A spectacular archaeological find in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv could be at risk due to the inaction of city officials, a top Ukrainian archaeologist has warned.
The foundations and
part of a wall of the 10th century palace of Kyiv Prince Volydymyr
were discovered during repair work being carried out on a stairway the corner
of Volodymyrska Street and Andriyivsky Uzviz Street in early May.
The palace and the
nearby Desyatynna church are the oldest stone building remaining from the times
of the ancient Kyivan Rus, and could become a major tourist attraction. But
because of local officials’ inaction, the site could soon be covered with earth
again, archaeologists say.
“In the 10th
century most Kyiv buildings were made of wood, and the palace and the nearby
Desyatynna church (both located near the Andriyivsky Uzviz Street) were the
only stone buildings in the city then,” Vitaliy Koziuba, archaeologist and researcher
of the Institute of Archaeology of National Academy of Science of Ukraine, told
the Kyiv Post.
Workers strengthen the external war of Prince Volodymyr’s palace in
Kyiv on June 3. (Anastasia Vlasova)
“If this whole
territory (the palace and Desyatynna church) were to be turned into an open air
museum, the city would gain another great tourist attraction. But after the
builders strengthen the slope, the remains of the palace will be covered with earth,”
he said.
The remains of palace
were found during the repair of stairs at the corner of Volodymyrska Street and
Andriyivsky Uzviz Street a month ago. The finding did not surprise the
archaeologists though. “Archaeological excavations were conducted on the site
in 1911, so we knew that Prince Volodymyr’s palace was located here, but this is the
first time an external wall was discovered,” Koziuba said.
The total area of the
palace is about 400
square meters, and the depth of the foundations about
one meter. Only seven meters of the palace’s external wall remained intact.
“The palace was most likely a two-storied building. It might have served as an
administrative center. Prince Volodymyr might have had official events and
meeting with foreign ambassadors here,” Koziuba added.
But the palace is
unlikely to be turned into a tourist attraction, at least in the near future,
Koziuba said, as city officials are reluctant to take responsibility for
creating a museum there.
Serhiy Hruzdo, the deputy
head of department of culture of the Kyiv city administration, told the Kyiv
Post in a written comment that the non-governmental organization “Andiyivsky
Uzviz – Peyzazhna Initsiatyva” is responsible for creating an open air museum
at the site. But in the meantime, the Kyiv administration has asked the Ministry of
Culture of Ukraine, the Institute of Archaeology of Ukraine and the Desyatynna
Church museum to ensure the conservation of the findings and consider the
possibility of creating a museum there.
Neither Ministry of
Culture of Ukraine, nor “Andriyivsky Uzviz – Peyzazhna Initisatyva” responded
to the Kyiv Post’s written requests for comment.
“There’s your answer,”
said Koziuba, commenting on the lack of response from officials. “This is not
even a question of money, as private sponsors are ready to allocate money. The
problem is that officials don’t want to take responsibility for the decision.”
