of mystical stories - there are legends that once this place was used by witches and fortune tellers for their sabbaths. At one time there was a cemetery of children who died of illness. Also, there used to be a Romany camp here - nomadic tribes who were feared and disliked by the locals. After they left, a well remained here, where several young people disappointed in love committed suicide, until the authorities decided to bury the well. It is also rumored that ghosts appeared on the mountain and that the devil fell out of love with this place only after a wooden cross was installed on the mountain. (later replaced by metal). However, we can assure you - this place, though wild, but quite safe, especially in daylight.
At the foot of the Lion Mountain on the side of Dovbusha Street is the main entrance to Znesinnya Park, also near the animal shelter “Home of rescued animals” - this location would be interesting for guests with children. The advantage of climbing the mountain on this side is a gentle slope, as well as wooden steps with railings and seating areas.
Lion's Mountain is located between two streets - Dovbusha and Opryshkivska. The entrance from Opryshkivska is more suitable for tourists by car - there is a parking lot for visitors to the High Castle. However, we must warn you that the climb up the hill here is quite rapid.
At the foot of the Lion Mountain on the side of Dovbusha Street is the main entrance to Znesinnya Park, also near the animal shelter “Home of rescued animals” - this location would be interesting for guests with children. The advantage of climbing the mountain on this side is a gentle slope, as well as wooden steps with railings and seating areas.
You can climb the mountain at any time and it will always impress you with its appearance. However, the most beautiful view opens at sunset in autumn - the sun sets over the city center quite early and watching it - a fascinating impression.
We recommend that you bring blankets or travel mats, because the location is quite wild and not equipped with seats.
Estimated time of picking up from the Rynok Square - 20 minutes.
