Metropolitan Gardens or St. George’s Park

Metropolitan Gardens or St. George’s Park

The Metropolitan Gardens (St. George’s Park) are a quiet historic garden on the slope of St. George’s Hill in Lviv, next to the majestic St. George’s Cathedral. In the past, this space was part of a sacred ensemble — a place for peace and contemplation near the palace of the Greek Catholic metropolitans.

The garden took shape in the 18th century according to the design of architect Bernard Meretin. It was created on three terraces with retaining walls and decorated with flower parterres, ornamental pools, and green “cabinets” formed from trimmed trees. Thanks to its carefully planned composition, the terraces offered panoramic views of the city and the famous High Castle.

The idea of the garden combined the spiritual and the earthly worlds: from the cathedral, the space gradually transitioned into the decorative gardens of the metropolitan residence. Over time, the formal Baroque style was replaced by more natural landscape-style paths and alleys.

Today, the Metropolitan Gardens are a cozy green corner of historic Lviv, reopened to visitors in 2015 after a long period of being closed to the public. Here you can feel the atmosphere of the old city, see traces of Baroque planning, and enjoy the calm among historic walls.