Khreshchatyk Street is the main avenue running through the center of the city. On certain weekends, the street transforms as it closes to traffic, creating a lively and open space for everyone to enjoy.
During these special times, entertainers fill the street with music, performances, and excitement. As crowds gather, the air buzzes with activity, making it an excellent spot for observing the city’s vibrant life. People stroll along, enjoying the festive atmosphere and the chance to meet friends or watch the world go by. The mood remains cheerful and welcoming, turning Khreshchatyk Street into a lively stage for locals and visitors alike.
A fairly large museum, starting with World War II, going through Nazi occupation until Ukraine's independence. The museum is at the base of the massive statue of Mother Ukraine. While the displays are mostly in Ukrainian. The museum has laminated cards in each room with varying languages including English, German and French. The museum also offers guided tours in several languages.
Baroque church, constructed in 1747–1754. Length 31.7 m (104 ft). Width 20.4 m (67 ft). Height 50 m (160 ft). Both the external and internal decoration on the church was carried out at the same time. Cast iron floor slabs were delivered from Moscow. Also, forms were made for the church's windows, doors, walls, and for space under the cupola. The planned iconostasis, designed by the Italian architect Rastrelli, was also added. The wood for the iconostasis, altar canopy, pulpit, and tsar's place were carved out in Saint Petersburg in order to save time. The iconostasis' icons were carried out by Petersburg artists. For gilding, 1,028 slabs of gold were used in the interior.
Seven domed Ukrainian Orthodox brick cathedral in neo-Byzantine style, built in the 19th century. It barely escaped demolition by the Soviet authorities. Dome height (outer) 49 m (161 ft).
Covering 160 ha, the area shows how people used to live in different parts of Ukraine. Six restored rural Ukrainian villages, with old huts, wooden mills and churches from all over Ukraine have been carefully restored and function as living museums. English-speaking (sort of) guides with expertise on the whole site are available and well worth-it. Ukrainians come on sunny days to relax in the grass.
A fascinating and moving museum. No signage in English. The cost of audio-tour in English or German - 50 грн.
Official ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine in Kyiv. It is a Baroque palace on the hilly bank of the Dnipro River.
A medieval monastery. Founded in 1140. Reconstructed by the Ukrainian architect Ivan Hryhorovych-Barskyi during 1750–1760. Saint Cyril's Church, including the medieval interior frescoes and the 1880s murals by the famous Russian painter Mikhail Vrubel, were fortunately preserved. The remaining constructions of the complex, the rest of the monastic walls, one corner tower (see picture), and two buildings constructed by Barskyi were also preserved. Of the monastery's cemetery, only two 18th-century graves remained.
22.5 hectares, with 8,000 plant species. The garden is famous for its exotic plants. Building of greenhouse, which was built for the largest and the oldest palm trees in Northern Eurasia, long time had been considered one of the highest in the world. In 1935, the garden was named after the academician A.V. Fomin, who directed the garden for years.
A 19th-century fortification building, that once belonged to the system of western Russian fortresses. Some of the buildings are restored and turned into a museum called the Kyiv Fortress, while others are in use by various military and commercial installations. It is semi-underground.
Relics of 49 saints, accompanied by plates with names and icons. The total length of underground corridors is 293 m. There are three underground cave churches: Annunciation, Nativity and Reverend Theodosius.
The oldest remaining church in Kyiv. Parts date from the 11th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has the world biggest ensemble of frescoes and mosaics dating from the 11th century, including the Virgin Orans mosaic. Several green-robed ladies maintain order and will shout at you if you look like you are planning to take a photo. The gatehouse and other restorations were completed in the 17th century. Outside the gates, there is a statue commemorating hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, who liberated Kyiv in the 17th century... then gave the city to the Russian Empire.
Opulent residence of Ukraine’s deposed Russophile president Viktor Yanukovych, opened for paid tours after he fled the country in 2014. An exhibition of art, religious icons, and decorative objects from Mezhyhirye was displayed by Kyiv's National Art Museum of Ukraine that same year.
At the top of this quaint, very rough, cobblestone street is St Andrew's Church (closed for restoration since 2011). Pavements are gradually being added to the Descent but, meanwhile, take a good pair of shoes. The street is lined with souvenir sellers, restaurants, galleries and museums. Touristy but retains its charm.
Stroll around. Start at St Michael's Cathedral in the Upper Town. Catch the funicular behind it down to Poshtova Ploscha, and wander around the grid-like streets of Podil. The area was the merchant's quarter, and was completely rebuilt in the 19th century after fires destroyed the area. It was mainly untouched during WWII and is emerging as a hip restaurant district and is rapidly being gentrified. Walk along the Sahaidachnoho street. Finish your stroll by walking up Andriyivsky Uzviz, which will get you back to St Michael's Cathedral.
Berestovo was a suburban residence in the 11th century. - Its vaulting may have been unusually complicated, probably echoing the trefoil roofing of the porches. The outside of the church formerly displayed intricate brick patterns: double and treble niches, the meander, and decorative crosses.
The main bell tower of the ancient cave monastery. Built in 1731–1745. It was designed by the architect Johann Gottfried Schädel. Its total height, with the Christian cross, is 96.5 meters. A neoclassic construction with a total of four tiers, surmounted by a gilded dome. The diameter of the tower's lowest tier at its base is 28.8 m, and the thickness of the first tier walls is 8m. The tower's foundations exceed 7m meters. The tower is decorated with many architectural columns: the second tier with 32 Dorian columns, the third with 16 Ionic columns, and the fourth with 8 Corinthian columns. On the fourth tier there is a chiming clock, made in 1903, which has a total weight of 4.5 tonne.
Situated on about 40 hectares. The zoo has 2,600 animals from 328 species. 130 different kinds of trees and bushes decorate the zoo's lands.
The perfect place for a stroll in any season. There are unique floristic complexes on 130 hectares: "Forests of the plain part of Ukraine", "Ukrainian Carpathians", "Steppes of Ukraine", "Crimea", "Caucasus", "Central Asia", the "Altai and Western Siberia", "Far East".