Today Kiev is the political, economic, scientific, industrial and cultural centre of Ukraine. It is the capital of Ukraine and the seat of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada. The population of Kiev is more than 4 million.
Kiev is an ancient city. According to the legend, once there were three brothers: Kiy, Shchek, Khoriv and their sister Lybid'. They settled on the hills above the Dnieper and founded a city on one of the hills, and called it Kiev after the eldest brother. One can see the remains of the Golden Gate in the centre of the city, which are about a thousand years old. Once it was the main entrance to the city. At that time Kiev was the capital of the feudal state of Kiev Rus', a large and powerful state with highly developed culture and various crafts widely known throughout Europe. Decorative and applied art was most wide-spread in Kiev Rus'.
The prosperous years of Kiev Rus' changed to years of discord and wars. Ancient temples were ruined by Tatar-Mongol invaders. The Ukrainian people had been fighting against foreign invaders for nearly three centuries. In the centre of St. Sophia's Square there is a Monument to B.Khmelnitskiy, an outstanding statesman and a military leader, who headed the Ukrainian people in their liberation war against the Poles. The St. Sophia's Cathedral is the most famous among monumental structures of Kiev. Prince Volodymyr's son, Yaroslav the Wise laid the foundation of St. Sophia's Cathedral in honour of the victory over the Pechenihs in 1037. At that time Kiev played an important role in the development of written language, literature, painting, and architecture. Yaroslav the Wise strengthened the international importance of Kiev Rus' through dynastic unions. As a European power Kiev Rus' reached the highest point of its fame under his rule.
Being completely destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1240, the city lost most of its influence for the coming centuries. It was a provincial capital of a marginal importance in the outskirts of the territories controlled by its powerful neighbors: first the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, followed by Poland and Russia. The city prospered again during the Russian industrial revolution in the late 19th century. After the turbulent period following the Russian Revolution of 1917, from 1921 onwards Kiev was an important city of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and, from 1934, its capital. During the World War II, the city again suffered significant damage, but quickly recovered in the post-war years remaining the third largest city of USSR. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the proclamation of the Ukrainian independence in 1991, Kiev remained the capital of Ukraine.
Kiev is a big city, in order to discover as much as Kiev offers, you will need to use different means of transportation in the city. Kiev has a well-developed public transportation system including buses, trams, trolleybuses and a metro. There are two international airports and a big railway station there.
The safest way of transition is using the metro system, as it is clean, efficient and reliable; and runs from 06:00 to 24:00 hours. Travelling by buses, trams and trolleybuses is the cheapest way to travel to almost all parts of the city. Another option is the funicular, a sort of tram-car running since the early 20th century, which carries passengers up the steep hill of the Dnieper River. Taxis can be easily caught on the street or pre-booked by telephone. Exploring the city on foot is a great way to explore the many cultural attractions of Kiev.
The art and architecture of Kiev are world treasures. The Cathedral of St. Sophia, where the princes of Kiev were crowned in the years of Kiev’s grandeur, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century. Much beloved by Ukrainians, the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew stands overlooking the old section of Kiev, Podol. The Percherska Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, which is in a short trolley ride from the center of town, has two 11th-century cathedrals on its territory, in addition to its world-famous catacombs, bell tower, and museum collections. The Golden Gate, a construction, which dates back to 1037, stands close to the center of the city. These recently reconstructed remains of the former fortified wall of the city used to define the limits of the city in past centuries. The magnificent 19th-century Cathedral of St. Volodymyr, which is one of the city's major landmarks and the mother cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchy, stands several blocks away.
Kiev is also famous for its St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, originally built in 1108-1113 by Prince Svyatoslav II. It was later renovated and enlarged in the exuberant Ukrainian Baroque style in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, though the interior remained Byzantine. St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral was the second largest medieval church in Kiev. It was also one of the three churches in the St. Demetrius Monastery, later known as the St. Michael of the Golden Domes Monastery. In 1935-1936 the cathedral was demolished by the Bolsheviks due to the construction of the new Ukrainian SSR capital centre, which was not completed. Smaller adjoining monastery buildings survived. In 1997-1998 the cathedral and the belfry were completely rebuilt by the city authorities, and transferred to the Kiev Patriarchy.
