Attractions of Kyiv

The National Museum of Arts named after Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko in Kyiv presents the world art of Europe, Asia and the Ancient World in Ukraine.

The exposition is based on the artistic collection of the Khanenko family - prominent Ukrainian entrepreneurs, collectors and philanthropists of the XIX-XX centuries. The museum is located in their family mansion, built in the late XIX century in the style of historicism using artistic features of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo.

The Khanenko Museum represents about 4,000 years of art development in different parts of the world, more than 1,000 works in a permanent exhibition. Western European art of the XIV-XVIII centuries is represented by the works of such masters as Francois Boucher, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacques-Louis David, Giovanni Bellini and others. Among them are two masterpieces of Spanish painting - "Still Life with a Chocolate Mill" by Juan Surbaran and "Portrait of Infanta Margarita" by Diego Velázquez. The Khanenkos themselves valued the painting "Venus Dedicates Bacchanalia in the Secret of Love", which was attributed to Titian, but modern researchers have concluded that it is only an imitation of the master of an unknown Venetian artist of the XVII century.

The museum also has a huge collection of art from the Middle and Far East: Japanese Nets, Chinese porcelain, Persian rugs and Tibetan bronze sculptures. A small collection of artifacts from South America and Africa is presented.

Khreshchaty Park on the hill near the beginning of Volodymyrsky descent in Kyiv is also called Kupetsky (Merchant's) Garden. Initially, this area was part of the Tsarsky (City) Park, until the Kyiv merchants leased from the city a corner of the garden adjacent to the building of the Merchants' Assembly (now the National Philharmonic of Ukraine).

In 1982, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the USSR, a sculptural composition consisting of the Arch of Friendship of Peoples and two sculptural groups below it was installed on the Dnipro Creek behind the Philharmonic. In 2022, during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the sculptural part of the monument was dismantled, and the arch was renamed the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian People.

A picturesque panorama of the Dnipro opens from here. The Water Museum is located nearby in the water tower (1877). The building next to it, resembling a fairy-tale castle, is the new premises of the Kyiv Academic Puppet Theater (2005).

Khreshchaty Park is connected to the City Garden by a 60-meter Park Bridge (1912) - one of the most romantic places in Kyiv. Also known as the Bridge of Lovers (according to tradition, lovers leave inscriptions and ribbons here) or the Devil's Bridge (the unlucky often chose this place to settle scores with their lives).

Khreshchatyk is the main street of Kyiv, the most popular place for city walks from the 19th century to the present day.

The name comes from Khreshchaty Yar, from which the street began in the area of the current Yevropeyska (European) Square. In turn, the name of the ravine is associated with the baptism of Rus or with the word "christened" - cross-shaped.

For a long time it was a wasteland, the first houses appeared in the 18th century. Due to its favorable location between the Upper Town, Podil and Pechersk, Khreshchatyk quickly became the central and most fashionable street of the city. Most of the old building was destroyed in 1941, after the war it was rebuilt in the "Stalinist" style.

The street starts from the Yevropeyska Square, which is dominated by the modern building of the Ukrainian House. The square tower above the House of Trade Unions became a business card of Kyiv thanks to the electronic clock light board installed in 1981 (now it is replaced by plasma panels). The oldest building on Khreshchatyk is the Kane Hotel (1874), which now houses the Central Deli. Expensive shops and restaurants can still be found in Passage (1914) and on Arkhitektor Horodetsky Street. The street ends at Bessarabian Square, where the oldest indoor Bessarabian Market in Kyiv (1910-1912) is located.

On weekends and holidays, Khreschatyk turns into a pedestrian zone. Concerts and other mass events take place here.

The palace in Baroque style was built in Klov (present-day Lypky), in the possessions of the Kyiv Pechersk Monastery, to house the honored guests of the Lavra.

The authors of the project were the German architect Yohan Schedel and the Ukrainian architect Pero Neelov, the construction was supervised by the self-taught serf architect Stepan Kovnir. In 1863, the third floor was completed. The interior was painted by Ukrainian artists in 1757.

