House of the Sokol Society, Sniatyn

The Sokol Society is a sports movement that spread throughout Eastern and Central Europe at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The heritage of this community consists of the ancient so-called "pioneer houses" lavishly decorated in the style of 19th century architecture. One of these architectural structures of the patriotic Sokil bodybuilding and movement society in Ivano-Frankivsk region is an architectural monument in the Ivano-Frankivsk region in the town of Sniatyn, built in the late 19th century by followers of the Sokil community. The old building with a figured tower is considered a cultural heritage monument in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which served as a shelter for the Sokil sports society.

This building, which was finished and decorated in the architectural style of the XIX century, belongs to the Austrian buildings. It was the representatives of Austria-Hungary who created the Sokil international community, which appeared on the local lands in the early twentieth century. They organized the physical development of the younger generation, namely, various training sessions, sporting events, and hiking trips. Many boys were engaged in music and dancing, as well as staged performances. That is why the building has a gymnasium and other rooms suitable for creative and sports education. Currently, the former Sokil building houses the Center for Children and Youth Creativity. According to the laws of Ukraine, the building is not subject to privatization, as it is an architectural and cultural heritage monument.

Indra Fünger, a resident of Austro-Hungarian Prague, and his brother Miroslav Tyrsh were the founders of the Sokil sports society. They started thinking about the strong state of mind and body of the younger generation back in 1862. Over the next few years, the movement was supported by Serbs, Slovenes, Macedonians, and later Poles. In 1894, the first Ukrainian Sokil was founded in Lviv. In 1905, Russia joined the movement. Two years later, the national communities united under the All-Slavic Union. Today, the buildings of those times serve almost the same cultural and sports purposes.

The Sokol Society is a sports program that includes a full-fledged broad development of young men. A well-thought-out set of exercises was eventually used in physical education classes at Russian military schools and has even partially survived to this day. The members of the Sokol society developed not only physically, they were taught first aid, went hiking, sang, played music, danced, and staged plays. In 1912, when the situation in Europe was heating up on the eve of the upcoming World War, the falcons were taught to shoot.

With the advent of Soviet rule, all "falconry" groups were regarded as nationalist communities and therefore subject to rapid liquidation. Today, members of Svoboda are trying to restore Sokil by holding patriotic meetings, rallies, and gatherings. In the town of Sniatyn, in a building with a figured tower, the former home of Sokol, there is a Center for Children's Creativity, where young children are helped to develop their talents and sports spirit.

Where is the Sokil Society building located?

The picturesque town of Sniatyn is located in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The once quiet Knyazya Kosnyatyn Street, now V. Symonenko Street, is decorated with a building number 4 - the Children's Art Center and the District Station of Young Naturalists, which used to be the home of the Sokil Society.