Theater buffs will find a variety to choose from there. Most performances are held in Ukrainian or Russian. The recently renovated Kiev Opera House presents very good opera as well as a broad repertoire of ballets. It was formally established in the summer of 1867, and it is the third oldest in Ukraine. Today, the Kiev Opera Company performs at the National Opera Theatre of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko in Kiev. The theatre is famous for its classic operas and ballet performed by professional and recognized all over the world dancers and singers.
The Kiev Young Theater is very popular and stages innovative plays in Ukrainian or Russian. The Ivan Franko Theater is the center of Ukrainian drama, comedy, and musicals. Its repertoire includes brilliant versions of Teve Tevel, Pygmalion, The Marriage of Figaro and Romeo and Juliette.
The modern center with surviving parts of the old city is located on the west, or the right hilly bank of the Dnieper River. The main street, Khreshchatik, runs between two steep hills. Volodymyrska street parallels it about half a kilometer west, it is the main street of the Old Kiev area (Staryj Kiev), where the remains of the Golden Gate of Kiev can be found. This gateway was one of three constructed by Yaroslav the Wise, Prince of Kiev, in the mid-eleventh century. It was reputedly modelled on the sample of the Golden Gate of Constantinople, which gave it the name. In 1240 it was partially destroyed by Batu Khan's Golden Horde. It remained as a gate to the eighteenth century, although it gradually fell into ruins. In 1832 the ruins were excavated and an initial survey for their conservation was undertaken. In the 1970s further work resulted in an adjacent pavilion, housing a museum of the gate. In 1982, the gate was completely reconstructed for the 1500’s anniversary of Kiev, although there is no solid evidence as to how the original gates looked like. Some art historians call for this reconstruction to be demolished and for the ruins of the original gate to be exposed to the public view.
Hrushevskoho street rises from the north end of Khreshchatik to the southeast, along a ridge to the Caves Monastery at Perchersk. The architectural ensemble, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, was created over a period of nine century. According to chronicles the Pechersk Monastery of the Caves was founded by the monk Antony in 1051. The Pechersk Lavra became an important cultural centre of Old Rus'. Among museums of Lavra there is a Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art, which comprises more than 50,000 exhibits. There are rugs and carpets, eighteenth and nineteenth century fabrics and embroidery, wood carvings, objects of art, glass, porcelain, etc. One can visit the State Museum of Ukrainian Art which was opened in 1899. The large collections of paintings, drawings and sculptures embrace all periods of the development of Ukrainian fine arts.
Andreevskiy Descent is one of the city's main tourist attractions. It is often called the Montmartre of Kiev. The baroque St Andrew's Church was built in Kiev in 1747–1754, to a design by the imperial architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Overlooking the historical Podil district from a steep hill to which the church gave its current name Andreevskaya Mount, that is one of the city's best known landmarks. The church was constructed by a team of Russian and Ukrainian masters under Ivan Michurin, the principal architect of Moscow, to replace the older Church of the Resurrection, on the Women's Market Square.The legend says, that it was the spot where St. Andrew erected a cross and prophesied the foundation of a great Christian city in the area, which was sparsely inhabited then. Since 1968, the church has been open to visitors as a museum. Occasionally the edifice is used for services of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, a minority Ukrainian church that insulated from the Eastern Orthodox Communion.
