Skole's Partially Restored Hredli Barons' Palace Now Open to Tourists

Hredli Barons' Palace Welcomes Visitors Again

According to УНІАН — Туризм: On 23 August 2026, the partially restored Hredli Barons' Palace in the town of Skole, Lviv Oblast, opened its doors to tourists. The restoration included roof repairs, the renovation of several rooms, and the establishment of a visitor center and café. Funding came from the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The palace now serves as another point of interest for visitors exploring the Skole Beskids area.

Built in the second half of the nineteenth century by the Hredli brothers, a German industrialist family, the palace was under construction until the outbreak of World War II. In late September 1939, after Soviet forces occupied Skole, an NKVD department began operating there; the building was later used as a boarding school. In 2020, the Skole Raion Council and the Skole Beskids National Nature Park signed a 49-year lease agreement for the palace.

The full-scale invasion delayed the restoration, but recent conservation work has stripped later layers of whitewash from the walls and cleaned the original parquet floors. The roof was restored with red ceramic tiles close to its historical appearance, replacing the previous metal surface. Inside, the new visitor center and café are ready; the café is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:00 to 20:00.

Plans for the Future

According to Vasyl Pryndak,

'the palace is meant to become a multifunctional complex in the future, with offices for the national park and donor organizations, an exhibition center, a tourist center, and a children's space.'

The administration also plans to open a restaurant and several guest rooms. The palace is initially being opened to local residents, with tourist access to follow.

On the same day, Skole also introduced a bicycle rental station and a new eco-friendly cycling route. The station, located at the entrance to the Pavliv Potik recreation zone, has ten bicycles available. It runs Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 17:00. Adult rental prices range from 200 to 500 hryvnias depending on how long the bike is used. Helmets and locks can be rented for an additional fee.

In a related development, the Lviv region has joined the Camino de Santiago network with a new route, VeloPidkova, which connects the castles of Zolochiv, Pidhirtsi, and Olesko. These initiatives reflect the region's growing emphasis on tourist infrastructure and provide fresh options for recreation and travel.

The opening of the Hredli Barons' Palace and the launch of the bike rental hub in Skole show how local authorities are working to boost tourism infrastructure. Restoring historic buildings preserves cultural heritage and creates new reasons for people to visit. Together with routes like VeloPidkova, these developments make Lviv Oblast an increasingly attractive travel destination and could strengthen local economies.