Attractions of Kyiv

The magnificent 19-domed Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv is the oldest architectural monument of Rus, one of the largest Christian churches of its time, a UNESCO world cultural heritage site.

The temple complex of the Sophia Monastery is located in the historical center of Kyiv, on Starokyivska Hill, within the City of Prince Yaroslav.

According to the latest research, Saint Sophia Cathedral was founded by the Kyiv prince Volodymyr the Great in 1011, and it was built no later than 1018. Earlier it was believed that the cathedral was erected in 1037 in honor of the victory of Yaroslav the Wise over the Pechenegs, as indicated in the Tale of Bygone Years. A grandiose building for those times with a very complex structure was built by Byzantine craftsmen on the model of the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Constantinople.

The temple acquired the current Ukrainian Baroque style during the reign of Hetman Ivan Mazepa as a result of the reconstruction initiated by Metropolitan Petro Mohyla, carried out in the 17th century by the Italian architect Oktaviano Manchini. The interiors have preserved priceless ancient Rus mosaics and frescoes, including the iconic mosaic image of the Mother of God of Oranta.

Saint Sophia Cathedral was the main temple of the Kyiv state, under its arches ceremonial entrances to the grand prince's throne, church cathedrals and receptions took place. Buried in the church are Prince Yaroslav the Wise, his wife Iryna (Ingigerda) and son Vsevolod with his family, Prince Volodymyr Monomakh, and many Kyiv metropolitans. A valuable source of historical information is numerous ancient graffiti, which can be considered an unofficial chronicle of the Saint Sophia Cathedral and the entire Rus-Ukraine of the 11th-18th centuries.

Today the National Reserve "Sophia of Kyiv" unites 77 architectural monuments. Around the cathedral there are monastic buildings of the 17th-18th centuries: the house of the metropolitan, the fraternal building, a bursa, a refectory, a bakery, cells and a hotel. The complex is surrounded by a wall with Zaborovskiy gates and a southern entrance tower. The bell tower, which serves as the main gate, is open to the public.

On the square in front of the bell tower, there is the grave of Volodymyr, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, who was buried at the entrance to Sophia on Black Tuesday, July 18, 1995 after a violent clash between believers and police.

There is also a tactile model of the cathedral with relief plaques in front of the entrance. The reserve is made more accessible thanks to an inclusive information center.

Separate objects of the reserve are the Golden Gate, Saint Andrew's Church and Saint Cyril's Church in Kyiv, the Genoese Fortress in Crimea.

Petra Sahaydachnoho Street is the main thoroughfare of the old part of Podil, one of the most colorful streets in Kyiv.

Connects Kontraktova Square with Poshtova Square. It was part of the Podil-Pechersk highway. It is named in honor of hetman Petro Sahaydachnyi, whose monument is erected in the park on Kontraktova Square.

On weekends and holidays, Sahaydachnoho Street becomes a pedestrian zone, with many shops and cafes.

In the central part is the Balabukh Manor (27 Petra Sahaydachnoho Street).

Poshtova Square is a connecting link between the Upper Town, Pechersk and Podol. The quays of ancient Kyiv were located at this place, the place of which was later taken by the River Station.

The square owes its name to the Post Office (1850-1860s), from which the main building has survived. The decoration of Poshtova Square is the Church of the Nativity of Christ (1809-1814), restored in the years of independence. Across the street from it is the lower station of the Funicular (1905), which connects Podil with the Upper Town.

In recent years, the appearance of the square has changed a lot due to high-rise buildings.

Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral was built in the 12th century by Prince Svyatopolk (Mykhaylo) Izyaslavych on the site of the Dmytrivsky Monastery. Dedicated to Archangel Michael, who is considered the protector and patron of Kyiv.

In 1240, the cathedral was destroyed by the Tatar-Mongols, but soon it again became the cathedral of the monastery of the same name. It was rebuilt several times (a major reconstruction was carried out in 1710). It was almost completely destroyed during the Soviet regime in 1934-1937 to clear the place for the government quarter.

In 1999, the Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery was rebuilt, and in 2001-2004, frescoes stored in the Hermitage were returned to the cathedral.

The Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery History Museum functions in the premises of the bell tower and Barbarian cells. Unique antiquities of the 11th-19th centuries that were found on the territory of the monastery are presented, in particular, a copper gilded high-relief of Archangel Michael from the leading pediment of the cathedral. Employees conduct tours of the museum and the territory of the monastery.

A monument to Princess Olha surrounded by figures of the Apostle Andriy and Saints Cyril and Methodius (1911-1996) was erected on Mykhaylivska Square in front of the cathedral.

Behind the cathedral is the Volodymyrska Hill Park with the upper station of the funicular and the famous monument to Saint Volodymyr the Baptist.

In August 2015, a Wall of Memory of the Fallen Defenders of Ukraine appeared on the walls of the Saint Michael`s Monastery.

On December 15, 2018, after the Unification Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, the Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery came under the control of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and became Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery came under the control of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and became the Cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" (NTUU KPI) is one of the oldest and largest technical universities in the world.

