The Bernardine Cathedral and Monastery is one of the most inspiring sites in Lviv. The area around which the monastery stands has evolved over the years, but the monastery itself remains as architect Pavlo Rimlyanin envisioned. Constructed in the 17th century, the cathedral’s façade is protected by statues of the sacred order of Bernardine and the niches of the second tier hold images of Mary, Jesus and apostles Peter and Andrew. Be respectful, of course, but don’t be afraid to drop in on a prayer session. The cathedral’s magnificent interior is stirring. Originally located outside the city walls, the monastery had its own defences. A section of the original protective wall remains and can be viewed from Pidval’na vul.The impressive column that stands before the cathedral supports a sculpture of St. Jan and was constructed in 1736. Originally from a small settlement named Dukla, Jan rose to prominence in Lviv where he died in September 1484 at the age of 60. He was quickly canonized. The monument was established in memoriam to those on the Polish side who perished during the Khmel'nyts'kyi Uprising. In 1648 allied armies led by Ukrainian Hetman Bohdan Khmel'nyts'kyi invaded the Carpathian region in an attempt to seize control from the Poles. One of the campaign’s goals was the complete eradication of Roman Catholic priests. Legend has it that during a purge St. Jan appeared from the heavens and protected the targeted group of priests. Much speculation exists concerning controversial events that have taken place within the monastery and its cells. One of the more famous cases concerns a letter missive (sanction of trade) addressed to Dracula.