Drohobych Territorial Community

History

It is generally believed that the town was founded in 1091 as a fortified settlement within Kyivan Rus. Since 1238, the town had been part of the Galicia-Volyn principality. In 1422, it received Magdeburg rights: the right to self-government and formal independence. In 1460 they were confirmed.

During the Second World War, Drohobych was occupied by German-fascist troops from July 1941 to August 1944 and suffered serious destruction. In the post-war years, the restoration and development of the town began. In 1959, the town, together with Drohobych region, became part of Lviv region.

The cultural and historical heritage of the town is embodied in the expositions and museum collections of the State Regional Museum of Local History “Drohobychchyna”, whose funds include more than 50,000 storage units, including archaeological and ethnographic materials, household items, documents, photographs, pieces of painting, graphics, sculptures and decorative applied art. 

Wall paintings of the 18th century, medieval icons, old prints, samples of portrait painting, collections of Italian majolica of the 15th-17th centuries and Chinese porcelain of the 16th – 19th centuries are of particular value.

Also, Drohobych has the Bruno Schultz Museum dedicated to the life and work of this famous Polish writer and artist of Jewish origin who was born in this town, and the Drohobych memorial museum “Prison on Stryiska”, which tells about the victims of the repressive and punitive bodies of the Soviet period. The theatrical art of the town is represented by productions of the Lviv Regional Yuriy Drohobych Academic Music and Drama Theatre. The town Philharmonic Society and the Ivan Franko People’s House, which are the venue for concerts, plays, creative meetings, cultural and art festivals, are of particular importance to true fans of musical art. 

Many outstanding people came from Drohobych, including Yuriy Drohobych (Kotermak) (ca. 1450-1494), a Ukrainian scientist, Doctor of Medicine and Philosophy, Rector of the University of Bologna, author of the first domestic printed book entitled “Prognostic Judgment” (1483); Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny (ca. 1570-1622) – Hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Army, an outstanding commander, founder of the Kyiv Brotherhood; Yurii-Franz Kulchytskyi (ca. 1640-1692), a Ukrainian merchant, hero of the defence of Vienna.

Grateful Austrians presented the latter with the entire supply of coffee trophies. So, the native of Galicia opened Europe’s first coffee shop in Vienna. 

Bruno Schultz (1892-1942) is an outstanding writer and artist. 

The life of Ivan Franko, who lived and studied in the town in 1864-1875, is closely connected with Drohobych.

One of the most valuable shrines in Drohobych is the St. George Church of the 15th century. The church was built without a single nail. It is also called a “poem on a tree”, because the walls of the church are all covered with unique paintings of the 17th century. In 1655, the temple was expanded with the use of beams. It is said that the inhabitants of this village exchanged the timber for salt. There is also a wooden bell tower near the church, which was built in the 17th century.

The church is included in the UNESCO heritage.

Since ancient times, salt has been the hallmark of the town. Today, a salt distilling plant operates in Drohobych which is one of the oldest enterprises not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe. The first mention dates back to 1390. The modern slogan of the town is: “Drohobych – that’s the whole salt of it!”

Drohobych salt is unique and has no analogues in Europe in terms of production technology and taste properties.

In the centre of the town stands the oldest monument of architecture and sacred culture of old Drohobych – the church of St. Bartholomew. The exact date of construction of the shrine is uncertain, but it is a well-known fact that King Jagailo, by his decree of December 16, 1392, approved the construction of the church.

After the Second World War, the church was closed and a warehouse of theatrical props was placed there. In December 1989, the shrine was returned to the believers, and today the church is considered a rare monument of the Gothic style.

It is in the Jewish quarter of Lan in Drohobych, that one of the largest Choral Synagogues of Ukraine is located. The height of the Synagogue is 19.5 m, the width is 35 m. Its construction lasted from 1845 to 1865. In Soviet times, the Synagogue served as a salt warehouse. Later, the premises were used as a furniture store. In the early nineties, the Synagogue was returned to the local Jewish community. The grand opening of the Synagogue took place in 2018, and the Torah was solemnly brought to the Synagogue on July 3, 2019.