At the time of creation, it consisted of 4 departments. The first buildings were built according to the project of the architect Hieronim Kitner. Dmytro Mendeleev was the first chairman of the examination commission. Currently, the university has more than 30 faculties and institutes, and more than 40,000 students study at the same time.

Building No. 6 houses the State Polytechnic Museum named after Borys Paton - the only institution in Ukraine that presents the history of the formation of the main branches of domestic technology and Ukraine's contribution to the history of the development of technology in the world. 13 sections are located in 9 halls, the collection includes more than 10,000 exhibits, of which 3,000 are on permanent display.

In 2008, the History of Aviation and Cosmonautics named after Ihor Sikorskyi department of the museum opened in the restored premises of the former aviation and automobile workshops. In the "Aviation" section, the main emphasis is on the history of the birth of this industry in Ukraine. The basis of the section "Cosmonautics" is the collection of the museum of veterans of the Baikonur cosmodrome. A monument to Ihor Sikorskyi was erected.

In 2012, in the university park in front of Building No. 1 of KPI, the sculpture "Steps of Knowledge" was installed - a seven-meter stack of books topped with an academic cap.

Volodymyr's Cathedral is a classic example of the Rus-neoByzantine style in church architecture. The height of the cross of the main dome is 49 meters.

The idea of building a majestic temple in Kyiv in honor of Prince Volodymyr the Great arose on the eve of the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. The initial project was developed by the architect Ivan Shtrom, but due to the high cost it had to be revised. The construction was entrusted to the architect Oleksandr Beretta, but the building designed by him showed cracks, and the construction was frozen in 1864. The works were completed in 1882 by the architect Volodymyr Nikolaev based on the recommendations of the world-renowned vault specialist Rudolf Berhand.

The interior design was supervised by professor Adrian Prakhov, who involved 96 famous artists, including Viktor Vasnetsov, Mykhaylo Nesterov, Pavlo and Oleksandr Svedomskyi, Mykhaylo Vrubel, Mykola Pymonenko, who turned the Volodymyr`s Cathedral into a real artistic gem. The compositional system is built around the monumental image of the Mother of God with the Child by Vasnetsov, who worked on the most significant plots of biblical history and the main events from the life of Prince Volodymyr. The solemn consecration took place in 1896 in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II.

During Soviet times, the property of the temple was nationalized, the bells were melted down "for the needs of industrialization", an anti-religious museum was opened in the premises, then the archive of the Academy of Sciences. Services in the Volodymyr`s Cathedral were resumed only during the Nazi occupation.

From 1992 until the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2019, it was the main temple of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate. The relics of Saint Barbara and Saint Macarius are kept here.

Christer's Hill is a park on Kurenivka, the northern outskirts of Kyiv.

In 1850, the Saxon Wilhelm Christer bought about 40 hectares of forest here from Prince Esterhazi. Christer founded the company "Horticulture and Seed Farming. Wilhelm Christer", which became known far beyond Kyiv. He laid out a wonderful garden with nurseries of fruit trees, vegetables and flowers. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, the company annually sold more than 100,000 decorative trees.

After the Soviet-Ukrainian war, the garden was nationalized and transformed into the "Rose" horticultural park.

The 150-year-old "Christer's Spruce", 50-year-old pines, a huge old linden with a diameter of three meters, and old chestnuts have been preserved.

One of the oldest trees in Kyiv - the 700-year-old Christer's Oak - grows in the yard of the building on Baydy-Vyshnevetskoho Street, 3.

Three ponds have been preserved (two of them are regulated) and the wooden house of Christer, built in 1890 by the architect Schille.

In 2008-2009, the park "Christer's Hill" was reconstructed, new plants were planted, gazebos and bridges were built.

In 2021, a scaled-down copy of Christer's house was installed in the park "Christer's Hill". The minimaquette was made of wood by the sculptor Vasyl Markush. On the installed mini-maquette there is a sign with a description in Ukrainian and English, as well as in Braille.

The Seiklar adventure rope park is located on the Left Bank, in the Darnytsky district of Kyiv, on the territory of the Partisan Glory Park.

Visitors have the opportunity to overcome five routes of varying difficulty, moving between trees with the help of rope equipment at a height of up to 12 meters and making high-speed descents (up to 30 kilometers per hour!).

While on the trail, the visitor is strapped to a super-strong "lifeline" cable, which is laid along the entire route. The rope park is designed for both trained lovers of extreme entertainment and beginners in the world of active recreation.

The opening of two children's paths is planned.

The Museum of Retro Machinery "Wheels of History" opened in 2024 in the Novobilychi district on the western outskirts of Kyiv. It was founded by the famous Kyiv collector, organizer of the Old Car Land festival of retro vehicles, Pavlo Lozovenko.

More than 100 restored cars and motorcycles of the past are presented on the exhibition area of about 3,000 square meters. Among them, both samples of Soviet machinery and vehicles manufactured in Europe and the USA. The oldest exhibit is a 1934 GAZ A car.

