The Botanical Garden of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is one of the oldest in Ukraine. Founded in 1852, it now holds more than 4,000 plant taxa, a rare rhododendron collection, magnolias and a 300-year-old yew. Here is where to find it, what blooms when, how to visit, which other botanical gardens Lviv has, what a ticket costs, how to get there and where to take the best photos.
More on this topic: when lilac blooms, when peonies bloom, sakura, declaring love with flowers.
Professor Gavrylo Lobazhevsky founded the garden in 1852 on the site of a former Trinitarian monastery garden. It covers about 18.5 ha on two sites: the main visitor area at 44 Cheremshyny Street (16.5 ha) and a small historic plot at 4 Kyryla i Mefodiia Street. It became a natural monument in 1963 and a botanical garden of national importance in 1992.For other gardens, see our guide to botanical gardens of Ukraine.
Rhododendrons: over 130 taxa, one of Ukraine’s largest collections. Magnolias: the garden’s main spring event. Cycads: Ukraine’s oldest collection of these plants. A 24-metre glasshouse built in 1974 with tropical and subtropical plants. There is also a patch of natural beech forest, ponds and a yew about 300 years old, probably the oldest in Lviv.
The garden is open to visitors only in the warm season, so the calendar covers April to October. Dates are approximate and shift each year with the weather — check the garden’s news before you go.
Details are current at the time of writing (2026 season); hours and prices can change, so check the garden’s website before your visit.
Professional photo shoots are charged separately and must be agreed with the administration in advance.
The part open to visitors is at 44 Cheremshyny St (Lychakiv district), outside the historic centre. A small historic plot at 4 Kyryla i Mefodiia St lies closer to the centre.
Lviv guides and local media reports about the university botanical garden most often mention:
The main tip from guides is to check opening days: the garden is open only four days a week and only from April to mid-October.
Shots worth taking at different points of the season:
The university garden has two sites, which are often confused:
Open day is usually held in spring at peak magnolia bloom and is hugely popular: one year about 30,000 people visited the Kyryla i Mefodiia plot in a single day. The date is announced each year on the garden’s Facebook page, so watch for news from late March if you want magnolias in the city centre.
Contacts: +38 032 276 83 69, [email protected]; the office works weekdays 9:00–18:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) and books school and student group tours.
The National Forestry University Botanical Garden covers about 26 ha on several sites, including an arboretum at 103 Heneral Chuprynka Street, with over 5,000 trees and shrubs. It is Ukraine’s only forestry-focused botanical garden.
The Danylo Halytsky Medical University Botanical Garden is 1.5 ha at 73 Pekarska Street, with over 1,200 medicinal plant species; its emblem is the tree peony. It is open on weekdays, weekends by arrangement. Read more in tree peonies.
In the garden, flowers are just for looking; for home, order flowers delivered in Lviv: roses, peonies or spring tulips delivered on the day of your date.
See roses and flowers in a box.
The main LNU garden site is at 44 Cheremshyny Street.
At the time of writing (2026), 120 UAH or 90 UAH reduced. Check prices before you go.
Usually in April, early in the season; exact dates depend on the weather.
Yes, but professional shoots are charged separately and must be arranged with the administration in advance.
Traditionally in spring at peak magnolia bloom, at 4 Kyryla i Mefodiia St. The 2027 date will be announced on the garden’s Facebook page.
In the 2026 season, 1 April to mid-October, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 10:00–18:00.
Route to the address in a navigation app; that is where the visitor entrance is.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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