On the corner of Rynok Square is a sacred architectural monument of local importance, – the white church of the Holy Trinity. It is a brick building constructed in the baroque style in the late 17th century. In the 80s, the Austrian Emperor Joseph II liquidated the monastery and closed the church. Later, the temple complex was placed in the management of the Basilian Fathers with the condition that they maintain an educational institution. It was a four-grade school. Ivan Franko became its most famous student. Bishop Soter Ortynskyi, the first Ukrainian bishop in America, and Vasyl Ladyka, the first Ukrainian archbishop in Canada, studied at the Basilian School.

As the town was granted Magdeburg rights in 1422, there was a need for a building where the magistrate and burgomaster (mayor) of the town were to sit. Then they built the first town hall. The town hall tower has a unique four-sided clock that is over 90 years old.

The Naguyevychi State Historical and Cultural Reserve is located on the territory of the community. This is a unique tourist institution that works to preserve and popularize the creative heritage of Ivan Franko and the cultural monuments of the village of Naguyevychi. It includes:

1. The I. Franko Literary and Memorial Museum with a sculptural composition and the writer’s house.
2. The Ivan Franko Estate Museum. The estate includes a house, the writer’s father’s forge, a barn, a well, an apiary and an incomparable apple orchard.
3. The Ivan Franko’s Path Protected Art Memorial Complex:  a place where he created his first masterpieces, a park with an ancient pond, a summer theatre, a chapel of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin, as well as a route for bicycle tourists “Franko-Rover”, which stretches to the “Yaryna” spring.

Economy and Welfare

18,884 business entities are registered in the community, of which more than 1,000 are legal entities and 15,000 are individual entrepreneurs.

The core activities are wholesale and retail trade, repair, and service sector. The manufacture of local products has significant potential and has started developing actively in recent years. Clusters that need support are beginning to take their shape. Development is facilitated by the relocation of business, which complements the town’s economy both in new areas and in the sectors that have already been developed in the town.

12,000 replaced persons decided to stay in the community, and this number is constantly increasing. They are additional labour resource and consumers.

Since February 24, 2022, 11 enterprises have been relocated to the Drohobych community, including 3 engineering, 3 manufacturing, and 3 food industry enterprises.

Predominant businesses are woodworking, sewing, transport services, craft production, beekeeping, fish farming, meat production, bakeries, public catering. As regards agriculture, farming is well-developed here.

The key companies of the Drohobych urban territorial community are enterprises engaged in international road transportation, clothing manufacturing, meat processing, production in the field of energy-saving housing construction, and bread producing.

Also, after a long time of working at minimal production capacity, the Drohobych Chisel Plant received new investors. They plan to resuscitate the industrial heart of Drohobych and start working with new capacities. They intend to replace physically worn and morally outdated equipment with modern one, modernize the premises to ensure energy efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs.

Communal enterprise “Tarkom” is being replenished with cattle of dairy breeds. The newly created enterprise will engage in dairy production, as well as the cultivation of agricultural products.

120 cows were delivered from a farm in the Mykolayiv region, which is on the front line and suffered from enemy shelling. 50 hectares of land with pastures for livestock were allocated for the enterprise’s activities.

Community and War

Since the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Drohobych community has become an outpost in western Ukraine. Its activities include:

– receiving and providing assistance to internally displaced persons,

– coordinating actions with foreign partners regarding aid collection,

– providing assistance to defenders of Ukraine,

– providing support to local and relocated businesses.

Since the first days of the war, the Drogobitsk community has begun to receive internally displaced persons, as well as to provide assistance to cities that suffered from Russian aggression.

In March 2022, the Drohobych Humanitarian Aid Hub was established in the town of Drohobych as a logistics centre for humanitarian aid for Ukraine passing through the town. The hub was formed on the premises of the warehouses of the Drohobych enterprise and the Polish enterprise. 

