Kyiv does not seem to have a shortage of tourists any time of the year, especially in spring and summer, but – naturally — the presidential elections attract additional visitors coming here to observe, report or just out of curiosity. So for all who are in Kyiv for the first time and know little about the place, here is a nutshell guide on what sights to see, where to eat and party, how to stay out of trouble – and more.
Kyiv vs. Kiev
You will find that the Internet gives different spellings of the capital’s name in English. Kiev, although very common, is a transliteration from Russian, while the state language is Ukrainian. Kyiv is the country’s largest city, with a population of more than 2.5 million officially. Estimates vary, but many of them say that the Kyiv metropolitan area might have up to four million residents, all living amid the capital’s government, educational and historical institutions and monuments.
A bit of history
According to legend, Kyiv was founded by three brothers – Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv – and their sister Lybid. Archaeology tells us that the first settlements on the territory of modern Kyiv began to appear in 5th-6th centuries, and by the end of 9th century it became the capital of Kyivan Rus, the first developed East Slavic state. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by the Mongols in 1240 and for the next few centuries Kyiv was controlled by its stronger neighbors – first the Duchy of Lithuania, and then Poland and the Russian Empire. The city regained its official capital status only in 1934, when it was named the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in the Soviet Union. It was again largely destroyed during World War II, but quickly rebuilt and was the third largest city of the mighty Soviet state.
Sightseeing
You can begin your acquaintance with the city of Kyiv at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), the heart of the city’s center. It was the main stage of the 2004 Orange Revolution rallies that overturned the rigged presidential election of Nov. 21, 2004. The square still remains a popular site for various rallies and protests, as well as a major venue for outdoor concerts, including ones performed by Elton John and Paul McCartney in recent years.
The square was renovated at the end of 1990s and, though many citizens regard the new design as tasteless, it remains a popular hangout and tourist destination. Kyiv’s central street, Khreshchatyk, runs through the middle of the square, cutting it in two. One of the sides is dominated by the Independence Monument – you can’t miss the tall column with a figure of a Ukrainian girl on top. On the other side, you’ll see fountains and blue glass cupolas protruding from the ground. That marks the location of the Globus (Globe) shopping mall under Maidan. Also you’ll notice Pechersk Gates with Archangel Michael, the city’s protector, on top. The Central Post Office stands on Maidan. There you can make international phone calls, send faxes and use the Internet, although patience with the service helps a little.
From Maidan, many good choices await sightseers. You can walk along one of several streets – Sofiyska, Mala Zhytomyrska or Mykhaylivska – leading up from the square (on the Post Office side). After a five-minute walk, you’ll reach Mykhaylivska and Sofiyivska Squares, where Saint Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral and Saint Sophia Cathedral proudly stand. This area is a spiritual center of Kyiv.
My suggestion is to first turn left and visit St. Sophia. It is no longer a functioning cathedral, but a museum. So you’ll need to purchase tickets to enter the territory. Founded in the 11th century, the Byzantine-style St. Sophia Cathedral is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, along with Kyiv Pechersk-Lavra, another majestic monastery and cathedral complex. Inside the main building you can see remains of its ancient foundation, mosaics and frescoes, as well as the sarcophagus of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (978 – 1054), the Grand Prince of Kyiv and Novgorod.
To get an English-language tour of the place, you need to order it a day in advance. But even without a guide, you can get some useful information about the history of Kyiv and the Cathedral itself from inscriptions in Ukrainian and in English on the walls of the building here and there.
If you walk away from Sofiyska Square, past the Cathedral, you’d soon reach Zoloti Vorota or the Golden Gates, the ancient gates to the city that were named and designed after Constantinople city gates. Another legend behind the name is that all the riches and exotic goods were brought into the ancient Kyiv through this gate.
Its construction is first mentioned in the chronicles of 1037, but it’s also known that, in the 17th century, the gate was ruined and soon buried underground. It’s only in the 19th century that archaeological excavations of the Golden Gates began. To keep the excavated ruins from being completely destroyed, scientists decided to raise a pavilion above it resembling the original design of the gate. Now the Golden Gates building houses a museum open to visitors.
Opposite Sofiyska Square is Mykhaylivska Square and St. Michael’s Golden Domed Cathedral, the most prestigious church in Kyiv. The famous and powerful people of the country like to hold their wedding ceremonies and christenings, and attend important religious services there. It was apparently the first church with golden domes to appear in Kyivan Rus, hence the name. The cathedral was built in 12th century by Prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavych, while other buildings, including the Refectory, Economic Gates and Belltower were added in the 18th century. The exterior of the church was rebuilt in Ukrainian Baroque style, but the interior remains Byzantine. The building was destroyed in 1930s by the Soviets but reconstructed in 1990s.
