Ukraine is the second-largest country by area in Europe, with its capital city in Kyiv. It is bordered by several countries (Romania, Moldova, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary) and two seas (Black Sea and Sea of Azov).
Settled by Slavs in the 5th-6th centuries AD, today, Ukraine has the second-largest East Slavic ethnic group after Russia. Between its early settlement and now, Ukraine was occupied by various conquerors beginning with Swedish Vikings who, in the 9th century, converted the people to Christianity. Orthodoxy became the most dominant religion, highly influencing Ukrainian customs.
In the 13th century, the Mongols conquered the south and east of the country, leaving the north and west relatively independent. A century later came the Polish and Lithuanians. When serfs ran away from their Polish landlords, they settled in the steppes of Ukraine, forming their own self-governing communities. They became known as the Cossacks, meaning free men, but by the late 18th century they were disbanded and absorbed into Russia.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the Ukrainians experienced a brief independent period in 1918 before the nation was re-absorbed by Russia. After the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine regained its independence and has been a developing country since, trading in agriculture and metals, amongst other things.
Ukraine’s biggest export commodity is sunflower seeds. This bright and cheerful yellow flower with a centre packed with seeds that are both edible and used to make oil, is Ukraine’s national flower. Brought from North America by explorers, it was discovered that it grew prolifically in the rich soil of Ukraine and by the 1800s, extensive fields of sunflowers were all over the country. Embroidered on fabrics, painted on walls, furniture and household items in a folk art called petrykivka, the sunflower represents warmth and the power of the sun.
Additionally, this flower’s versatility sees no bounds. In the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists planted millions of seeds because they discovered that the sunflower had the ability to rapidly soak up certain radioactive material. Disposing of the flowers is a faster and easier process than removing the soil from the affected area. Then in 1996, to mark the removal of the nuclear arsenals in Ukraine that were inherited at the end of the Cold War, officials from Ukraine, United States and Russia planted sunflowers atop the destroyed nuclear missiles. As such, the flower became a symbol of peace and nuclear disarmament. Today, the sunflower continues to be a symbol of hope and solidarity, a productive agricultural crop, and a cleaner of toxic waste.
The city of Kyiv was founded in the 5th century AD and named after one of the four legendary founders, who were three brothers and a sister: Kyi, Schcheck, Khoryv and Lybid. Home to high tech industries and a centre for education, science and culture, Kyiv is also a treasure trove of historical landmarks and nearly 1,000 churches. Green spaces abound throughout the city, and it is endowed with three UNESCO designations: St Sophia Cathedral, the Monastery of Caves (Pechersk Lavra) and the Collection of Jewish Musical Folklore.
This journey begins at Mariinsky Park, a city park founded in 1847 by Maria Alexandrovna - Empress of Russia, one of the founders of the Russian Red Cross, founder of the first Russian all-female school and famous for aiding her husband, Tsar Alexander II, with ending serfdom. During the 19th century, the park brimmed with busts and sculptures, which have since been removed, however the cast iron fountain installed in 1900 continues to hold a prominent position.
Adjacent to the park is the Mariinsky Palace, which the park is named after. A stunning baroque palace, construction was completed in 1752 with Catherine the Great being the first imperial member to stay in it during her visit in 1787.
The palace burnt down in a fire in the early 19th century and was left empty and abandoned until Tsar Alexander II restored it and renamed it after his wife. By the 1920s it was used as an agricultural school, then a museum and, following serious damage in WWII, it was restored twice more.
Today, the palace is used for official receptions and summits. Outside, it is beautifully painted in a sea foam colour with white and ivory accents. Inside it consists of 55 rooms on the ground floor, used for official purposes and the second floor has 26 richly adorned suites and halls. The walls are decorated with paintings by foreign and Ukrainian artists loaned from galleries in Kyiv, L’viv and Odessa.
km od začátku : 0006
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Founded in the 11th century, Saint Sophia Cathedral gets its name from Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul, Turkey. Saint Sophia is the first heritage site in Ukraine to be inscribed on UNESCO’S World Heritage List.
It was founded by Yaroslav the Wise, a Swedish Viking and ruler of the Kyivan Rus federation. Occupying the region, Yaroslav made Kyiv the capital from 882 AD, which it remained until 1240 AD when the Mongols invaded. Yaroslav is often referred to as the Father of Europe whose many offspring wed into European royal houses. His body is entombed in a white sarcophagus within the cathedral.
The cathedral is a magnificent Byzantine structure, with a high central dome representing Christ surrounded by smaller domes representing the apostles. The arched entrance denotes the heavenly gates through which people enter. The white cathedral is topped with green domes and gilt cupolas.
