Not just in New York: Ukraine has its own Statue of Liberty and here’s where to find it
Where in Ukraine is the real Statue of Liberty located (photo: Wikipedia)
Most people associate the Statue of Liberty with New York and the United States, but few know that a similar symbol can also be found in Ukraine. What's more, it is located in the very center of Lviv, above the facade of one of the city's most famous historic buildings. Here is the story of how this sculpture appeared, why it was placed in this location, and what it symbolizes.
Where the Ukrainian Statue of Liberty is located
The sculpture can be seen in the very heart of Lviv—at 15 Svobody Avenue. It is placed atop the dome of the former Galician Savings Bank building (now the Museum of Ethnography) and integrated into the architecture—a seated female figure with a torch is barely noticeable unless you look up.
What the Lviv Statue of Liberty symbolizes
Officially, the figure is called "Thrift," and it is sometimes accompanied by allegories of "Industry" and "Agriculture." However, due to the crown of rays and the torch, locals have nicknamed it the "Statue of Liberty."
It symbolizes the economic independence and prosperity of Galicia, a colony with ambitions within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The Lviv Statue of Liberty (photo: inlviv.in.ua)
Who, when, and why installed the Statue of Liberty in Lviv
The Lviv Statue of Liberty was installed between 1891 and 1893. Thanks to Leonard Marconi's architectural team, the sculptural composition appeared on the facade.
Leonard Marconi was a master of modern and neo-Renaissance styles, a professor at Lviv Polytechnic, and Italian by origin. He authored many sculptures, monuments, and bas-reliefs in Lviv. His studio created the central figure of "Thrift" with the torch.
He paid great attention to the facade: the sculpture stood atop the dome, surrounded by allegories of economic sectors. It was a strong architectural statement. The two men sitting at the feet of the statue symbolize agriculture and urban crafts.
The statue is executed in a neoclassical style with elements of Art Nouveau—it sits in a calm, solemn pose, holding a torch and a tablet, symbolizing economic freedom and the light of knowledge.
Interestingly, the installation of the sculpture sparked discussions among the local intelligentsia—some perceived it as an overly "French" gesture in the context of American Liberty, while others admired its elegance and symbolism.
Despite this, from the moment the building opened, the sculpture became an important part of central Lviv's visual identity.
During Soviet times, the ideological weight of the figure of "Liberty" didn't fit within state policy, so its significance was ignored, and the sculpture itself was left unrestored.
It became nearly invisible to most city residents, though it remained in place. There was a joke: "In the USSR, even Liberty sits."
The seated Statue of Liberty (photo: Wikipedia)
In 1982–1983, the torch-bearing hand broke off and caused a tragedy—someone died from the falling debris (according to some sources, it was a tourist from Lithuania). The hand was later restored during conservation efforts, but the complete restoration of the sculpture was carried out only in 2016–2017.
Only in the 2000s did interest in the sculpture return: people began photographing it, including it in tourist guides, and even featuring it in thematic tours about "architectural secrets of Lviv."
The building on which the Lviv Statue of Liberty is located (photo: Wikipedia)
Interesting facts about the building and the statue
- In the 18th century, the museum building housed the Albert Court, which in 1763 belonged to Józef Potocki
- In 1785, entrepreneur Johann Preschel built a three-story house on this site, which became home to the first hotel in Lviv—"Under the Roman Caesar"
- At the beginning of the 19th century, this building was the most imposing in the city center (after the Governor's Office)
- Until 1839, it housed the Governor's military commandant's office
- Later, the building again passed into private hands, and Wilhelm Schmidt reopened a hotel in 1840, now called the "English Hotel"
- On the first floor of the hotel was the "Edera" photo studio, which preserved old photographs of Lviv from the Austro-Hungarian era
- In 1888, the hotel was demolished, and the land became city property
- In 1891, the Central Monopoly Savings Bank was built on this spot with money from local Ukrainian entrepreneurs
- The Lviv Statue of Liberty is four years younger than the one in the USA. At that time, the monument gifted by the French had not yet become a symbol of American freedom
- Visually, the Lviv Statue of Liberty is very similar to the American one
- The author of the Statue of Liberty in the US, Bartholdi, was accused of stealing the idea from Marconi. But it was later proven not to be true
- There were also rumors that Bartholdi's work inspired Marconi, and he even paid him something to be able to make a similar statue. But these were just rumors
- The rays on Thrift's crown are covered in real gold
You may be interested in:
- Top 5 Ukrainian villages that will impress you more than European resorts
- Where the mystical Devil's Canyon is located, which held significance for Ukrainian Cossack warriors
Sources: Visit Ukraine, Lviv Travel Guide, Literary and Memorial Site "Old and New Lviv", Encyclopedia of Lviv Architecture