Klovsky Palace was never destined to serve its purpose - representatives of the royal court who visited Kyiv did not stay here. The palace briefly housed the Lavra printing house, later a military hospital. Later, various educational institutions were located in it, and in Soviet times - museums.

In recent years, the building was completely restored, and it housed the Supreme Court of Ukraine. The walls and ceiling were decorated with sculptures of ancient Roman and ancient Greek gods of justice and fairness. The furniture is made according to the author's drawings in the style of the middle of the 18th century.

Excursions are planned.

The central square of the Lower City, on the site of which was the main market of ancient Kyiv.

In the 13th-18th centuries, Kontraktova Square was the administrative center of the city and the venue for the Contract Fairs, the Magistrate's building with the Voytova Tower was located here, with which the decisions of the city authorities were announced (it was built in 1714, burned down in 1812).

In the center of the square is the Guest House (1809-1811), where merchants who came to fairs stayed. Nearby is the "Samson" fountain (1754), which was part of the ancient water supply and attracted pilgrims with the legend of the healing properties of its water. The square also houses the Contract House (1815-1817), which served as a venue for concerts and balls.

The tall bell tower of the Greek Church of Saint Catherine (1741), restored in the 1970s, stands out. Its premises now belong to the National Bank.

An incredibly beautiful building in the shape of a fairy-tale castle is located in Khreshchaty Park near the European Square.

The Puppet Theater was founded in Kyiv in 1927, until now it occupied several different premises. The current building was built according to the original project of the architect Vitaly Yudin in 2005 on the site of the children's stereo cinema "Dnipro". 2 auditoriums: large (300 seats) and small (110 seats), there is also a "Throne Hall" and an aquarium with rare sea creatures.

There is an exhibition-museum of dolls at the theater. Excursions "Getting to know the puppet theater" are conducted (by prior order).

Nearby is the light and music fountain "Thumbnail".

The Kyiv funicular is an exotic rail transport that directly connected Podil with the Upper Town in 1905. It became the second in the Russian Empire after Odesa.

Before the construction of the funicular from Poshtova Square to Mykhaylivska, only winding paths and wooden stairs led down the slope of Volodymyrska Hill, which created significant transportation difficulties for the townspeople. The funicular was an ideal solution that allowed transporting people and goods for a short distance on steep slopes.

The construction was carried out for two years by means of the Belgian joint-stock company, which had a monopoly on trams and horse-drawn carriages in Kyiv. The wagons' equipment and bogies were made in Switzerland. After the accident in 1928 (the cable broke and two carriages collided, but no one was injured), the funicular was reconstructed, the road was extended by 40 meters (before that, the lower station was located on Borychiv Tik Street), new comfortable carriages were manufactured at the Kyiv Electric Transport Plant. Two more reconstructions were carried out in 1958 and in 1984-1986.

The design of the junction in the middle of the road is interesting. Here, the outer rails are continuous, and the inner rails are separate. Accordingly, the inner wheels of the wagons have two flanges, and the inner wheels are cylindrical.

A diorama of the Volodymyr hill is located in the pavilion of the upper station of the funicular.

National Museum "Kyiv Art Gallery" opened in 1922 in the former house of Kyiv industrialist and philanthropist Fedir Tereshchenko, located opposite Shevchenko Park and the main building of the Shevchenko National University.

The mansion was built in 1880-1884 by architect Volodymyr Nikolaev, designed by Andriy Gun. From the beginning, the architects planned a hall to house a public art gallery with lighting through the glass ceiling. The basis of the museum fund was the Tereshchenko family's own collection of paintings. A significant part of it are works relating to n art culture.

The collection includes more than 13 thousand works of painting, sculpture, graphics, decorative and applied arts. The exhibition reflects all stages of development of n painting from the XIII century to the present day. Works by Borovikovsky, Vasnetsov, Shishkin, Ge, Tropinin, Aivazovsky, Repin, Vereshchahin, Nesterov, Kuindzhi, etc. are presented, including world-class textbook masterpieces.