The interior is richly adorned with mosaics made of shiny gold background with blue, grey, and white accents. All the frescoes date back to the cathedral’s constructions. During the 19th century they were restored with oil paints. A 15-year scholarly study of the cathedral’s hidden passages culminated in a body of works, listing more than 7,000 ancient graffiti dating from the 11th-18th century.
Next to the cathedral is a 250ft (76m) tiered bell tower with a pear-shaped dome in gilded bronze. The light blue exterior wall is decorated in detailed stucco ornaments and bas-reliefs.
The cathedral barely escaped destruction in the 1920s when the government at the time planned to use the grounds for the construction of a “Heroes of Perekop” park. It was saved by the intervention of scientists and historians. However, the cathedral was confiscated from the Orthodox Church in 1934 and designated a secular museum with the majority of visitors being tourists.
km od začátku : 0012
St Cyril’s Church
Recognisable by its deep green domes and cupolas, St Cyril’s is a medieval monastery containing a 12th century church and architectural elements from the 17th and 19th century. It is located north of the city centre on the edge of Kyrylivsky Hai, a large, wooded park.
The monastery was named after Cyril of Alexandria, who was the Patriarch from 412-444 AD and the church within its grounds was the burial place for the Olgovichi family, the founders of the complex. The monastery was rebuilt following fire damage in 1734 and extra monastic buildings, a belfry, and gate were added. Unfortunately, the belfry was demolished in 1937.
By the late 18th century the monastery was closed and converted into a hospital. A mudflow during the 1960s caused new damage but fortunately most of the church survived in its original form. Inside are enormous 12th century frescoes painted by Mikhail Vrubel, a 19th century Russian artist, and several unknown Ukrainian artists.
Designated a state museum in 1929, the church was saved from destruction at a time when many other sacred monuments were being torn down.
km od začátku : 0021
Mamayeva Sloboda
Tucked in a park amongst high rise residences is the open-air Cossack village known as Mamayeva Sloboda. Made up of wooden houses, a church and other buildings, the village depicts rural life.
The park often hosts dances and festivals and the traditionally dressed guides tell stories of the buildings and the Cossacks’ way of life. Cooks of traditional dishes, weavers and blacksmiths demonstrate their specialty, whilst others may re-enact Cossack fighting techniques.
Rural and folk traditions are an important part of Ukrainian culture. It is a way to carve their own distinctiveness from the many similarities they share with their neighbours. They are evident through their folk costumes, traditional dances and songs, hearty dishes and especially their exquisite embroideries.
Ukraine’s embroidery history is more than 2,000 years old; appearing in folk dress, embroidered shirts known as vyshyvanka, weddings, and other celebrations. Each design, the colour used, and type of stitch applied reflects the region it originated from.
Traditional belief is that a person wearing a vyshyvanka will be protected from all harm. That is because the ornaments embroidered on the shirt are like a coded pattern, where some may bring prosperity and others protection or luck. A disorganised set of patterns may bring distress or change of one’s fate.
The designs are characterised by their region. For instance, flowers and plants prevail in the south and east of Ukraine. They symbolise purity, renewal, and family prosperity. Whereas geometric patterns are reflected in the west of Ukraine symbolising the beauty of nature, fertility, and well-being. Used less often are animal patterns and although not depicted on clothes, they are found on embroidered towels. A wedding towel, for example, may have doves or roosters, facing each other as ornaments.
Celebrated in May, the International Day of Vyshyvanka, is a holiday aiming to preserve “the original folk traditions of creating and wearing ethnic embroidered Ukrainian clothes” and at the same time celebrate the Ukrainian people’s spirit of unity, patriotism, identity, culture, and tradition.
km od začátku : 0032
Holosiivskyi National Nature Park
Green spaces are dotted all over Kyiv, giving its people ample opportunity to escape to nature close to home. Holosiivskyi National Nature Park is one such space located in the hills outside the city centre.
First mentioned in the early 16th century, the park encompasses approximately 11,000 hectares of forest and swamps. With a flora collection of more than 650 species of vascular plants (i.e. ferns), 118 species of moss and 60 species of fungi, the highlight of the park is the age-old oaks scattered throughout with some as much as 500 years old. Delicate flora such as the small pasque flower, Siberian iris and martagon lily bring a dash of colour to the verdant landscape.
Its fauna collection is also quite diverse with 100 species of birds, 44 species of mammals and several species of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Elks, foxes, hares, and deer make the park their home along with more rare species of snake, otter, stoat (small weasel) and the old-world swallowtail butterfly.
km od začátku : 0037
Museum of Folk Architecture
Pyrohiv is a small village south of Kyiv and home to the open-air Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine, the largest outdoor museum in Europe. It was founded in 1969 and holds a collection of more than 300 buildings dating back to the Middle Ages that were sourced from all over Ukraine and rebuilt onsite to illustrate Ukraine’s rural history.
