Emergency rooms of the unique Hredel Palace have been restored in Skole: the "Living Room" is opening there for tourists

A new visitor center for the "Skole Beskydy" National Park has begun operating in the Lviv region. The space was equipped in the restored premises of a 19th-century monument with German investment.

Палац Гредлів із оновленим центром відкривають для туристів / фото Вікіпедії

17 August, 14:07

Planning a trip to the Carpathians and looking for a new cozy place to relax? On Saturday, August 23, at 1:00 PM, the "Hredel Living Room" will open in Skole — a new visitor center for the "Skole Beskydy" National Park, located within the walls of the legendary Neo-Baroque estate. From now on, you can start your acquaintance with mountain routes or the history of the region with a cup of coffee in the atmosphere of an ancient palace.

This was reported by the Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Lviv Regional State Administration.

The "Hredel Living Room" is intended to become the main entry point for getting acquainted with Skole and the Carpathians. Here, travelers and local residents will be able to choose a tourist route, learn more about the nature and cultural heritage of the region, and participate in educational programs, excursions, and joint community events.

The creation of the visitor center is another stage in the revitalization of the entire estate. After the roof restoration, specialists restored several rooms and adapted them for the needs of the new space. The initiative is being implemented by the "Skole Beskydy" National Park, the Skole City Council, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society in Ukraine (FZS Ukraine).

The main financial and strategic partner in the rescue of the architectural monument is the Frankfurt Zoological Society from Germany, which has been cooperating with the national park since 2013. As the director of the "Skole Beskydy" National Park, Vasyl Pryndak, told "Your City" in a comment, the German partners took an experimental step by taking under their care a cultural heritage site.

"They understand that this palace should become a center for tourism and nature protection not only for Skole, if we restore it. This is very significant for us because we have done things that we would never have managed on our own. When the roof collapsed, we restored it in the authentic style it was meant to be. In total, about 20 million hryvnias have already been spent on the facility — all from our partners' funds. They are also financing the current conservation of dangerous areas, effectively taking patronage over the palace," said Vasyl Pryndak.

The primary task for the specialists was to stop the building's destruction and eliminate the risk of collapse. According to the chief architect of the Lviv region, Olena Vasylko, significant investments were directed towards the first emergency steps.

"At the time of transfer, the Palace building required urgent anti-emergency roof work. On the initiative of the Park, during 2024-2025, the roof was repaired (restored) using investment funds from the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) based on scientific and project documentation. UAH 18.8 million was used for scientific research and roofing work," reported Olena Vasylko.

In parallel with the conservation measures, restorers are developing a large-scale project for the complete restoration of the palace. Also, in winter, specialists will prepare a plan for the reconstruction of the adjacent ancient park, a section of which the national park recently received for use.

They also plan to equip a children's space and areas for international donor organizations to work in the Hredel Palace. According to the Director of the National Park, the building's area is over 2.5 thousand square meters.

"I think we will succeed because the premises are large — over 2500 square meters, if approached correctly. Of course, there are many limitations because it is an architectural monument, so everything possible must be done within the law," he said.

Vasyl Pryndak added that the final format of the center's operation is still being developed. However, in his opinion, the palace can become a tourist hub not only for the Lviv region but for all of Ukraine.

In the future, the "Hredel Living Room" will be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

The visiting format is promised to be as comfortable and interactive as possible. The entrance ticket will cost 100 hryvnias, and the price will already include a cup of coffee or tea.

Guests will be able to walk around the safe areas of the palace on their own, take photos, or hire a guide for a detailed journey through history.

We remind you that the Palace and Park Ensemble in Skole was founded by Baron Eugeniusz Kinski in the mid-19th century. The building acquired its modern appearance in the Neo-Baroque style at the end of the century thanks to the Hredel family of barons — the largest forest industrialists of the region at that time.

Колись палац мав куполи, що видно на старих світлинах

In the interwar period, the palace was a center of social life, frequented by representatives of European aristocracy. During Soviet times, a boarding school was established in the building, which led to significant alterations and destruction of the authentic interiors.

For a long time, the monument was empty and decaying, until in 2020, the Skole City Council leased the complex to the "Skole Beskydy" National Park for 49 years with the obligation to restore it.