The pride of the museum is a unique collection of works by Mykhaylo Vrubel, including "The girl on the background of the Persian carpet" (1886), "Oriental Tale" (1886), illustration to the poem by Mykhaylo Lermontov "Demon" (1890). There is also a fairly large collection of works by many great masters of almost all former republics of the USSR.

A monument to the artist Illya Repin has been erected in front of the entrance to the gallery. In the courtyard of the museum there is a monument to the Russian Emperor Oleksandr II, which stood before the revolution in the lobby of the Oleksandr Library (according to urban legend, it is a monument to Nicholas I, which stood in the park on the site of the current monument to Taras Shevchenko).

The Holy Dormition Kyiv Pechersk Lavra is the oldest monastery in Rus, one of the main Christian centers of Ukraine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The monastery complex is located on the Pechersk hills above the Dnipro in Kyiv and is the architectural dominant of the historical landscape of the Kyiv mountains.

Kyiv Pechersk Monastery was founded by Saint Anthoniy of Pechersk in 1051, under Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Initially, it was a complex of manually dug underground passages and rooms on the territory of the present Far Caves. In 1062 the first ground structures appeared, and at the end of the 11th century - the Upper Lavra complex. Assumption Cathedral (1073-1089, restored in 2000) - the oldest stone building of the monastery, where Prince Kostyantyn Ostrozkyi is buried. The Great Lavra Bell Tower (1731-1745), 96.5 m high, is the tallest bell tower in Ukraine, and for a long time was the tallest building in Kyiv and all of Eastern Europe (374 steps, open to the public). Trinity Gate Church (1107) was built at the expense of Prince Svyatoslav Davydovych (Mykola Svyatosha), preserved wall paintings of the XVIII century. The Church of the Savior in Berestiv (XII century) served as the tomb of the Monomakh family, the daughter of Volodymyr Monomakh Euthymius, his son Yuriy Dovhorukyi and grandson Hlib Yuriyovych are buried here. In general, the architectural complex of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra has more than 50 buildings for various purposes.

The Lower Lavra complex is a functioning Orthodox monastery of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate. The main relics are the relics of the reverend fathers of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, who lived in the period from the XI to the XV century. In particular, the Rev. Anthony of Pechersk and Jerome of Pechersk, as well as the epic hero Illia Muromets are buried in the Near Caves. The relics of 49 canonized saints rest in the Far Caves.

On the territory of the Upper Lavra there is the National Historical and Cultural Reserve "Kyiv Pechersk Lavra" with the Museum of the History of the Lavra, the Museum of Microminiatures of Mykola Syadristy, and other permanent and temporary exhibitions. In addition, the Lavra also houses the Treasury of the National Museum of History of Ukraine, the Museum of Ukrainian Folk Decorative Art, the Museum of Books and Printing, the Museum of Theater, Music and Cinematography (tickets are sold at the entrance to each museum).

At the entrance to the monastery there is a tour desk, guides are sold in different languages, you can use the audio guide. When visiting existing temples and distant caves, women should be in skirts below the knees and with their heads covered (you can rent a skirt at the entrance to the caves).

On January 5, 2023, the Assumption Cathedral and the Tabernacle Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra were returned from the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate to state management.

The Kyiv Planetarium of the "Znannya" Society of Ukraine is one of the largest planetariums in the CIS.

It was founded in 1952 by the world-famous astronomer Serhiy Vsekhsvyatskyi. For the needs of the planetarium, the church of Saint Oleksandr was converted (later returned to the faithful). By 1988, a new building was built next to the "Olimpiyskiy" NSC.

The star hall of the planetarium has a dome with a diameter of 23 meters and a height of 11.5 meters. It accommodates up to 320 spectators. In the center of the hall is the main apparatus - the "planetarium", a machine for demonstrating stars and celestial phenomena. Auxiliary projectors are used for more efficient conducting of programs in the Star Hall.

A kaleidoscope of planetary encounters under the starry sky includes artistic programs and educational lectures to support the school's astronomy, geography and science curriculum. The possibilities of the planetarium make it possible to explain the laws of nature with great clarity.