At the centre of the museum are the wooden windmills scattered on the grounds, surrounded by wooden single-story houses and a number of churches. The museum is separated into two sections each representing a specific Ukrainian region. The oldest church, known as Naddnipryanska, was built in 1742.
Over 40,000 vintage household items are held by the museum such as costumes, embroidery, carpets, ceramics, metal crafts, woodwork, glassware, artworks, and musical instruments. Traditionally dressed artisans and volunteers demonstrate the use of daily items and during different folk holidays, the museum conducts theatrical performances and festivals.
km od začátku : 0050
Hryshko National Botanical Garden
Hryshko National Botanical Garden was established in 1936 and contains 13,000 species of flora from all over the world. It was named after botanist Mykola Hryshko. Within its grounds are the Vydubychi Monastery and Trinity Monastery of St Jonas.
The garden is divided into separate zones, representing flora from different regions such as the Ukrainian Carpathians (mountains), the Plains of Ukraine, the Caucasus (between Black and Caspian Seas), Altai and Western Siberia and Asia. It has more than 350 species of orchids and the greenhouse cares for rare tropical and subtropical plants.
Garden designs may include parterre (an ornamental garden with paths between the beds), decorative succulents, woody plants or flower beds filled with roses, irises, chrysanthemums, tulips, and lilies to name a few.
The tropical and subtropical collection may include bromeliads, azaleas, camellia, cacti, palm, and ornamental deciduous plants.
The highlight of the garden is in May, during the lilac’s blooming season. It has a heady sweet fragrance and blooms in delightful shades of lilac, light purple, and lavender.
km od začátku : 0054
Pechersk Lavra
Founded in 1051 AD as a cave monastery, Pechersk Lavra is the largest museum in Kyiv. It began with a Christian monk from Mount Athos, Greece, who settled in Kyiv and chose a cave on the current site with views over Dnieper River. As disciples grew, Prince Iziaslav I (oldest son of Yaroslav the Wise), gave the whole site to the monks who then built the monastery.
The complex is a combination of bell towers, churches and cathedrals, cave systems and fortification walls. At 316ft (96m) tall, the Great Lavra Belltower was built between 1731-1745. At the time it was the tallest free-standing belltower in the world. Consisting of four tiers, each tier is surrounded by columns and archways and the top is covered with a gilded dome. The Dormition Church was originally built in the 11th century. Unfortunately, during WWII it was completely destroyed. Having been fully rebuilt and restored in 1995, it is now the main church in the complex.
The museum houses numerous historical relics such as precious metals, rare prints and photographs, chalices, crucifixes, textiles, needlework, and embroidery. The complex’s catacombs contain the remains of Eastern Orthodox saints.
A mile south of the monastery is the incredible stainless steel 203ft (62m) tall statue known as the Motherland Monument, weighing a staggering 560 tonnes. A 52ft (16m) long sword is in the statue’s right hand and a shield in the left. The statue is part of a wider historical complex commemorating the German-Soviet conflict during WWII. At the base of the monument is another significant statue entitled Crossing the Dnieper. The Museum’s Memorial Hall displays the names of more than 11,800 soldiers and workers honouring their service during the war.
km od začátku : 0058
Horodecki House
Horodecki House, also referred to as the House of Chimaeras, is located directly across from the President’s office and as such is often used as the Presidential residence for official visits and diplomatic ceremonies.
Built in 1901 by Polish architect Wladyslaw Horodecki, the house was originally intended to be an apartment building of which he would use one for his own purposes. Financial troubles, however, forced Wladyslaw to sell the property. It changed hands numerous times, then it was vacated and sat empty until its restoration in the 2000s. It was built entirely out of cement because at the time it was not a popular building material. The usage of cement was intended to draw attention and publicity to the house and the building material. Although the house appears only three storeys high, from the rear all six levels are visible.
The unusual aspect of the house is the use of exotic animals, shipwrecks, and hunting scenes to decorate the outside of the house. There are rhinos, frogs, mermaids, snakes, and dolphins adorning the upper section of the building. This architectural style is known as chimaera (unrelated to the chimaera of mythology). A set of stairs to the right of the house leads to a narrow entry door. Six tall Corinthian columns were added to the front façade with statues of deer set atop it.
Due to the house’s close proximity to the Presidential office, the street separating them has been closed off to vehicular traffic and is now used as a patrolled pedestrian zone.
Kyiv is a vibrant city filled with beautiful architecture, nature parks, monuments and a long history. It has a rich traditional and contemporary art and craft scene, and it is a food lover's heaven.
