This article traces the varied history, ancient and often painful, of the city of Lemberg, or Lwów, or Lvov, or Lviv … All these names correspond to stages in history marked by identities which have left traces in the imaginary, the topography and the system of reference points. Today a new version of this situation - stamped with the sign of paradox - is characterized by the strange notion of a ‘border’ between East and West proposed by Huntington: that frontier is said to pass through the town itself. But it cannot be reduced to this status of border post because of glibly reductive theoretical statements. Enlargement of the European Union gives Lviv a new role speaking for Ukraine, manifesting its desire for Europe and neighbourly relationships with it.