Lviv (also known as Lvov, Lemberg, Leopolis) the biggest city in Western Ukraine, was founded as a fort in the mid-13th century by Prince Danylo Halitski of Galicia, one of the most powerful princes in east-central Europe and a former principality of Kievan Rus. City was named after his son Lev.

Located roughly in the midpoint of Europe, it quickly became the centre of trade and commerce. Major trade roads from the Black and Baltic Sea ports, East and Western Europe led to its rapid economic development.

Due to its geographical location the city was a meeting place of Ukrainian, Polish, Jewish and Austrian cultures. Armenians, Hungarians, Greeks, Italians, Serbs, Moldavians and many more others lived there for the duration of many centuries. All of them together had introduced wide variety of traditions, cultures, religions and a mix of architecture.

Now, Lviv is a major economic and cultural centre of the Western region of independent Ukrainian state.