Guard Stones

Guard stones are metal, stone, or concrete constructions located on the sides of entrances and gateways to protect the walls from damage from the wheels of wagons or carriages.

A guard stone is another architectural element that has become largely obsolete since cars don’t pose much danger to the walls.

Many guard stones have survived in Lviv. I mostly collect pictures of the metal ones, but I have some pictures of stone ones as well.

This one below is unique because it is not located at the corner of an entrance way, but rather protects a curb in a driveway of an old palace.

These below are extra obsolete as this former entrance way has been bricked up. 

The metal ones come in several shapes, but the most common seem to be the ones found in the first three pictures below. Some have been partially buried (second picture); tips of others have been cemented in walls (third picture). Some are rather plain (first row), others more elaborate (second row). I was once told that the last one was located in front of a building that used to be a bordello (hence it being so phallic). I’m not sure if my friends were being facetious or not (haven’t been able to confirm this); nevertheless, it’s an interesting thought…