It is an important industrial centre and a major transportation hub, with an airport, railway and road network crossing the city. It is home to a multi-ethnic community – apart from the Poles, Lvov has had the Ukrainians,Armenians, Germans, Czechs, Russians and other minorities among its dwellers. In 1998, the historical centre of Lvov was put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Nowadays, it is an important scientific and cultural centre in Ukraine, with the
- University of Lvov (established in 1661),
- the Lvov Polytechnic National University (1844),
- the Lvov Art Gallery (1897),
- the Lvov Theatre of Opera and Ballet (1900) and the Polish Popular Theatre (1958).
The city is the main centre of cultural and social life of the Polish minority in Ukraine.