On the second floor of the museum, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, mopeds, bicycles and various household appliances of the middle and late 20th century are presented. The atmosphere of antiquity is complemented by vintage advertising signs from old gas stations, recognizable household items, popular children's toys in the past.

The "Wheels of History" museum provides its premises and exhibits for filming and photo sessions. There is a coffee shop and a souvenir shop in the premises.

The building of the Karaite Kenasa was built in Kyiv in 1900 by the architect Vladyslav Horodetskyi at the expense of the "tobacco kings" Kohens.

The construction was ordered by the Kyiv community of Karaites, who are considered to be descendants of the ancient Khazars (Turks by origin, Jews by religion). The Kohens were the most influential representatives of the city's Karaite community.

The building is made in an unusual Moorish style. It was considered one of the most beautiful in the city, impressive with the luxury of decoration and the skill of execution. The exterior finish is made of the most progressive material at that time - cement. The walls are 1.5 meters thick at the base. The building was crowned by a dome with a spire.

In Soviet times, a puppet theater and a cinema were located here, and since 1981 - the Actor's House. Performances, concerts, exhibitions and literary events take place.

A monument to the AN-26 military transport plane is installed in Kyiv between the 1st and 8th buildings of the National Aviation University.

The aircraft was developed at the Oleh Antonov Design Bureau.

The AN-26 was nicknamed "Ugly Duckling" for the characteristic sound of the working engines.

The first museum of Apple products in Ukraine opened in 2023 in the center of Kyiv. Located in the basement of the Yabluka chain store, specializing in the sale of Apple products.

The exhibition demonstrates the company's innovation in consumer electronics technology and design at various stages of market development. More than a hundred devices of the brand are presented, starting with the personal computer Apple II Plus of 1979. Among the exhibits are computers of the Apple III, Lisa, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, iMac, MacBook, PowerBook, etc. lines, the very first iPods and iPads, the full line of iPhone smartphones, Marshall speaker systems, keyboards, mouses, other peripherals and accessories.

The most valuable exhibits of the Apple Museum are gadgets with autographs of the company founders.

Jam Factory Art Center is a contemporary art center in Lviv that organizes exhibitions, theater, music, educational and community-oriented projects.

The exhibition space with an area of 3,410 square meters opened in 2023 in the Pidzamche district, on the territory of the former "Yozef Kronik and Son" spirits factory, where jam was made in Soviet times.

The architectural dominant of the building is the neo-Gothic tower of 1910, where the authentic stairs, windows and doors have been preserved. The historical exhibition on the second floor of the neo-Gothic tower tells about the history of the building and the enterprises that operated in this landmark of the industrial suburb of Lviv.

The heart of the complex is the Great Exhibition Hall, where, after the opening of the art center, the exhibition "Our years, our words, our losses, our searches, our us" was placed. More than a hundred works of Ukrainian artists are presented here: from the 19th century to today.

"Black cube" serves as a multifunctional space for various events. The theater for performative practices is equipped with modern technological means.

A cafe, a bar and a souvenir shop operate on the territory of the complex, there is a large parking lot and a shelter. Pets are allowed in the courtyard, cafe and bar.

The Central Artist House in Kyiv is the main exhibition site of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine.

Its eight-story building, erected in 1977-1978 according to the project of architect Anatoliy Dobrovolsky in the forms of Soviet modernism and functionalism, is part of the architectural ensemble of Lvivska Square.

The facade, decorated with white Inkerman stone and colored ceramics, is embellishes with seven allegorical figures – symbols of various types of art: art history, scenography, sculpture, architecture, painting, graphics, decorative and applied arts (known as the "seven hanged men").

The artist's house has five exhibition halls with an area of 90 to 360 square meters, as well as a concert hall with 350 seats. Large annual all-Ukrainian exhibitions take place here ("Picturesque Ukraine", "Christmas Vernissage", "Autumn Exhibition", etc.), exhibitions of graphic, sculptural, textile art, personal exhibitions of artists.

The complex includes an art salon, a hotel, a cafe.

Ascension Florivsky Convent (sometimes called Frolivsky) is the oldest active monastery in Kyiv.

It is mentioned in documents from the 16th century as the monastery of Saints Florus and Lavr. In 1712, the complex was transferred to the nuns of the closed Ascension Monastery in Pechersk, and since then it has had the double name Florivsky-Ascension (sometimes it is mistakenly called Frolivsky).

In 1722-1732, the Ascension Cathedral with a southern aisle was built on the territory of the monastery in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The belfry, the hegumen's house and the Ascension Church at the monastery hospital were built in the 19th century by the architect Andriy Melenskyi. The wall of the refectory is decorated with a painting. Later, other temples appeared.

In 1929, the Florivsky Monastery was closed, the Holy Trinity Church was destroyed. During the Second World War, it was reopened and was no longer closed, but part of the premises was taken from the nuns. Currently, all churches (except the destroyed Holy Trinity) have been returned to the monastery belonging to the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate. The Kazan temple is being restored. The Florivsky Monastery was famous for its school of artistic sewing.

An active source of holy water has been preserved.