The purpose of the hub was to interact with European and global humanitarian aid centres. As a result, during the existence of the hub, it was possible to ferry significant amounts of humanitarian aid to cities that suffered from occupation and aggression (Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Bucha, Slovyansk, and others).

The delivery of humanitarian aid would not have been possible without the involvement of private businesses, which, on a volunteer basis, provided warehouses, transport and various support that our community and Ukraine as a whole required.

More than 2,000 tonnes of foreign aid were delivered through the Drohobych humanitarian aid hub from Poland to Ukraine.

The number of cargoes transported totalled 1,055. Total weight – 2,899.3 tonnes (source: Portal of humanitarian aid)

In 2022, the Drohobych Town Council reconstructed a dormitory for the accommodation of 150 internally displaced persons.

In addition, the construction of a quick assembly frame residential building for the accommodation of 60 displaced persons has begun. The residential building is planned to be completed in March 2023.

The partner communities from European cities – Bytom, Krakow (Poland), Greifswald (Germany), Hrastnik (Slovenia), Cherbourg (France), Sable sur Sarte (France) significantly contributed to the provision of humanitarian aid to the Drohobych community. 

Twin and partner towns of Drohobych, the community of French communes Pays Sabolien, volunteers and local residents actively support and provide assistance to the internally displaced persons of the Drohobych community.

People of the Community

Various projects have been implemented during his office as Head of the community, including as follows.

In January 2022, the newly built Administrative Services Centre – “Diya Centre” was officially opened in Drohobych. In total, it offers 410 administrative services. It is worth emphasizing that Drohobych “Diya Centre” is unique in that it was built from scratch. The building meets all the inclusivity requirements, as it provides unimpeded access for people with reduced mobility.

In February 2022, an infectious disease department was opened in one of the community’s town hospitals. In the updated department, 16 wards were equipped, which currently allow receiving 42 patients and even more, if necessary. All wards are box-type. In addition, an updated surgical department was opened in the hospital.

An updated kindergarten began to function in one of the community’s villages. External and internal works were carried out in the building of the preschool institution: the facade was painted, a class was equipped with modern new furniture and leisure areas for children. The sleeping quarters for the little ones were provided with comfortable beds and bright bedding. 

An open-air ice rink called “Ice Land” was installed in Drohobych for active leisure time. The construction of the open rink in the park gave people the opportunity to spend their free time actively and healthily in winter.

During 2019-2021, the project “Reconstruction of street lighting using energy-saving technologies” was implemented. The project outputs are as follows: 

• 13.75 km of new insulated wires were laid,
• 1,230 lamps were replaced with new LED ones,
• the amount of CO2 atmospheric emissions was reduced by 1,000 tonnes/year

As part of the “Major Construction” programme, the reception department of the town hospital was reconstructed during 2020-2021.

During 2017-19, the central market square was reconstructed. A fountain, new benches and a WIFI zone were installed here. Also, modern lighting was installed and green space was arranged.

Development Strategy

The sustainable development strategy of the Drohobych territorial community until 2030 was adopted in December 2021.

In 2022, the creation of an industrial park began in Drohobych on an area of 19 hectares. According to the results of the competition, the management company of the industrial park has already been determined.

According to the concept, the construction area will be 101,300 m2. The prime cost of 1 m2 will be USD 481. USA. The number of newly created jobs will be 1,470, the total amount of investments will be USD 45-50 million. Currently, the industrial park is included in the register of industrial parks, and the first works will soon begin. The implementation timeframe is 4.5 years from the start of construction.

You can read more about the community strategy by following the link below:

Стратегія-Дрогобицької-МТГ-2021-2030.pdf (drohobych-rada.gov.ua) 

List of Sources

• drohobych-rada.gov.ua
• drogtravel.com/ 
• Туристично-інформаційний центр м. Дрогобича
• Дрогобицька міська рада