You're reading: Have a spooky Halloween in Kyiv

The scary but candy-sweet night of October 31 has arrived once again.

Halloween is a day, or night, when the boundary between the living and the deceased is blurred, and creatures from the dark side roam the earth.

True, most of them nowadays are just cheerful kids and adults dressed in costumes. While Halloween today is merely a fun holiday, thousands of years ago, Celtic tribes took it seriously.

It was on this day that they celebrated the end of the harvest season, or Samhain – a proto-celtic word meaning “Summer’s End.” It was a time when farmers stocked up on their supplies of food for winter and slaughtered livestock, while evil spirits wandered freely, spoiling their food, spreading disease and damaging crops. To scare away these demons, they wore masks and ignited bonfires, into which they threw the bones of slaughtered livestock.

Indeed, the festival we call Halloween today has changed a lot since the days of the Celts.

The very name Halloween appeared in the 8th century when two Popes –Gregory the III and Gregory the IV – moved the Christian feast of All Saints Day, or All Hallows Day, from May 13 to Nov. 1. Then Oct. 31 was named All Hallows Eve and later shortened to Halloween.

Irish immigrants, descendents of the Celts, carried their traditions over to North America in the 19th century. In the late 20th century, other western countries embraced the holiday, and it seems that Ukraine is becoming one of them.

There are lots of ways to celebrate Halloween. For many, especially in America, it can involve much more than ‘trick or treating’ – going from house to house asking for candy.

For some, it is a time to read scary stories or watch horror movies. But for those seeking more adventure, there are other options. Visiting “haunted houses” or spooky places is common, or dressing up in costumes like all the rest and going to a party.

Scary Kyiv

Like almost any ancient city, Kyiv has its own mysterious stories and there are lots of places where you can get really scared – or possibly even see a real ghost. The most famous of these is Richard’s Castle on 15 Andriyivkiy Uzviz.

Writer Victor Nekrasov gave the building this name for an unknown reason. Most likely he was fond of Walter Scott’s novels. Before Nekrasov, Richard’s Castle was known simply as the haunted house.

The building had a strange history from the very beginning. It was built by Kyiv entrepreneur Dmytro Orlov. He built it without getting permission from any city officials. Adding to the mystery, the name of the architect is unknown. It is even said that the architectural project was stolen. Orlov was killed under very strange circumstances. His widow, to whom he left all his outstanding debts, was left with the vast task of finishing construction.

By 1912, Lidiya Orlova completed the building. To compensate for the heavy expenses, she rented out the place. But visitors spent little time in the building. At nights, they heard strange sounds: weeping, crying, groaning and howling.

As the story goes, underpaid and angry construction workers sought revenge. They put pipes, pieces of broken bottles and even eggshells into the walls, chimneys and ventilation system. All this clutter made for great acoustics, particularly when the wind was strong. Orlova sold the house very soon and the building changed owners many times.

According to yet another legend, the building has been closed for nearly twenty years … due to restoration works.

You can find another house in Kyiv with a spooky reputation at 16 Lyuteranska. It belonged to a rich merchant called Sulyma. The building’s mysterious story traces back to 1935. Sulyma started building it, but suddenly died. His descendants failed to finish construction, locked up in legal battles over ownership rights to the property.

Before the building was even finished, passer-bys began to notice a white figure in one of the windows on the highest floor. And they heard roaring late at night coming from the building. Sometimes stones fell from the roof, hitting people nearby.

In 1859, construction of the house was completed, but after ten years it burned down. Later it was rebuilt. What stands in place of the house now is said to be a pale copy of the original design.

The presence of ghosts in Kyiv has been documented. Police records from the beginning of the 20th century confirm the presence of a poltergeist right in the building where the central Post Office stands now on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. The ghost was detected in the apartment of a women called Dyakova. Pillows and blankets are said to have flown across her room. Furniture shifted. The woman called the police. The shocked guards were helpless. They decided to move Dyakova to another place and sealed up the apartment.

In 1912, the famous writer Korney Chukovskiy visited Kyiv and probably heard this strange story. In his famous children’s story,“Moydodyr,” he described the same scene.

