Citadel Hotel (Maximillian Tower №2), Lviv

I enter the territory of the Lviv Citadel. I see well-arranged parking, benches, trimmed bushes, modern lanterns… Today it is a luxurious and expensive hotel, but what was there before? Interesting? Read on to find out all the secrets that the Lviv Citadel hides!

The Maximilian Tower №2 was built as part of the citadel fortification complex (one of the four towers that were designed for the city's artillery defense). Construction of the tower began in 1853. Who is the architect of this building, remains unknown.

Why is the tower called Maximilian?
Because the architecture of the tower resembles the prototype of the tower of the French military engineer J. Montalembert. The Austrian Archduke Maximilian Joseph d’Este used his drawings to build fortifications in the city of Linz on the Danube. Since then, such towers began to be called Maximilian after the archduke.

During the Second World War, there was a concentration camp for prisoners of war "Stalag-328" on the western Ukrainian lands in the Citadel. According to Soviet prisoners of war, there was a place for interrogations and a death chamber in the already known tower number 2. The tower was even called the "tower of death"!

The present
Since 2012, the Lviv Citadel complex has been an architectural monument of national importance. But the building has been privately owned for a long time. Initially, it was part of the Electron's premises, and in recent years the G2 tower has gained individual owners.

For tourists, the five-star Citadel Inn is a good place to stay in Lviv, soak up the spa, visit a fine restaurant and enjoy the views of Kalicha Hora. But few of them suspect what happened here decades ago… That more than 100,000 people were killed here… The dead were buried just in the basements… Now no research is being done here, because it is unknown what can really be found there. In short, the place is really scary despite the beautiful and well-groomed appearance of the hotel…

Only an inconspicuous sign on the left at the entrance to the hotel, hidden among the trees, reminds us of the events of that time: "To the eternal memory of the event / ad perpetuam rei memoriam". About what event? It is clear that this place of remembrance is clearly not mentioned here, of course, because it is unprofitable to know the truth about this place as a place of death. Above the entrance to the hotel hangs a black canopy. And once there was an inscription: "From here there is only one way - to the cemetery."

As a part of the research, my friend and I visited the current Citadel Inn to talk to staff and ask what they knew about the place in the past. The girl at the reception flatly refused to say anything about it, but the guy-waiter in the restaurant on the 2nd floor was happy to tell what he knew. "Some say that people were killed here, others - that there was an ammunition depot. And ten years ago the restoration of the tower began. Lviv millionaires decided to build a hotel here. Many said it was not humane. But a lot of money was invested, 5 years were spent on restoration, and people are now basically satisfied ”.

On the hotel's website, in the "history" section, of course, not a word is said about the true history of the place. Of course, tourists would not be happy if they were told that someone had been killed in their room. Even as the years go by, places always remember events. So, as a historical place and a place of remembrance, this tower is really interesting. However, opinions about its current purpose, I am sure, are divided… Some see this as a new breath, some - injustice, some - resentment for inappropriate attitude to the history of the people. But everyone will definitely be able to find something in this place that really interests him!

Enjoy your travels!

How to get there?
- by public transport: buses of routes #21,24,42,43. Entrance to the citadel is located on the street Grabowski. It will take another 5 minutes to reach the stop.