Lviv Organ Hall
Concert hall in the former Dominican church of St Mary Magdalene, with Ukraine's largest organ.
The hall occupies the former Dominican church of St Mary Magdalene, begun early in the seventeenth century and consecrated in 1630, which mixes late Renaissance massing with Baroque detail. Swedish troops burned and plundered it in 1704. Between 1753 and 1758 Martin Urbanik rebuilt the central tower, and Sebastian Fesinger added the rococo facade sculpture, including figures of St Dominic and St Hyacinth, along with stucco scenes from the life of Mary Magdalene above the altar.
The organ was made in 1932 by the Rieger brothers' workshop and installed the following year; it has 77 registers across four manuals and pedals and is the largest instrument in Ukraine, with the main console replaced by a three-manual one in 1969. The church was handed to the Lviv Philharmonic in 1969 and formally became the Lviv House of Organ and Chamber Music in 1988. The hall covers about 800 square metres and seats roughly 350, and its tower is open to visitors.
Highlights
- Rieger organ of 1932-33 with 77 registers, the largest in Ukraine
- Rococo facade sculpture by Sebastian Fesinger
- Candlelit late-evening organ and chamber programmes
- Tower visits with views over Lviv
