TEATRALNA SQUARE
It’s hard
to believe but two centuries ago this place was a dense forest. In 1800 the
municipal government even had to issue an edict to organize wolf hunting to
keep the city safe. But a hundred years thereafter this former outskirt was already
proudly bearing the name of Elizabeth square featuring multi-storey buildings.
The
architectural ensemble of Teatralna ("Theater”)
square with its granite slopes towards the center is one of the most exciting
and beautiful Chernivtsi places. A decoration of the square and its key
building is Olha Kobylyanska Music and Drama Theater built in 1903-1905 by
architects H.Helmer and F.Fellner. The theater is a harmonic combination of neo-baroque
and Art Nouveau styles.
The new Art
Nouveau secession style dominating in Chernivtsi in the early XX century also
influenced other architectural works in Teatralna square an example of which is
the Jewish National House (no the City Culture Palace) built in 1908. F.Gottesman’s
Chamber of Commerce and Crafts built in 1908-1910 features late secession.
Behind this
building within the rectangular formed by four streets (Hrushevskiy,
Kotlyarevskiy, Mickiewicz and Vatutin st.) you’ll find the monumental structure
of Chernivtsi State Administration initially built in 1905-1906 as the Palace
of Justice.
GALLERY (click photos to enlarge)
| Medical University main building (former Chamber of Commerce and Crafts)
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| Ornamental details
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| An apartment building on Theater's left
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| A turret
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| Chernivtsi Drama Theater
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| Theater ticket office
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| Chernivtsi Culture Palace (former Jewish National House)
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| An ornamental feature
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| Officer's House and Prut hotel
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| Stern st. (behind the Theater)
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| An old Milk Cafe sign
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| The building behind the Theater (now a public school)
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