By Oksana Starostina
Spending a lot of time on traveling, sometimes, you can forget what unique places surround you in your place.
I noted that more and more foreigners come to Kiev to discover something new and to understand this city, but this is not for everyone, believe me. Kiev is a very beautiful and at the same time a very complicated city with a very deep contradictory history.
I would like to help travelers and tell about the TOP 10 places in Kiev, which you must visit, if you are lucky enough to be here.
The streets of the central part of the city originate in the depths of centuries and go back almost eight centuries. Here, on the streets of Podol, the stories and fates of the oldest and most famous townspeople of Kiev are intertwined.
Therefore, the objects about which will be discussed appeared here in different epochs but to this day remain the favorite tourists and townspeople places of this city.
1. Funicular railway
This rare type of transport, directly connecting Podol and Upper Town, was built from 1903 to 1905. In 1929, during repairs, the funicular was extended to Poshtova Square, from that time until today its length is 222 meters.The Funicular of the capital will transport you from the Post Square to the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in a few minutes. Some perceive the funicular as another type of public transport, and others – as a tourist attraction, which on the weekends and holidays are lined up.
2. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
In the 11th century, the monk Anthony, originally from the town of Lyubech, founded the Pechersky Monastery, which eventually turned into a holy place for Orthodox Christians. Since 1990, the Lavra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which only emphasizes the importance of this object for the world. It’s a very interesting place even if you are not Christian you can come here and see all the beauty of this place and get to know some part of history of this city.
3. Mystetskyi Arsenal
The irony is that the building of the “Mystetskyi Arsenal” was erected in 1784 – 1801. and it was intended for the production and repair of weapons. But in the 21st century the structure serves for more peaceful purposes: it hosts major art exhibitions, a book festival and various educational projects.
4. Rodina – Mat ( Motherland) Monument
The figure of a woman with a shield and sword is seen from different points of Kiev. And no wonder! The total height of the sculpture along with the pedestal is 102 meters, which allowed it to get on the list of the highest statues in the world. At an altitude of 36.6 and 91 meters are equipped with observation platforms, from which a panorama of the Ukrainian capital opens.
5. Andreevskiy Spusk( Downhill)
Andreevskiyspusk called the most picturesque street in Kiev, which were the oldest way connecting important trade areas. Its name derives from the St. Andrew’s Church (mid-18th century), located at its upper end. Here, of course, there is something to see in Kiev. Walking along these sights, you can plunge into the atmosphere of antiquity, comfort and unusual history, which reigns here on every square meter. Your attention will be presented with delightful architectural masterpieces, legendary alleys and squares, as well as such cultural institutions as the Bulgakov Museum and the Museum of One Street.
6. Baron Steingel Castle
The House at Yaroslav Val 1 (address) – recalls a gothic medieval castle, which is “guarded” by winged demons. Indeed, inside the building a random passer-by simply does not fall: you need to sign up for a special excursion. But in any case, the extraordinary exterior of the House of Baron will be remembered for a long time.
7. Folk Museum of Architecture and Life in the Open Air “Pirogovo”
The stock collection of the Museum in Pirogovo has more than 70 thousand exhibits (ornaments, clothes, musical instruments, dishes), delivered from different regions of the country. Great work was done by museum employees and scientists to recreate the life of Poltava, Slobozhanshchina, Podolia, Carpathians, South and other regions of Ukraine in one place.
8. Church of St. Nicholas
Majestic and mysterious in its architecture Nikolaevsky church can not but cause sincere enthusiasm. You can admire his intricate patterns for hours, penetrating deep into the centuries. It is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to St. Nicholas. Since 1980, the House of Chamber and Organ Music has been housed in its building.
9. Pinchuk Art Centre
The international center for contemporary art with a total area of more than 3000 square meters, founded in 2006.”An open platform for artists, art and society”, conducting a lot of exhibitions of paintings by various masters of pencil and brush, as well as young artists.
10. Podol
If you are still not tired of walking with me around Kiev, then I invite you to Podol. This ancient area is a real attraction of Kiev. You can order one of the many excursions, or you can just walk along the old streets, permeating the spirit of old Kiev. In fact, there are many interesting things here: for example, Vozdvizhenka is a new fashionable district, built in completely different styles, with bright and colorful houses … but ironically, it’s almost empty … or you can see here an old part of the Podol, then there were gypsies, here you can see the contract house, which in old times served as a place of trade for all of Kiev Rus … there are a lot of stories – it’s the Podol … and now let’s just walk around and be silent …
Hospitable, bright, cozy, ancient, with positive energy and lots of amazing places – all this can be said about the main city of our country. How long have you been planning a trip to Kiev? Then keep this article in your hands and visit these places, it will allow you to understand this interesting and ancient city.
And I will definitely return to this topic to tell the most delicious places and the most mystical places of this City. After all, Kiev is also a city of delicious food and urban legends.
To be continued…
