According to the legend recorded by Nestor the Chronicler, a city was founded by three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Horiv and their sister Lybid on the right bank of the Dnipro River. It was named Kyiv in honor of the eldest brother, Kyi. Kyivites love and cherish the history of their city, a city of priceless monuments of history and culture, a city of big events and outstanding people. A spirit of some special hospitality can be felt in Kyiv. No matter who you may be, a tourist, traveller or businessman from a foreign country, we know that you will leave a piece of your heart in our city, and upon a return visit you will feel yourself not as a guest but almost a Kyivite, to whom everything is so familiar and at the same time new. You will want to return again and again. Every guest will find something to his liking in Kyiv.

St. Sophia Cathedral

The grandeur and beauty of this outstanding architectural masterpiece greatly impresses every Kyivite and guest of the capital. The St. Sophia Cathedral was built by Prince Yaroslav the Wise in the first half of the 11th century in honour of the brilliant victory over the militant Pechenegs and to glorify Christianity. In Greek Sophia means wisdom. And in reality, Kyiv’s Sophia has become a symbol of light, wisdom, and victory over dark forces. The first library in the Rus State was founded here, and chronicles were written, and books were transcribed and translated. This was also the place for the reception of foreign ambassadors and coronation of Grand Princes. No other 11th century building in all of Europe can equal the Kyiv cathedral.

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves)

Caves existed in the hills over the Dnipro since times of yore. According to chronicles, the monks Antonius and Theodosius, having settled in caves in 1051, founded the Monastery. They lived and held services in the caves. This is also the burial place of the deceased monks. Thanks to a special combination of low temperature and humidity, the bodies did not decay, but were mummified. Some have been preserved to our day. “Incorruptible” remains were considered a great miracle and promoted the spread of the monastery’s glory.
In the 12th century, the monastery was awarded the status of Lavra and went down into history as Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a centre of culture and religion of Eastern Europe. Working at the monastery were the chroniclers, Nestor, Nikon, Polikarp, physician Agapit, Kyiv icon painter Alipy.
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra was entered into the list of Monuments of World Heritage at the UNESCO Session in 1990.

St. Andrew’s Church

St. Andrew’s Church, an outstanding monument of 18th century architecture, stands on a spot associated with legends. There was an ancient settlement here considered to be the city of Kyi. Legends have it that in the 1st century A.D. this spot was blessed by the Apostle Andrew who predicted that a city would rise on this spot. The building of the church began in 1744 according to the blueprints of architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, to commemorate the visit of Elizaveta Petrovna, the Empress of Russia, to Kyiv.

Andriivskiy Uzviz (St. Andrew’s Slope)

St. Andrew’s Church, by its exquisite forms on the background of the sky, marks the beginning of Andriivskiy Uzviz, one of the most ancient streets of Kyiv.
Today Andriivskiy Spusk has been renovated and stylized in the 19th century spirit. This is a traditional place for concerts, festivals, art exhibits, Days of Kyiv Festival, and a favourite place for rest and recreation of tourists.

St. Volodymyr Cathedral

The triple-naval, seven cupola cathedral was built in 1882 in the neo Byzantine style. Of great artistic value are its wall paintings, executed in 1895-1896 by the famous painters Vasnetsov, Nesterov, Vrubel and Pimonenko. It is a genuine pleasure to hear psalms sung by the St. Volodymyr Cathedral Choir.

Khreshchatyk

This street is known by one and all. Every person visiting Kyiv has undoubtedly walked along this central thoroughfare, admiring its architecture, fountains, greenery and blossoms of the famous Kyiv chestnut trees. Kreshchatyk is relatively young as compared with the thousand-year history of Kyiv. At the beginning of the last century there were large ravines which gave the locality its name Kreshchata Valley — Kreshchatyk.
The Golden Gates, the Mariinskiy Palace, St. Cyril’s Church, buildings of the Bratskiy and Vydubychi Monasteries, and the Florivskiy Convent, numerous museums: National Museum of the History of Ukraine, Museum of the History of Kyiv, National Museum of Art of Ukraine, museums of outstanding men of culture... It is impossible to list all the monuments and corners of Kyiv, where time seems to stand still and one can feel the spirit of ancient times. Discover this ancient, beautiful and unique city.

Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life

The National Museum, a preserve of folk culture, is located on the outskirts of the city in Pirohiv. Located here on picturesque terrain are 300 ancient peasant huts collected from all oblasts of Ukraine. The majority of them were moved to the museum, and then reconstructed. Houses, wooden churches, barns, water and wind mills, as well as household articles, clothing and dishes dating back to the turn of the 17th, beginning of the 20th century give one the impression of a journey back in time.
 

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