Near Caves

Museum represents different times from ancient till nowadays.

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).

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.

One of the oldest and most important monasteries in Ukraine and in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Only the most important monasteries were designated as Lavras; there were only four, of which this Cave Monastery is the oldest. It was founded in 1077 by St Antoniy. The caves were dug out by priests who lived there as hermits. Nowadays, the caves are venerated by the faithful and tourists who visit the mummified monks, and pilgrims are still allowed access to the underground church there. There are two parts to the modern complex: the upper lavra, owned by the state and consisting of a number of museums (entry fee); and the lower lavra, owned by the Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarch) and consisting of the caves (you'll need 1 грн to buy a candle to enter). Do not miss the display of micro-miniatures in the Upper Lavra. It sounds lame, but it is fascinating. You can enter the caves in the lower part if you dress correctly (women must cover their hair and wear skirts, no shorts. Expensive scarves are for sale there). Women can only just get away with pants in the winter. Start at the Lower Lavra, visiting the caves, before the crowds descend for the day. There are two cave complexes, each housing the mummified remains of monks, as well as religious icons and other relics. Both caves are accessed through churches, with the entrance to the shorter caves at the end of a boardwalk. While it is free to enter the caves, you must purchase a taper candle in order to light your way. The caves are not recommended for the claustrophobic or overly tall. Once you're in there, it's hard, even impossible to turn around and go back out - you have to keep going.

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.

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.

This built in 1976. It is a cable-stayed bridge, designed by the architect A.V. Dobrovolsky and an engineer by G.B.Fux, with the beam of the main span being held by a cluster of steel ropes which are fixed to a 115 m tall A-pylon. The bridge consists of two spans: one is 816 m long and 31.4 m wide span across the Dnieper and another which is 732 m long, 29.1 m wide and span across the Desyonka, what is a Dnieper tributary. It is a key structure on the northern end of the Kyiv Smaller Beltway, connecting Petrivka to the densely-populated north-eastern residential neighborhoods. The bridge was built as a part of a high-speed freeway.

Motto in English: "Time is running, Academy is eternal". The library of the old Kyiv Mohyla Academy contained a notable collection of the books. However, the archive was plundered in the 1920s when the academy was closed. - The Halshka Hulevychivna house belonging to the university is the oldest civil building in Kyiv.

A fascinating and moving museum. No signage in English. The cost of audio-tour in English or German - 50 грн.

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.

A working monastery that goes back to the 12th century. Destroyed during the Soviet era, with many of its art works hastily removed, some of which were transferred to the museums in Moscow and St Petersburg, some were moved to St Sophia Cathedral. Some mosaics housed in St Sophia subsequently fell into the hands of the Nazis but were returned... to the Hermitage in St Petersburg. Rebuilt in 1997-98. Impressive gold domes, best visited on a sunny day. Behind the complex is a pleasant park with views of the Dnieper and, to the left, the entrance to the funicular.

Independence Square or Maidan is the place where opposition to pro-Russian governments gathered at different points between 2004 and 2013. This is a central meeting place in Kyiv.

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.

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.

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.

A 385-m-high (1,263 ft) lattice steel tower built in 1973. It is not accessible for tourists. The operational platform is at 200 m.

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".

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 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.