Right behind the Cathedral spreads the picturesque Volodymyrska Hirka Park, a wonderful site to admire the views of the Dnipro River flowing below, far-off buildings on the left bank and a fragment of the oldest Kyiv area, Podil, located in the lower part of the city.
Right next to St. Michael’s Cathedral is the huge grey building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kyiv Funicular station – it can quickly take you down to the river station in Podil and back up.
If you pass the ministry on the left and keep on walking, you’ll soon find yourself on Andriyivsky Uzviz or Descent – one of the most ancient streets of Kyiv. In the beginning of 20th century, this cobble-stoned street became a popular cheap place for living among artists, writers and students. Andriyivsky is now the most bohemian area, with many art galleries, some of them belonging to several generations of artists or gallerists, as well as the major art and souvenir market of Kyiv. At the outdoor market, you can find all possible kinds of souvenirs, jewelry, handmade accessories and clothing items, as well as artworks and paintings, sometimes sold by the artists themselves.
The street also houses several important buildings. One of them is the museum of writer Mikhail Bulgakov (author of masterpieces “Master and Margarita” and “Heart of a Dog” among others) located in Building No. 13, where he once resided. Another is the 19th century building nicknamed “Richard The Lion’s Heart Castle,” due to its gothic architecture. It’s surrounded with a mysterious aura. This is all because, as legend has it, the underpaid builders put egg shells in the chimney for revenge, creating ghostly moaning sounds on windy nights. The “Castle” has remained uninhabited for as long as the current generations of Kyivans can remember.
But the most remarkable sight of the descent is Andriyivska Church, built in the mid-17th century and designed in baroque style by legendary Italian architect Bartolommeo Rastrelli. He was in charge of all the fancy Russian Empire Buildings at the time. The church stands on a high platform from which opens a beautiful panorama of Podil.
A good starting point for sightseeing in another part of the center would be Arsenalna metro station. It’s one stop from the central Khreshchatyk station. From Arsenalna you can go right – towards Mariyinsky Park, or left towards Park Slavy and Pecherska Lavra.
In the center of Mariyinsky Park stands Mariyinsky Palace, the ceremonial residence of the Ukrainian president. Also designed by Rastrelli, the construction of the palace began in 1744 upon the order of Russian Empress Elisabeth the Great. It took eight years to complete. At the start of 19th century, the palace was largely destroyed by fire. But, in 1870, Tsar Alexander II had it reconstructed and named it in honor of his wife Maria. The park was then created upon her wishes. Right outside the park stands the building of Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) and the Cabinet of Ministers. From Maryinsky Park you can also walk over towards Druzhby Narodiv Arch – located next to Yevropeyska Ploshcha. From the platform next to the arch, you can enjoy another picturesque panorama of Podil and the Dnipro quay.
If you go left from Arsenalna metro, you’ll soon reach the Park Slavy or Park of Glory which will lead you straight to the grounds of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery surrounded with high walls.
Lavra, also known as Kyiv Monastery of the Caves, was founded by the Greek Orthodox monk Antony, who settled in a cave in a mountain overlooking the Dnipro River in the early 11th century. His disciples, Antonite monks, then founded a monastery that was built by Byzantine architects. Now the main monastery buildings include the golden domed Great Lavra Belltower which is almost 100 meters high, the Gate Church of Trinity located on the top of the Holy Gates – the entrance to the territory of the monastery and Church of the Savior at Berestove constructed by Prince Volodymyr Monomakh (1053-1125).
His children – son Oleg and daughter Eufemia – are buried in it, and so is Prince Yuri Dolgoruki (1090-1157), the founder of Moscow. However, the special attraction of the Lavra is its caves – a complex network of narrow underground passages that used to house numerous living quarters of monks and chapels. Now the caves house a great many remains of monks and saints – their preserved bodies are covered with cloth and placed in coffins with glass tops.
Going back to Kyiv’s most central street Khreshchatyk, it runs from Yevropeyska (European) Square, through Maidan Nezalezhnosti and up to Bessarabska Square. The street was mostly destroyed during World War II, thus most buildings standing on it belong to Stalinist architecture. Bessarabska Square houses the historical Bessarabsky Market selling meat, vegetables and other groceries. It’s a famous tourist trap due to its high prices, but worth a visit, nevertheless.
Must-see museums
The National Museum of History of Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 stands out against the Kyiv skyline due to the gigantic, 52-meter-high “Motherland” statue atop the main building. The memorial complex occupies vast 10 hectares (nearly 25 acres), displaying a large collection of military equipment, including tanks and armored troop carriers, various sculptural compositions dedicated to heroic moments of the war and separate expositions such as “Tragedy and Heroism of Afghanistan.” Also you have a chance to climb inside the war plane Li-2 and helicopter Mi-24V. The main museum houses a vast collection of various war artifacts including maps, items of clothing, furniture, documents and personal letters among other things – including those that belonged to German soldiers.
