the balustrades and railings bore direct resemblance to the style of the Paris Métro ornaments designed by Hector Guimard. A design for the registers was constructed in Zieleniewski Maschinen und Wagonbau-Gesellschaft Werk Sanok, (Autosan). Construction started in 1899 and lasted until 1904, when the railway station was opened to the public. It was visited by some of the most renowned architects of the epoch, and influenced the later construction of the train stations in Prague (Josef Franta, 1909) and Vienna (Otto Wagner). During World War II, when the city was under the rule of the Soviet Union, the occupied eastern Poland railways were integrated into the Soviet Railway system. The station suffered extensive damage during the war, including a completely destroyed trainshed. There was an open debate on whether to restore the building or to dismantle the ruins and build anew. Architect G.F. Domashenko managed to bring both parties to agreement, and between 1949 and 1953 the old structure was given a contemporary Stalinist interior, whilst a full repair on the outside preserved its original view. Frequent renovations and upgrades ensured that the service and building was always up to modern standards, a tradition which Ukraine continued through the 1990s and into the 21st century, with the most recent major restoration being carried out in 2003. See also Lviv Suburban Rail Terminal References External links Lviv State Railway Transport in Lviv Rail freight transport in Ukraine Buildings and structures in Lviv Railway stations in Lviv Railway stations opened in 1904 Lviv Railways stations Railway stations in Lviv Oblast Art Nouveau architecture in Ukraine Art Nouveau railway stations