No sightseeing in Kiev is possible without visiting Andriyivsky Uzviz, the oldest and by far the most charming street of the city. Behind the intricate Ukrainian name there is a simple translation: Andriyivsky Uzviz is translated as "St Andrew's Slope". As the name implies, Andriyivsky Uzviz is a very steep area of Kiev with unique architectture and cobblestone pavement. Walking down Andriyivsky Uzviz is a lifetime experience, as each stone in the pavement could tell a breathtaking story. There are some historically important areas in Kiev which are interconnected by the St Andrew's Slope; they are the Upper City and Podil and the Lower City. It is the Lower City now that attracts most of the weekend tour tourists thanks to its great choice of little shops, branded boutiques, shopping malls and flea markets aligning the street on both sides. Here you can buy most anything, including small presents for your friends and relatives, handmade knick-knacks and Ukrainian souvenirs. For those who get weary on their stroll down Andriyivsky Uzviz (the street seems endlessly long for pedestrians) there is always a cable railway station to take them up or down the St Andrew's Slope. Be sure to not miss the opportunity of visiting the greatest and one of the oldest also cathedrals of Ukraine, St Andrew's Cathedral - the one that gave name to the street itself.
The Cathedral is a truly majestic side on the outside, although inside it may not seem so exciting as it does when you look at it from some distance. The St Andrew?s Cathedral is nestled on a legendary spot. The Cathedral was built especially for Empress Elizabeth, and they say that she was the first to lay a symbolic brick in the course of the erection of the church. The Cathedral itself is made of the blue prints of Bartolommeo Rasterelli in 1744. With its strategic placement in the end of the St Andrew?s Slop, the Cathedral attracts hundreds of tourists daily, and perhaps the best way to see it would be to adore its magnificent outline against the blue Ukrainian skies (provided that the weather permits).
Another historical site of Kiev is Babiy Yar, which is a memorial to the victims of the Nazis who murdered a hundred thousand of Ukrainian Jews and other innocent people during the World War II. Yar is a deep narrow steep-sided valley that stretches for long kilometers within the city boundaries. The Nazi slaughtered the people by small groups, and family members could see each other die. Lined along the edge of the huge ravine, the victim had to face the common grave full of those who were already slaughtered while the German soldiers shot the new group of people from machine guns till they fell dead. Nowadays thousands of people who want to revere the memory of the victims of the World War II come to Babiy Yar to put flowers to the memmorial and to take a walk in Babiy Yar Park.
If you feel like you can go through this experience, you can visiti Chernobyl Museum in Kiev where there are numerous evidences pertaining to the horrific diseaster that took thousands of lives back in 1986. The explosion left the entire area of Chernobyl poisonous and not suitable for living, and those who for some reason were in the epicentre of it were killed almost instanteneously and died in excruciating pain, others who managed to survive became totally disabled; even after twenty years since the day of this hideous catastrophy the consequences of it are still dreadful and there are hundreds of people who still suffer from radiation injuries, including children who were born after the explosion. The museum keeps and displays such exhibits as the real equipment used in the course of the elimination of the consequents caused by the explosion as well as picture and electronic displays that restore the event in every minute detail. Let us hope that awareness is the key to prevention.
The Golden Gate is a magnificent monument located in the city centre of the older part of Kiev. This fascinating structure is not only a real piece of architecture artwork, but a very important historical site, as well. The Golden Gate was erected back in the XI century, namely in 1037, by legendary Prince Yaroslav the Wise who ruled the state back then. The original purpose of the Golden Gate was to mark the western boundary of the then town and prevent the intruders from breaking into the city. You can judge how extensive was the growth of the city by this fact. If you have only a few hours for sightseeing, it is best that you go to see the Golden Gate monument first as this structure is considered to be of paramount importance in terms of the city's historical past. The Golden Gate was completely destroyed with the Khan Batyi's invasion and had not been restored until 1983. Nowadays the Golden Gate houses an interesting museum visiting which is an absolute must even if you are staying in Kiev with a short visit.
Beyond any doubts, Kiev is a city with beautiful architecture, but the most striking piece of it is the Kiev House with Chimeras. As the name implies, the architecture of the building was inspired by that of the early European Gothic traditions. The House with Chimeras was accomplished by 1902. The erection of the building was supervised by the famous Ukrainian architect Vladislav Gorodetskiy. Back then in the beginning of the XXth century there were still few houses to be built with cement, and The House with Chimeras was the first building of such kind. The House of Chimeras sports a great number of intricately intertwining figures of all kinds of fantastical animals and chimeras from which The House derived its fancy title. The House of Chimeras with a different artwork and a different story at every corner of it is by far the major tourist attraction in Ukraine and the most romantic place in Kiev.