44 Ivana Mazepy (Arsenalna metro), 285-9452, www.warmuseum.kiev.ua. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Bogdan and Varvara Khanenko Museum of Art a.k.a. Museum of Western and Oriental Art houses the largest collection of foreign art in Ukraine, featuring paintings, sculptures, etchings and items of decorative art from Western Europe as well as Persia, Japan and China. The museum is named after a married couple who were great art patrons. Bogdan Khanenko vastly traveled in Europe and throughout 40 years gathered a considerable art collection. Shortly after his death in 1918, his wife gave his collection to the city. It was then placed in a museum that opened the following year. Currently the museum collection counts about 25,000 items and the most famous pieces include “A
15-17 Tereshchenkivska, 235-3290, www.khanenkomuseum.kiev.ua, Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Museum of Russian Art is located just a few steps from the Museum of Western and Oriental Art, so it’s easy to visit them both. Russian Museum features 12,000 exhibits, ranging from 13th century icons to the masterpieces of painting and sculpture of 19-20th centuries. It’s also the only Russian art museum on the territory of former Soviet Union outside Russia. The museum opened in 1922 as an art gallery and its basic exposition was comprised of the collection of another art patron family – Tereshchenkos, who also gave the name to the street the museum stands on.
9 Tereshchenkivska, 234-6218, museumru.kiev.ua. Open Tuesday-Wednesday, Friday-Sunday 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Getting around
Kyiv is divided in the middle with the country’s main river, Dnipro, into right and left bank (from the north). In general, all the main places and important governmental institutions are concentrated on the right bank, while the left bank is a collection of big residential areas with greatly developed infrastructure.
Public transport
Kyiv has a highly developed system of public transport, including the metro underground, which is especially convenient for getting around the central area. Kyiv metro has three lines – green, blue and red.
Unfortunately, in many cases, you will have to be able to read some Cyrillic to be able to understand which stations you need. Quite often though the names of stations correspond to the name of the street or square they are placed on – such as Maidan Nezalezhnosti and Khreshchatyk, or a famous landmark or building located right next to it, like Zoloti Vorota. You can also easily cross from one line to another in the center. For example, you can cross from Maidan (blue line) to Kreshchatyk (red line). To get to the green line, you’ll just need to ride one station further on either of the lines – Maidan is followed by Lva Tolstoho Square, from where you can cross to Palats Sportu (Sports Palace). Khreshchatyk is followed by Teatralna, from where you can cross over to Zoloti Vorota.
Also be attentive when exiting the station. Some of the stations have several exits on either end of the platform. Khreshchatyk has three exits, two of which are a considerable walk from one another.
Taxis
If you prefer to get around by taxi, here are few useful facts. Taxis in Kyiv are not all yellow, like in many European cities. In fact, very few of them are. Many different types of cars are used as taxis – just watch for taxi-like signs on the top. Meters are, unfortunately, not in widespread use for calculating fares – so it pays to learn the prices. All of the numerous private taxi companies operating in Kyiv have its own tariffs. But, on average, the cost is Hr 1.5 to Hr 2 per kilometer. If you order a taxi by phone, you’ll be told the price of your trip right away.
But if you stop a taxi in the street, you’ll have to negotiate with the driver. Be sure to do it before you get in the car. First tell your destination and agree on a price. Seeing that you’re a foreigner, the driver may name a ridiculous amount. But the average cost for going a relatively short distance is Hr 30. A drive from the center to the left bank will be Hr 50-60. A ride from and to the airport is Hr 150-200. In the latter case, make sure to order by phone. This is the only way to get a reasonable bargain.
Kyiv also has a culture in which, basically, any driver might be willing to give you a lift for a price. In some cases, private drivers are cruising around the center specifically to make some money. In other cases, they are just people on their way somewhere. But it won’t cost much less than a taxi, so if you’re new in the city and don’t speak Russian or Ukrainian, it’s safer to stick to regular taxis.
Finally, many places in the center are easy to reach on foot. So, unless the weather is really harsh, just keep in mind that Kyiv is a hilly city, so be ready for steep ascents and descents as you walk around.
Keeping it safe
Kyiv has its pickpockets, like all big cities. Foreigners, naturally, are targeted for special attention by criminals. So, whenever you are in a popular tourist area or anywhere with a lot of people around, make sure all your important stuff is hidden away. Keep the bag in front of you, your money and your documents in the inner pockets of a jacket or deep down in the front pockets of your jeans. Be especially careful in the metro.