The best place for souvenir shopping, and really the only place worth mentioning, is the historic Andreevskiy Descent. Pleasantly strolling in the shadow of the gorgeous St. Andrew’s Church, you can find all kinds of everything “touristy” available for purchase. Many of the table vendors take special orders; don’t hesitate to ask. Many of them also speak English pretty well, and will openly call to you to choose their selection over others because they will make you a “special deal.” Don’t be afraid to offend them by bargaining. NEVER pay the first price they ask; it is always negotiable. If you buy more than one item from one vendor, bargain even more for a quantity discount. These booths specialize in all sorts of traditional Ukrainian merchandise, such as martryoshka (nesting dolls) and large furry “ear-flap hats.” A vast array of T-shirts, having everything from a map of Kiev to Lenin’s face on them, football jerseys and scarves of the local Dynamo soccer team, wooden carvings, chess sets, art prints, and a whole host of other items litter the half-mile walk down the hill. There are many extremely delightful handmade items and just funny souvenirs and the prices are much cheaper than you would pay in a souvenir shop in downtown Kiev.
Eating in Ukraine is an exciting experience. Food in Ukraine has many different styles with thousands of great restaurants in all the major cities and towns of Ukraine. All of them seem to boast about one chef or another, which is good, but what most of us want is to get down to eating.
In addition, food in Kiev and other Ukrainian tourist resorts is not restricted to traditional Ukrainian delights. Cuisine from all over the world can be found in Ukraine, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international tastes. Fast food chains are rising in popularity due to their convenience and their family oriented style.
There is a multitude of authentic Ukraine restaurants in the capital city, from upscale dining with live music to budget cafeteria-style food. Both kinds of dining in Ukraine are a unique and delicious experience. One of the flagships of the Kiev dining scene is Restaurant Kozachok, which serves traditional Ukrainian food in a rustic, quaint atmosphere. Live music enlivens the scene, and you can choose from the extensive wine and spirits list as you wait for your meal to arrive—don't miss the Ukrainian vodka! The huge hall offers a festive atmosphere as you devour a feast of homemade pickles, borscht, grilled meats and fish, and more. For dining atmosphere, don't miss Taras Restaurant, one of the most charming restaurants in Kiev. Located in Taras Shevchenko Park, the restaurant building resembles a Ukrainian village house, and the decor is traditionally Ukrainian.
A favorite Ukrainian sit-down restaurant Kobzar, themed to the Cossack island fortress, is located across the street from the main Kreshatik metro station. Lipsky Osobnyak is probably one of the very best restaurants in Kiev, situated not far from the upper entrance to Kreshatik metro station. If you want to impress someone, this is the place. Try the flaming pear for dessert! It’s also one of Kiev’s most expensive restaurants.
Nightlife in Kyiv
Kiev is a party-goers’ paradise, there is a fantastic entertainment scene in Kiev ready to suit all tastes, you are welcome to choose from the wide variety of nightclubs, casinos, vodka bars, cinemas, discos, pubs, and strip clubs that have spread after the Post-Soviet Era.
Night venues range from cheap to very expensive. Most nightclubs open at 10 or 11 pm, the opening hours are long and alcohol is relatively cheap for European standards. There are usually food venues near, so you can fill your stomach before drinking and dancing all night.
Khreschatyk has a great concentration of restaurants, bars, beer halls and cafes.
The Drum (Baraban) is a good bar with very reasonable prices. The Marocana Fashion Cafe is a Moroccan-style bar; stay late to enjoy a traditional Moroccan breakfast. The Wall is a bar very popular with expatriates and young locals. There are also many popular Irish pubs, such as O'Brien’s and Golden Gate Irish Pub, which has the largest selection of draught beer in Kiev. If you are looking for an authentic Ukrainian Beer Tavern, try Shato and Viola’s Bierstube, both serving excellent brews in a very friendly environment.
Sound Planet is one of the favorites for lovers of dance music. Art Club 44 offers excellent live music shows attracting massive young crowds, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.One of the best places for live music is the Docker Pub. Kiev has great jazz and blues musicians, they play mostly in Swing. The Kiev’s only Latin American club is the Caribbean Club where you can take dance classes.