The Department of Tourism and Resorts, together with the Drohobych Tourist Information Center, invites you to the ancient city.
It is recommended to start the tour from Rynok Square, where there is a local town hall. The first building probably appeared at the time when the city received Magdeburg law. Subsequently, the town hall was rebuilt several times, and the one standing now is the fourth, built in 1926-1929 according to the project of Lviv architects Yan Semkevych and Maryan Nikodymovich. The tower of the town hall is decorated with a clock with dials on four sides.
During the Holocaust, a family of local Jews Binshtoki hid in the dome of the Drohobych town hall. Their friend, Osyp Koshtemskyi, a Ukrainian who was appointed by the German occupation authorities to manage the city, hid them. After the war, already in Soviet times, the man was shot. Representatives of the Jewish family survived and gratefully remember the merciful act that saved their lives.
Other interesting stories and legends can be learned during the theatrical tour “Secrets of the Drohobych Town Hall”, which takes place every Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. Cost: UAH 100.
Pre-registration by number: 0977866009. Meeting near the Tourist Information Center of Drohobych. The main characters of the performance are a witch, an executioner and a watchman.
The Church of St. Bartholomew is the oldest monument of architecture and sacred culture of old Drohobych. There is no exact date of construction of the shrine, but it is a well-known fact that King Jagailo, by his decree of December 16, 1392, approved the construction of the church, which is included in the list of 15 mystical and mysterious temples of Ukraine.
Next, we suggest moving along Taras Shevchenko Street. Here you will be greeted by a tenement house built in the 1870s. Its owner was an oil tycoon – Mr. Hartenberg. It is said that under each column, the owner put gold coins to “keep things going in the house”.
On the first floor, where the “Romashka” store is now, there was a candy shop and a coffee shop – “SZOLC”, the most prestigious institution in the city, which in 1919 was named the best restaurant in Drohobych. The specialty of the coffee shop was that the employees set up a summer terrace on the sidewalk, which other establishments did not do. Extremely tasty exotic dishes were also prepared here.
The first state gymnasium named after Franz Joseph, where Ivan Franko, Vasyl Stefanyk and Les Martovych studied.
Pay attention to the one-story Art Nouveau tenement house built at the beginning of the 20th century. This house belonged to the four-time mayor of Drohobych – Raimund Yarosh, a successful entrepreneur and public figure. In particular, the construction of the Drohobych – Truskavets railway branch is due to him. Yarosh is also known for being the owner of the Truskavets balneological resort. He built a sanatorium, opening the doors wide for vacationers.
Villa Zeman is an architectural monument, built at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. Before the First World War, the building belonged to the industrialist Zeman, and in the interwar period, the famous local radiologist Leon Himmel worked here. Another name of the villa comes from the name of the beautiful Bianca, an unattainable beauty mentioned by Bruno Schulz in his story “Spring”. Now the villa houses one of the departments of the “Drogobychchyna” museum – the Palace of Arts.
When you are in Drohobych, be sure to cross the threshold of the wooden church of St. Jura, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Impressive baroque exterior and unique paintings, which completely cover the walls of the temple, do not leave anyone indifferent. It is not for nothing that the church of St. George is called “a poem in a tree”.
Another iconic location of the city is the Drohobytsk saltworks, which is the oldest continuously operating industrial enterprise in Ukraine. The first mention of salt from Drohobych dates back to 1390. Drohobytsk salt is made according to an ancient, unique technology and is famous for its excellent taste properties. Traditionally, it was sold loose, in bags, barrels or in furnaces, which became the main symbol of Drohobych – the city coat of arms depicts 9 furnaces of salt.
They say that the best way to get to know a city is to taste it. In Drohobych, in addition to Drohobych sausage, you can taste many specialties. We suggest establishments.
The restaurant of oil history “Refinery” will amaze you with delicious craft cuisine, a private and calm atmosphere, an exquisite interior, fragrant coffee and a variety of dishes.
Try the star of the meat menu – “Beef Pocket” – marbled veal prepared according to a secret recipe of Austrian chefs, served on green pea puree with a seasonal salad and spicy sauce. Also, pay attention to dishes popular among tourists: Stuffed bumblebee, Oil magnate, Five by quadrant on 11, Gottlieb’s secret. This is not a complete list of deliciousness, seasoned with Drohobytsky stories and legends, served at the Refinery. Large portions, rich taste, unique dishes – it’s all there!
“Watermelon”. Here, according to a unique recipe, coffee with Drohobytsky salt and salty Drohobytsky cake are prepared. Shiny caramel and Drogobitka salt make this dessert especially tasty and exquisite. Here you can taste