An interesting name has the district center which lies 50 km eastward of Lviv. It seems even the citizens are divided into two parties: some believe that the name of Busk is from storks-buskiv (even the coat of arms in the town is appropriate). But others, people of vast reading know about the annalistic Buzhesk which was the part of Belzke principality and was called in the name of the river Western Bug which is flowing through the town.

Busk – the district center (over 8 thousands of population) with a full set of monuments without them the Galician town can not be considered sufficiently ancient and interesting. Here is the town hall (the newest in Ukraine, probably was built in 1999 on the place where earlier was a court of a district), Roman Catholic church, the family palace Badeni, the synagogue, two wonderful wooden churches, old stone houses and the river Bug.

The first mention about Busk (Bozhesk) was in “The Story of the Passing Years”, 1097. The well-reinforced town-fortress played the fort post role on the boundaries of Volynian and later Galician-Volynian principality in ХІІІ c. On the beginning of XV c. the town has got the Magdeburg Right and became the important trade and industrial center. The stock is exhibited on the town’s arm. The legend tells us that once the stock has saved the settlement from the Tatars, that’s why the town was named Busk (the Ukrainian name of stock). Because of good location the town was developing extremely. The first paper mill operated here during 1539-1641. The “Ostrog Bible” of Ivan Fedorov was printed on the paper, produced here.

The Palace of Kasimir Badeni is in the centre of the town. According to legends, it was built by Wojciech Mier in 1810. Most likely in the XIX century the building was rebuilt a little, and probably expanded. The palace is classicistic, two-stored. The main facade is decorated in the center of the portico; the park facade is marked out by scagliola, a long balcony and stone vases on the balustrade. In total the external decoration of the building is rather frugal.

About the interiors of the XIX century nothing is known. However, there are descriptions of the palace in the interwar period. During the First World War from Busk estate were taken out few paintings and some pictures. It’s known that the stairs were made by a master Piotr Vitalis Varasimovych. In 1932 the palace was repaired, but the owners visited the palace only in summer, living mainly in the estate in Zhivets. A scenery park (XIX century) surrounds the palace, currently it is neglected very much. At present, the park is named after Taras Shevchenko.

Busk is located in the place of pouring the rivers Western Bug and Poltva. The rivers and streams flowing down through the town divide it into several parts. In the past the town got the name of “Galician Venice”. The junction was done through the dams and 68 big and small bridges before 60s years of ХІХ c. The several dried rivers channels and remnants of dams and bridges have been preserved in Busk at present.

Also two ancient wooden churches of XVIII c. with bell-towers – St. Parasceva and St. Onuphrius – are still preserved in the town. The famous historical person Evhen Petrushevych (1863-1940), Austrian Parliament and Galician Seim deputy, the President of Western Ukrainian National Republic was born in Busk.

In Polish times the town sometimes was called "Galician Venice" – because of a great amount of water in Busk: here is Bug with its tributaries, here is Poltva and numerous pounds (though from land-reclamation works some local small rivers have dried up). Formerly in the town there were 68 bridges. In 1539-1641 a paper mill worked in the town which was the one of the first in Galicia. Ivan Fedoriv printed his "Ostrog Bible" (1581) exactly on the paper from Busk.

In the town there were many handicraft shops - butchers, weavers, furriers, tailors, brewers. In the XVIII century the real industry appeared: in Busk charcoal, tar, pitch were burnt off, iron ore was extracted, which was in a big forge manufactured in the suburb which named Volyany. In 1769 a leather factory began to work which was opened by Lviv citizen Jan Ptseshl.

Saint Stanislaw Church, one of the town dominant buildings, located in the centre, in an interesting neighborhood - close to the town militia station and it seems that the prosecutor's office.

It is known that in the first half of XV century in Busk were built two Catholic churches: Saint Stanislaw in the Old City and the Virgin Mary - accordingly in the New City. In 1486 the last church took the rank of parochial church. But it didn’t help, in the nearest future the churches were destroyed in the Tatar invasions.

In 1564 Busk Catholic parish was reinstated in its rights, by Polish King Zygmunt Avgust. Saint Stanislaw Church was rebuilt and in such form it existed almost till the end of XVIII century. Virgin Mary Church, the Dominican holy place and the Holy Spirit church from the Middle Towns were destroyed in the middle of XVII century during Hmelnychyna. Instead of the destroyed Holy Spirit church was built later a family chapel burial vault of Mier-Badeni.

Dominican Monastery was built by Jerzy (Jurij) Vyshnevetskyi in the beginning of XVII century was rebuilt, but when Galicia became the part of Austria, in 1786 the monastery fell under the secularization order. The monastery was used inappropriately.

A new parish brick sanctuary has been building from 1768 to 1779 (sometimes there is an information that the author of the church is Bernard Meretyn. Really, a bit like his other projects, but still this fact is not proved). In 1780 the church was consecrated. Twice a church (1814 and 1849) was severely suffered from the fires: till restoration masses even were moved to the Greek Catholic Church. Completely the church was rebuilt only in 1856.

It is known that the church had five altars in the main contained statuary depicting a trio, and "miraculous" icon of Madonna, donated by J. Wiśniowiecki to Dominican monastery in 1608. In 1944-1946, many Busk Catholics as well as local pastors departed to Poland - taking with them many church’s property and "miraculous" icon. In a closed church was arranged a film library. The building was returned to Catholics only in 1990. In 1991 the church was re-consecrated.

For many years, the land where Busk is located was part of either Austria or Poland. This means that much of the cultural heritage and influences to be seen in the city bare distinctive marks from the Austrian and Polish cultures. If you are planning to visit this picturesque little Ukrainian town, you might want to mark the differences in architecture and culture from other parts of the Ukraine. It is all very interesting and makes for fascinating sight-seeing. Tourists get to Busk via flight to Lviv and after that – by car.