Na Valakh Park in Lviv: Gunpowder Tower, History and Leisure

Na Valakh Park (“On the Ramparts”) is a small park in the centre of Lviv between Pidvalna and Vynnychenka streets. It was laid out in 1821 on the site of the former city fortifications and is considered the second-oldest park in the city. The park is home to the 16th-century Gunpowder Tower, one of the few surviving monuments of Lviv’s fortifications.

In the past the park was known as the Governor’s Ramparts, Reitzenheimivka and Trofeika. Today it is a locally protected monument of landscape art (since 1984).

Where is Na Valakh Park?

The park lies on the eastern edge of the Old Town, between Pidvalna and Vynnychenka streets, a few minutes’ walk from Market Square. It covers about 2 hectares (2.32 ha according to the municipal company Parks of Lviv).

History: from city walls to a park

In the 17th–18th centuries powerful city walls and ramparts ran here, with foundations up to six metres thick. After 1772, when Lviv became part of the Habsburg Monarchy, the fortifications were dismantled. Of all the towers on this stretch, only the Gunpowder Tower survived.

In 1821 Wilhelm Reitzenheim, a councillor to the Governor of Galicia, laid out a park with walking paths here, which gave it the name Reitzenheimivka. In 1863 the gardener Karl Bauer turned the area into a promenade and planted a chestnut alley. In 1890 a storm badly damaged the trees. After the Second World War, captured German military equipment was displayed on the alleys of the northern part, which earned the park the nickname Trofeika (“the trophy park”).

Gunpowder Tower

The Gunpowder Tower (4 Pidvalna Street) is a monument of Lviv’s defensive architecture. According to research by Professor Mykola Bevz, it was built in 1522–1537 and modernised in 1554–1556. The tower was part of the city’s third line of defence, and its walls are 2.5–3 metres thick. In peacetime it was used to store grain.

In the late 1950s the tower was converted into the House of Architects, and since 2018 it has housed the Gunpowder Tower Centre for Architecture, Design and Urbanism.

What you will find in the park today

The park’s main feature is its alleys of old chestnut trees. Maples, lindens, black poplars, ash trees, acacias, birches, spruces and thujas also grow here. The park contains the oldest school building in Lviv, now Lyceum No. 8, and on 28 December 2002 a monument to Viacheslav Chornovil was unveiled here.

According to Parks of Lviv, the park has 72 benches and 1,112 metres of paths, all lit at night. There is a children’s playground, a basketball court, a skatepark, chess tables and a drinking fountain.

With children

The park has a playground for children with wide lawns next to it. Since the park is small, you can walk around it with little ones in half an hour and head back to the centre.

How to get to Na Valakh Park

• On foot: a few minutes from Market Square.
• By tram: Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 9 to the “Pidvalna St” or “Ruska St” stops (according to Parks of Lviv).

Public transport routes change, so check them in an app before you go.

What to see nearby

Next to the park are the Bernardine Monastery and the Dominican Cathedral. The Armenian Quarter is a few minutes’ walk away.

If you enjoy green walks, visit Lviv’s other parks too: Ivan Franko Park, Stryiskyi Park, Pohulianka and Znesinnia Park.

Where to stay nearby

Several of our apartments are within walking distance of Na Valakh Park:

• two-room apartment and one-room apartment on Danyla Halytskoho Square, in the Old Town;
• two-room apartment on Pluhova Street with a view of the High Castle.

See all options in our apartments in Lviv.

Tips

• The park is small: allow 30–60 minutes for a walk including the Gunpowder Tower.
• Combine it with the Bernardine Monastery and the Dominican Cathedral, as everything is close by.
• The paths are lit in the evening, so the park is pleasant after sunset too.
• Check events at the Gunpowder Tower in advance, as the centre’s programme changes.

Frequently asked questions about Na Valakh Park

Where is Na Valakh Park in Lviv?

In the centre of Lviv, between Pidvalna and Vynnychenka streets, a few minutes’ walk from Market Square.

When was Na Valakh Park created?

In 1821, on the site of the former city fortifications. It is the second-oldest park in Lviv.

What is the Gunpowder Tower?

A defensive tower built in 1522–1537, one of the few surviving monuments of Lviv’s fortifications. Today it houses a centre for architecture, design and urbanism.

Why is the park called Trofeika?

After the Second World War, captured German military equipment was displayed on its alleys.

Is there a playground in the park?

Yes, as well as a basketball court and a skatepark.