You're reading: Take a trip to Kyiv Rus

Two medieval knights are locked in battle in the middle of a wide arena, surrounded by a wooden fence.

The warriors, dressed in medieval armor from head to toe, clash their swords and the crowd cheers, perched on benches to the side not far from the dangerous action. Many of the spectators are dressed in floor-length robes, dresses and the kind of head-dresses you have seen in history books.

But this is neither a book, nor a movie. It’s just a typical day at Kyivan Rus, a festival ground and historical theme park located some 35 kilometers from the capital in Kopachiv village.

“When we dared to launch the Kyivan Rus medieval project in 2008, it sounded like a really crazy idea,” said Volodymyr Yanchenko, president of the charitable organization Slavic Fund that runs the park.

“The aim of the project is to revive the powerful medieval state and recreate Kyiv, the mother of all ‘Ruski’ cities, the way it looked in the V-XIII centuries.” Often confused with the word Russian, the word Ruski refers to having roots in the Kyiv Rus Empire, from which Ukraine, Belarus and Russia all trace their roots.

A horseman dressed in ethnic Ukrainian clothes is a common sight at the Kyivan Rus theme park. (Ukrainian photo)

Kyivan Rus is a seasonal affair. Open from spring through Oct. 17 this year, it admits visitors every weekend. But to get the full effect, you should visit one of the special events that run to the schedule (See schedule below). Some of the recent spectacular events included Kyiv Day celebrations and a stuntmen festival.

The park is set on 50 hectares of land, and is still undergoing major construction to be finished in eight years. By that time, it will have at least five ancient churches, 25 museums, along with traditional arts and craft schools.

Some palaces of ancient rulers will be recreated, including that of Prince Volodymyr, who christened the Kyiv-headquartered Rus Empire, as well as Askold and Kyi’s palaces, Princess Olga’s tower, the Sofiya Gates and Andriyivska Church.

However, one of the main differences that sets Kyivan Rus park apart from any other open-air museum is its hundreds of inhabitants who play the roles of Slavic princes, epic heroes and warriors, as well as Teutonic knights, members of Tatar hordes and other nomadic tribes.

You will encounter them everywhere you go in the park. You will watch mass battles of ancient warriors during any of its major events, and will be able to learn some of the battle techniques.

“The project astonishes with its amazing ideas and its scale. It has no analogues in the world and has a great national and international cultural and historical value,” said Borys Paton, chairman of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

At the main gate to the park you will be welcomed by the jolly ancient clowns, called “skomorokh.” They will be your guides, introducing you to the locals: men chopping wood, women cooking by the fire and children playing in the dust. You can move on to watch craftsmen at work, and learn some tricks that they eagerly share.

Our first stop was by the shoe maker. “Traditional bast shoes are very healthy to wear. They allow your feet to breath and never perspire,” said Yury Yevtushenko, the craftsman. It takes him three hours to make one pair, which he then sells for Hr 35.

“We hope that after visiting Kyivan Rus, Ukrainians will know more about the history and the spirit of their country, become prouder of it and more patriotic. It was our main aim behind creating this unique medieval city.”

– Volodymyr Yanchenko, president of the charitable organization Slavic Fund that runs the park

Next we met the potter. His traditional pottery master classes are extremely popular with guests. You can tell the newbies by a thick layer of clay that covers their clothes after a session at a real potter’s wheel. The potter, Vitaly Kityk, promises to teach the basics in less than an hour for just Hr 50.

Archery is something that draws crowds of men. The bows are very heavy, weighing between 12 and 22 kilos. They are picked according to your weight and shape.

“It costs about 2,500 euros to make a traditional Rus bow,” said Oleksandr Lognenko, the archery coach. “To make a bow durable, the Englishmen used to keep it in kvass, and the Rus craftsmen used to sink it in dung.”

For a mere Hr 100 – the cost of renting a costume – you can blend in with the inhabitants of the park. You can try being a peasant or a knight, and pay a visit to Saint Nestor the Chronicler. A monk, he is the legendary author of the earliest Eastern Slavic chronicles.

In the afternoon, guests flock to the main arena, where all the major action takes place, including combat between stuntmen in knight attire and horse stunts performed by Ukrainian kozaks. An ethnic disco party to the sound of drums and pipes starts after sunset.

According to the organizers, this ancient fun has drawn some 20,000 tourists, including 100 foreigners, to the Kyivan Rus park during three days of the last festival.

“We hope that after visiting Kyivan Rus, Ukrainians will know more about the history and the spirit of their country, become prouder of it and more patriotic. It was our main aim behind creating this unique medieval city,” Yanchenko said.

For more information and the schedule go to www.parkkyivrus.com

Staff writer Iryna Prymachyk can be reached at [email protected].