Brody Tour – On the footsteps of Joseph Roth
Explore the rich history of the Galician bordertown in a compelling trip
Brody today would be a small and sleepy Ukrainian town as any other if it would not be for the Austrians. In the Austro-Hungarian Empire Brody was right at the border with Russia – which added to the myth of it being at a crossroad. This myth was then manifested in the books of Joseph Roth, a jewish author who wrote much about the latter days of Austria-Hungary. His figures are often taken from the streets of Brody. On our tour we want to bring these scenes back to life.
To book the day trip as a Premium Tour, simply select the option in the booking form beneath the booking calendar.
A Brody Tour can be the perfect chance to explore a charming little town outside of the big city and encounter it’s history that now is closely connected with Joseph Roth. Brody’s main street Vulitsa Zolota (Golden Street) still bears witness of prestigious past of Brody as a commercial hub and border town on the frontier with the Russian Empire. Today there are exiled Ukrainians from Canada, Israelis, Austrians, Poles and many others coming to Brody – to feel the presence of the past.
Brody was filled with merchants, craftsmen and beggars that conversed in Ukrainian, Polish, German or Yiddish as they pleased. Because of it’s location, smugglers and spies used the city as a hub. Connections to Russia were frequent. Visitors hated the hotels in Brody. Honore de Balzac even wrote that prisons in Paris were more comfortable than hotels in Brody.
Born here in 1894, Joseph Roth describes this little town in many of his works and filled many stories with it. On our Brody Tour we will show you the hotel building that once inspired Roth to his story Hotel Savoy. In the local high school we will walk the halls and feel like a young student Joseph Roth in the beginning of the 19th century.
Although Joseph Roth left long before the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, he did not live much longer. Neither did the character of the city that he described in his books. With the Holocaust almost all of Brody’s Jews were murdered. The synagogue today stands as a ruin. On the local Jewish Cemetery for a long time new grave was added. But it’s definitely worth to walk through those remains to get to feel how it once was.
Come on a stroll through the old streets of Brody with us. You will explore the Golden Street where many buildings from Joseph Roth's novels are placed, see the old clock tower and wander through the gymnasium where he once studied. If time permits we will also visit the local history museum and enjoy the exhibition.
Come with us to eat some delicious local treats of the Ukrainian countryside in our partner restaurant. Try some varenyky, borsch or other local dishes and find out more about Ukrainian food.
The Jewish Cemetery of Brody is one of the best preserved in the whole region and has its own mystic charm to it. We will show you the cemetery and explain you all about what interesting people are buried here and what they can tell us about the city.
We will also show you the Jewish heritage of Brody. The ruin of the once impressive synagogue as well as the former important Jewish buildings in this once Jewish shtetl that was a border town melting pot.
It’s very easy. You just need to book it here, as all our tours are easily bookable online. We will then approve the tour and send you a payment link.
We offer cancellation for all clients. For our Basic Tours our Cancellation Policy applies. If you book a Premium Tour, we charge only 10% even you don’t show up.
For all our day trips, we pick you up from your hotel or accommodation in Lviv. This is included in the price.
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