Kiev's major square is Maidan Nezalezhnosti (The Independence Square) located in the very heart of the city. This spot gained international recognition after the notorious Orange Revolution in the course of which the original results of the Presidential elections of 2004 were altered under the pretext of political corruption and electoral fraud. It is noteworthy, however, that the graffiti inspired by the Orange Revolution made on one of the walls of the state's principal post office was covered with perspex shortly after the events of the Revolution. Be sure to check out on this landmark while visiting Maidan Nezalezhnosti. If your hotel is situated in the city centre it is reasonable to start your city exploration form here. There are numerous things to see on the Independence Square of Kiev, including The Globe (a huge complex of shops and entertainment venues) and the fountain called "The friendship of the Nations". You can take a short break in any of the luxurious and refreshing cafes in this area of the city or simply sit on a bench and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the very heart of the country where all of the most important political and cultural events take place. Sophiyivska Square, European square and Bessarabska Square are located in proximity to the Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and we recommend that you take some time to wander about those old central squares with their fine ancient architecture and modern day shops, boutiques and summer cafes.
The liveliest street of Kiev is the Kreschatik, or Kreschatik Boulevard. It is also one of the oldest areas of the city, and there are numerous references to this Boulevard in the classical Ukrainian literature. You can get to Kreschatik easily form any place in the city by underground. Firstly you should get to Maidan Nezalezhnosti Metro Station and from there take another train to to the Khreschatik Metro Station. The most adorable thing about Kreschatik is that this widest (the size of Kreschatik is equal to that of eight lanes) boulevard is turned into the area restricted for pedestrian use on weekends. This walk promises to be your ultimate sightseeing experience in Kiev, for though there may be few landmarks in Kreschatik Boulevard, the street itself is a bridge between the present and the past. The Boulevard is aligned with ancient trees on both sides of it as well as impressive architecture relating to the best traditions of Stalinist period. Make sure that you have some hours ahead for a really relaxant experience of going down Kreschatik and enjoying the atmosphere of the city?s landscapes. For sure, Kreschatik is one of the most known boulevards of Europe and the most famed street of Ukraine, its heart and soul. To top all of it, Kreschatik has many fashionable boutiques and small shops, vibrant cafes and luxurious restaurants to offer to its visitors. The environment and the very air of Kreschatik are very amiable with hundreds of people merging into a motley and diverse crowd consisting of the locals, tourists and expatriates. After a refreshing walk down Kreschatik Boulevard it is advisable to take a view over Lenin Komsomol and its monument to Lenin or else go some way and see Bessarabskiy Indoor Market and the Museum of Ukrainian Fine Arts.
Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra along with some its monasteries is also a must to see. Pecherska Lavra is one of such friaries, outrageously famed for its unique architecture and the caves dug in the times immemorial. The monastery is also referred to as the Holy Assumption Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and it is listed on UNESCO list of But be prepared that Lavra is throbbing with tourists during the daytime, hence getting there in the early morning seems like a reasonable piece of advice. The monastery is divided into the Lower and the Upper Lavra with two separate complexes each one adjusting an intricate labyrinth of caves; each of them is accessed through the church. Among the artefacts of Pecherska Lavra tourists can enjoy the spectacular sights of medieval friary and the church in all its authentic splendour of Slavonic icons and other relics, including the mummified remnants of the canonized monks. When paying a visit to the caves, be sure to buy yourself a candle to light your way down below. Keep in mins that the caves of Lavra are rather narrow and the ceilings are not very high, therefore if for some reasons you feel like this experience will not be comfortable for you to take, you'd better don't go down with the crowd, as there will be no chance of getting out when you are in and you will have to keep going until you hit the exit on the other side of the complex. Hiring an English speaking guide, either official or not, is no problem in Pecherska Lavra, as well as in other famous Kiev places of historical and cultural interest like St Michael's Monastery, St Volodymir's Orthodox Church.
Do no miss visiting Kiev Hydropark occupying an entire island of Dnipro, with an unbelievable range of water attractions, or else have some fun on the comfortable beaches lining up the river banks. Here you can have some quick and inexpensive snacks like shashlyk, play beach volleyball with beautiful Ukrainian girls, swim in the river or simply bask in the sun.
There is also another spectacular piece of architecture in Kiev, which is The Mariyinsky Palace built in the XVIII century. The Palace was built by the famous Italian architect Bartolommeo Rastrelli for Empress Elizabeth in 1755. Nowadays the Mariyinsky Palace serves as the Presidential residence, but it is only used on special purposes like government parties or ceremonies. The Mariyinsky Palace adjoins the building of Parliament.