Perhaps the ghost spooking Ms .Dyakova played a factor in the tragic event that happened on the very site in 1989. The Post Office’s balcony was undergoing reconstruction when the supporting columns collapsed. Thirteen people were killed.

Many say the most ancient and dark places in Kyiv are the well known Lysa (“bald”) hills. They were called bald because it was said that witches used to fly there and wipe off all greenery that started growing on their tops. This is allegedly why they remain largely free of vegetation to this day.

There are at least five “bald” hills in the vicinity. The first is on Honcharka (also called Zvirynets). The second one, Zamkova mountain, looms over Andriyivskiy Uzviz. The third is at the upper station of the funicular. The fourth is somewhere on the Dnipro, on its right bank. But the most legendary one is near the Vydubytskiy monastery. It has been famous since the days of Khan Batiy, a Mongol ruler who demolished Kyiv in 1240. He massacred citizens who were hiding there in caves.

According to legend, their restless souls still wander around the hills. If you want to experience the real atmosphere of Halloween, go to one of those places at night. Edgy feelings are guaranteed.

Spooky parties

Fortetsya will become the refuge for all dark and evil spirits on Halloween night. Try the “Hell’s Menu” featuring: Sautee from Edible Ghosts, Vampire’s Favorite Soup, Sinner meat loaf and others.

Khlib Club invites you to its Break Halloween Party with special guest DJ Aquasky.

“Blood and Flesh” Halloween party will be held at Ikra restaurant. Guests will be treated to a special oyster menu. DJ Eddy Good will play a “terribly fun” deejay set.

Sam’s Steak House has prepared a Halloween Scary Party with devilish treats from the chef and a scary program. Witches on brooms, ghosts, goblins, and skeletons will be waiting for you there. The guest in the scariest costume will get a special surprise.

A free Bloody Mary cocktail will be presented to everyone who comes to the Sabbath at the Golden Gate Pub. The festive program includes devilish striptease from “fallen angels,” performances featuring exotic animals such as spiders, scorpions, pythons and even a crocodile, devilishly attractive witches and fakirs. The music is provided by Contrabanda.

All the waiters and bartenders at Pyvna Bochka will serve special Halloween cocktails dressed as servants of the dark forces and the Tres Deseos band will be playing. Similar entertainment as well as the Foxtrot Music Band are expected at Khmilna Bochka.

Live music and ghoulish decor will welcome you to Halloween at O’Brien’s Irish Pub. Expect surprises and a best costume contest.

You will be welcomed at the entrance by some odd characters on Halloween at Docker’s Pub. And at Docker’s ABC you’ll be entertained by Flame and Mr. Och & His Root Boys.

Biker club Route 66 will hold Halloween party called the “Good Funk & Rock Party.” In addition to a variety of contests and special treats the bands Chill Out and Tex-Mex won’t let you get bored.

The Belgian Beer Cafe Belle-Vue will treat you to a “Vampire’s Tears” cocktail. The festive program will offer pantomimes and magicians.

Fortetsya (21 Prospect Gongadze (Radyanskoyi Ukrainy), 463-5131);

Khlib Club (12 Frunze). 11 p.m. Tickets Hr 60;

Ikra (11 Pankivska, 288-1990);

Sam’s Steak House (37 Zhylyanska, 287-2000. 7 p.m.);

Golden Gate Pub (40/2 Volodymyrska, 235-5188). 8 p.m.;

Pyvna Bochka (17/1 Moskovsky Prospect, Petrivka metro, 461-8788);

Khmilna Bochka (3B Khmelnytskoho, 390-6106);

O’Brien’s Irish Pub (17A Mykhaylivska, 279-1584);

Docker Pub (25 Bohatyrska, metro Heroiyv Dnipra, 537-1340);

Docker ABC (15/4 Khreschatyk (Passage), 278-1717). 8 p.m.;

Route 66 (87/30 Zhylyanska, metro Vokzalna, 239-3865);

Belle-Vue (7 Saksahanskoho, 289-8780. 7 p.m.).