Chernivtsi

About

Chernivtsi was a relatively unimportant settlement until it was annexed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 18th century, and Emperor Franz II launched an ambitious redevelopment project. With much of the city rebuilt by Viennese architects, Chernivtsi has some noticeable parallels to the Austrian capital. However, the most stupendous landmark is the former high priests’ quarters, a UNESCO-listed compound combining Moresque, Byzantine, and Romanesque styles with local folk elements, and now houses the local university. The Central Square is dominated by the Town Hall, a decidedly eastern take on Late Classicism, but it’s the former Bukovinian bank building that gets all the attention - this exceptional Secession-style building now houses an art museum. The breathtaking Theatre Square is crowned by the Olha Kobylyanska Theater, which was designed by the architects of Vienna’s and Odesa’s opera houses. Ironically, the city’s most unusual building is its Orthodox Cathedral, which is known as ‘the drunk church’ because of its crooked cupolas.