A new cultural and entertainment center AtmaSfera360 with a spherical cinema, a game area and an art area is operating at the Kyiv Planetarium.

The Kyiv river port was founded in 1897 after the completion of the construction of the Kyiv harbor, but even in the times of Ancient Rus, there was a wharf on the site of the current river station, from which goods arriving by water were delivered to Podil, the main trade center of Kyiv.

The wharf functioned throughout the entire history of the city, and from the 19th century, regular steamboat traffic along the Dnipro began, and wharves began to be built along the entire right bank of the river. The port is located in the central part of the city, which makes it particularly convenient for cargo delivery.

In 1953-1961, a new building of the River Station was built on Poshtova Square according to the project of architects Vadym Hopkalo, Vadym Ladny and others. The tower of the building resembles the mast of a sailing ship.

In April 2023, the restoration of the historical building of the River Station in Kyiv, which lasted more than two years, was completed.

The embankment in the area of the River Station is a favorite recreation spot for citizens and guests of the city. From here you can go on an exciting water trip along the Dnipro by buying tickets for a motor ship or renting it as a whole.

Kyiv Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Europe and one of the oldest zoos in Ukraine.

Founded by the Kyiv Society of Animal Lovers in 1908 on the basis of the university botanical garden, 5 years later it moved to Shulyavka. It covers an area of about forty hectares. More than 7,000 animals of 414 species are represented. Horace the elephant and Tony the gorilla are the most popular among visitors.

In 1996, the Kyiv Zoo became a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums and actively joined international programs for the reproduction of rare and endangered animal species. Scientific work is carried out here on the acclimatization of animals inhabiting distant countries, on the preservation and reproduction of rare species of animals, such as bison, Amur tiger, Przhevalski's horse and others.

There is a cafe and a pet store on the territory.

At this place, in 1615, the Kyiv Epiphany Brotherhood founded the Fraternal Monastery with an Orthodox school, which started the first higher educational institution in Eastern Europe. On the initiative of Metropolitan Petro Mohyla, the college acquired the status of an academy, and in 1701 it was named after him.

The old building was erected in 1703 under Hetman Ivan Mazepa, the baroque dome of the Annunciation Church was added later, the New Building was built in 1819, and at the beginning of the 20th century they were connected by the arc-shaped Central Building, which faces Kontraktova Square.

In Soviet times, the Higher Naval Political School was located here.

In 1991, the academy was revived as an international university, one of the most prestigious in Ukraine.

In the square opposite, there is a monument to the poet and philosopher Hryhoriy Skovoroda (1976), who studied and taught at the academy. In the yard - a sundial (1826). The Art Gallery operates at the NaUKMA cultural center.

The landscape alley in the historical heart of Kyiv was laid in the early 1980s according to the project of architect Avram Miletskyi.

The alley runs above the Honchari tract along the line of defensive structures of the 10th-13th centuries. From here, from the heights of the historic Upper Town, picturesque views of Podil can be seen.

Since 2009, the sculptor Kostyantyn Skretutskyi began to decorate Landscape Alley with fairy-tale characters: centipede cats, fountain elephants and giant sparrows, etc. The collection is constantly replenished with new sculptures.

The Pedestrian Park Bridge (Bridge of Lovers) over the Alley of the Mahdeburzkoho prava in Kyiv connects Khreshchaty (Kupetsky) Park with City (Tsarsky) Park.

It was built in 1912 according to the project of KPI professor, famous bridge builder, "father of electric welding" Evhen Paton. In 1983, a complete reconstruction was carried out.

The Park Bridge is popularly nicknamed the Bridge of Lovers, as it is the most popular place in Kyiv for romantic dates, confessions of love, and proposals of the hand and the heart. According to tradition, lovers leave love messages on the railings, tie ribbons and hang locks as a sign of strong love.

Also, the Park Bridge is sometimes called the "Devil's Bridge" or "Suicide Bridge" - unfortunate people often chose it to settle scores with their lives.