Korniakt Palace, Renaissance palace in Market Square, Lviv, Ukraine.
Korniakt Palace stands as a magnificent Renaissance building featuring a three-tier Italian courtyard with open galleries, ornate facades, and symmetrical architectural elements that showcase the sophisticated design principles of the late 16th century.
Construction began around 1580 when Greek merchant Konstanty Korniakt commissioned architect Piotr Barbon to build this palace on the site of two Gothic houses, later becoming associated with Polish King Jan III Sobieski and his family.
The palace houses the Lviv History Museum's royal chambers, displaying Rococo furniture, silverware collections, medieval artifacts, and features the mysterious black armchair known as 'Satan's chair' alongside period musical instruments and European craftsmanship examples.
Visitors can explore the museum exhibitions year-round, attend summer concerts in the Italian courtyard, and view architectural details from the exterior while accessing guided tours that explain the building's transformation through different historical periods.
The palace contains Ukraine's only preserved secular Gothic hall from the 15th century and features an original stone executioner's column replica with figures of Justice Goddess Feme, representing medieval public punishment practices.
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