The Mikhailovskaya Square is yet another site in Kiev worth visiting. The Mikhailovskaya Square is named so after the picturesque Mikhailovskiy Monastery with its seven beautiful gilded domes. The Monastery has long and enticing history, but thanks to the numerous refurbishes it managed to preserve its glorious look and refreshing air of timeless elegance. Dropping into Mikhailovskiy Monastery is worth a while at least for the fact that it has an excellent strategic point for taking your memorable holiday photographs from the observation platform of the Monastery. In the Mikhailovskiy Monastery itself you will be dazzled with the multitude of bizarre paintings, mosaic and statues that adorn the interior of the Monastery.
Great news for all opera and ballet admirers! While visiting Kiev you can visit the National Opera house and enjoy the shows given by the best state?s troupes and performers while saving a great deal on the tickets, for even the best seats in the stalls can be bought for a song in Kiev. But even if you are not a regular opera theatres goer you will certainly profit by visiting the National Opera House in the city centre, for the theatre is accommodated in a fantastically glamorous building with massive columns and huge main entrance stairs on the outside and exuberant adorning like plush and silk draperies and gilded ornaments inside.
If you would like to see the administrative side of Kiev you will need to go to Pechersk district of the city where all the principal government structures are housed. Nowadays this part of the capital has become the most prestigious district of the city where all the powers that be tend to live. Here you will find the seat of the Government of Ukraine and Presidential Offices as well as other principal administrative buildings that house the most important political structures of the state. The name Pechersk itself derives from the caves on which Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra is built; or more precisely, ?pechera? is ?cave? in Ukrainian. Naturally, Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra is located in the same district. Thus, Pechersk is not only the administrative centre of Kiev, but the heart of the spiritual life of the country. This part of the city once was known as the house to the first Red Lamp District of the country back in the XVIII century, but today this district no longer exists.
Another Kiev landmark is the statue to the Motherland which is 68m tall. The statue is based on a 40m pedestal and weighs over 500 tons. This site is not very popular among the natives for it is recognized as the symbol of the former USSR, but for sure, this grotesque figure is well worth seeing if you are staying in Kiev for a long enough period of time.
St Michael?s Cathedral in Kiev has had long history it had been destroyed many times and then restored anew until its final restoration that was realized recently. The last time that St Michael?s Cathedral was destroyed was during the yeas of the Soviet past in Ukraine in 1934-1935. The refurbishing works were commenced in 1991. It was not easy raising the cathedral from a scratch after it had been left in ruins by the Soviet regime, but surprisingly the municipal authorities managed to accomplish the restoration works by 1993. Today St Michael?s Cathedral is considered to be one of the most valuable historical sites in Kiev, as the church dates back to the XII century, to the year 1108 to be more precise, when it was built by the famous and loved Prince Sviatopolk.
Another such site with long and glorious history is St Sophia Cathedral, which is considered to be one of the city?s oldest churches. This one is known to be built by the Prince of Kyivan Rus Yaroslav the Wise. Built around the first half of the XI century, St Sophia Cathedral is one of the major tourist destinations in Kiev. It is a real treat for those who love the atmosphere of history being felt in every corner of the ancient building, it is an exciting venture in terms of exploring the ways and lifestyles of the ancient Slavonic people and a very educating spiritual experience for everybody who stays in Kiev for a short break. The church appears on UNESCO lists of protected relics and monuments of the past and it is justly considered to be a true gem of the Ukrainian architecture. The outside of St Sophia Cathedral which is beautifully topped with green and blue cupolas makes the Kiev skyline during the daytime. This iconic church was mentioned in a great number of both fiction and historical literatures and is now firmly associated with Kiev history and Ukraine in general.
Another site of spiritual and architectural heritage in Kiev is St Vladimir's Cathedral with its splendid fa?ade and seven cupolas with triple navel. The Cathedral dates back to 1882 and is preserved in excellent state. Built in neo Byzantine style, it is the one-of-the-kind piece of architecture to be spotted on a short sightseeing tour around Kiev. St Vladimir?s Cathedral is also noteworthy for the fact that it is Seat of the Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchy, and therefore the very place where all of the spiritual action takes place nowadays. The Cathedral boasts several very precious pieces of art including valuable paintings, frescoes, mosaic and statues and a fascinating choir. To erect the principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop's official throne so magnificently looking both on the outside and the inside there were engaged many of the famous Russian and Venetian architects.
To oversee the fascinating Podol area from the most favorable position one needs to ascend up the Vladimirskaya Gorka and enjoy the truly breathtaking view over the Old Town and Dnipro riverside in all its splendor. ?Gorka? means ?hill? when translated from Ukrainian. Once you are on the top of the hill (you can go by foot or take a lift of funicular circling between the foot of the hill and the top of it) you will find yourself facing the iconic monument to Prince Vladimir which was built back in 1853.
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