Project Background, Purpose, and Accomplishments:

Since ancient times, the Church in Ukraine was one of the largest customers and patrons of art. Under its patronage and at its request, processes of development, opportunity, and remarkable achievements of National Art took place. Until now, many art pieces of heritage have been preserved in large and small wooden or brick churches of Ukraine. They are integral parts of reproducing a complete picture of the development of national culture.

In modern times, especially now during this pivotal moment in Ukrainian history, an urgent task is incumbent upon us to preserve our National treasure of Sacred Art which is associated intrinsically with 1035 years of Ukrainian culture. These works of art not only evoke a true sense of the Sacred, but a real sense of historical memory and identity. The Church Art of Ukraine has been often destroyed by benign neglect, but also through ignorance of the infinite value of cultural preservation and an "historical memory map" through these artworks which our ancestors left us as a legacy. We recognize and act upon the imperative to keep our heritage of Sacred Art alive and thriving.

Here we proudly introduce you to the first ever "interactive map and web catalogue of architectural objects belonging to the heritage of Sacred Art of the Lviv Region". The catalogue contains detailed descriptions of objects of sacred heritage and brief informative references about prominent builders and artists involved in the creation of these treasures. All descriptions are the result of the professional work of research scientists, ethnographers and art specialists carried out in numerous expeditions and voluminous studies. The Leading specialists of the Lviv National Academy of Arts, the specialized scientific and restoration institute "Ukrzakhidproektrestavratsiya", the Museum of Ethnography and Art Crafts of the Institute of Ethnology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine are all specifically involved in this crucial preservation project. The text materials published on the site are illustrated with high-quality photos and, in some cases, supplemented with short videos. Each of the investigated objects is marked on the interactive map.

The restoration and strengthening of Ukrainian culture and memory through Sacred Art preservation is a cooperative venture which gives the gift of this artistic treasure to future generations in Ukraine. LNAA, our professional cohorts, and our benefactors all regard the interactive map of Lviv Sacred Art as a gift from our heritage and historical past to the living and future culture of Ukraine 🇺🇦.

Again, great thanks for the generous support of the Ukrainian Cultural Fund, who enable us to share the results of our work on the "Roads of Art: Interactive Map of the Sacred Heritage of Lviv Region" Project.