Foreigners are also inviting targets for numerous scams. A typical one involves a wallet or a transparent bag filled with money that is obscurely dropped in the path of the targeted victim. Then a casual passerby suddenly appears, lifts the bag and offers the would-be victim to split the money.
Don’t take it! If you do, a second person will immediately show up claiming the money is his and demanding to check your wallet – to empty it out, of course. The scammers always work in pairs and, at times, one of them poses as a police officer. Advice: Just walk away and, in general, don’t engage in conversations on the street with people you don’t know.
Kyiv Post editor Alexandra Matoshko can be reached at [email protected].
Eating out
Puzata Khata
This cafeteria chain is a good option for quick, low-priced meals. Here you’ll find a great variety of Ukrainian dishes to taste, including traditional soups, fried meat and fish, stews, varenicks (popular boiled dumplings that may be filled with mashed potatoes, minced meat, cherries etc.), pancakes and more. Average meal is Hr 30.
Passage, 15 Khreshchatyk; 1/2-A Baseyna, near Bessarabska Square; 40 Chervonoarmiyska, www.puzatahata.com.ua.
O’Panas
It’s the place to go for a proper dinner with national flavor. It’s located in a relatively quiet spot in the middle of Taras Shevchenko Park, right next to the two aforementioned art museums. O’Panas’s interior resembles a traditional Ukrainian house – only a bit too picture-perfect. A vast menu has many traditional dishes from soups. There are six of them to choose from, to appetizers – assorted pickles, salo, blood sausage, hot appetizers – varenikis and deruny (potato pancakes), and various fish and meat dishes, including those cooked on grill. Average meal is Hr 200.
10 Tereshchenkivska, Tarasa Shevchenko Park, 585-0523.
Budmo!
This is a cozy place, whose name is a Ukrainian version of “Cheers,” boasts a central location a short walk from Saint Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral. Budmo! has a reputation for delicious Ukrainian cuisine and moderate prices. The average meal is Hr 80.
22-A Mykhaylivska, 229-61-39.
Korchma
This place serves good quality Ukrainian dishes in a traditional interior with wooden benches, clay pots, linen table cloths and other common village household articles. The average meal is Hr 100.
14 Chervonoarmiyska, 235-9469
Varenichna Pobeda
This place doesn’t offer a strictly Ukrainian, but rather a Soviet-style atmosphere, which attracts nostalgic Kyivans and expatriates attracted to Soviet exotics and simple homemade food. However, the traditional Ukrainian dishes such as varenikis, red borshcht and salo are also offered here. An average meal is Hr 100.
14 Sofiyska, 220-0015
Drinking and partying
44
This legendary live music club-bar is placed on the city’s central street. It’s dimly lit and the design is all about brick walls and iconic pictures of rock stars, such as Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. The main hall with a long bar is where the concerts take place. Beer is from Hr 12; cocktails are Hr 50 on average. Admission on Fridays-Saturdays is usually Hr 50.
44 Khreshchatyk, 279-4137, www.club44.com.ua.
Docker’s ABC
Located at the very end of Passage on Khreshchatyk, it’s another popular hangout for fans of easygoing atmosphere and good music. Cover bands play here every day of the week, while original bands sometimes take to stage over the weekend. The pub has several halls with heavy tables and wooden chairs, and boasts an amazing collection of superb cocktails, that cost Hr 40-60 on average. Free admission is on Mondays and Sundays, the rest of time it’s Hr 20-40, and Hr 50 on Fridays and Saturdays.
15/4 Khreshchatyk, Passage, 278-1717, www.docker.com.ua.
Arena entertainment
This complex is a popular hangout among fashionable youngsters, expats and foreign tourists. Located right beside the central Bessarabsky Market, the complex has a beer house with homebrewed Arena beer, a sports bar, an ice rink and, of course, the nightclub. The club has a dress code, so wear a nice outfit, and shoes rather than sneakers.
2-A Baseyna, 492-0000, www.arena-kiev.com
Heaven
This glamorous place is more of a dance bar than a club. It’s a hip hangout of rich kids and occasional celebrities. Heaven often features interesting guest-star deejays. French writer Frederic Beigbeder recently played a set in a club for the second time. Dress code and face control also apply here.
7 Hrinchenka, 353-4040
Khlib Club
“Bread” club is a cult place for youth who prefer the coolness of the underground to the false shine of glamour. It’s located in a basement in the old area of Kyiv – Podil. It doesn’t open its doors until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and has no noticeable outdoor sign. You just have to know the address to find it, though most taxi drivers also know the place. Inside the club there is one main dance hall with a bar, two small chillout rooms and almost no real decor. However, teens in colorful street wear add all the needed color to it. The Khlib’s program often features big names from the international electronic music scene, but since the club has no official phone number, you can check the program here www.myspace.com/xlibclub.
12 Frunze
