| What to See |
How many churches are there in Kiev? It’s difficult to find the exact number and all the churches are absolutely different and unique. That's why Kiev and its churches always attracted so many travelers. There are also lot of interesting museums Even if you stay in Kiev for a month you can visit a new interesting place every day.MUSEUMSBulgakov Museum The celebrated Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov lived in this house from 1906-1916 and again from 1918-1919. It was here that he wrote the novel The White Guard and the play Days of Turbins. The old Bulgakov family home is now home to the Bulgakov Museum, which displays the author's personal things and family photos. Open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Wed. Andriyivsky uzviz 13 , Tel: 416 31 88 Folk Architecture and Life Museum Pyrohovo Pyrohovo is definitely the only place in or around Kyiv where you can say "Let's go to the Car-pathians" and then be there in a matter of minutes. This picturesque open-air museum, you see, has many groups of village houses representing different regions of Ukraine. You'll also find wooden churches, windmills, barns, wells and even a school building typical of rural areas from recent centuries. If everything seems very authentic, it's because most of the buildings are in fact original and were moved here piece by piece from villages. Traditional Ukrainian clothing, ceramics and farming equipment are also on display. Workers play different village roles and could undoubtedly recount numerous fascinating facts if only you could understand a word they said. English-speaking guides are available, though, as are various Ukrainian foods served up in rustic huts or at picnic tables. This is also a great park with plenty of space for playing games, and bike rental and horseback riding are possible, too. Pyrohovo is well worth the trip by private car or marshutka N°12 from metro Lybidska, and be sure to reserve at least four to five hours for strolling, exploring and resting. Open 10:00 - 17:00. English-speaking guides available. Chervonopraporna (from metro Lybidska by bus) , Tel: 266 55 42 Museum of Great Patriotic War This World War II memorial complex, which opened in 1981, includes a museum with 18 different galleries, an eternal flame, plaques honouring particularly heroic Soviet cities and an outdoor display containing military planes and other equipment from various wars. The centerpiece of it all is of course the massive titanium statue of a woman, 62m tall to be exact, grasping a 12-ton sword and a shield. Honouring Soviet defenders during World War II, its Socialist Realism style is an interesting contrast to the nearby ancient golden domes of Pecherska Lavra. If you're just slightly worried about the `Mother of the Motherland' being a tad too top-heavy, you're not the only one. There have been scattered reports that the whole structure was not build very soundly and is danger of falling over, but so far so good. Open 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon. Sichnevoho Povstannya 44 Tel: 295 94 52 Museum of Russian Art Outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg, one of the largest collections of Russian art is housed here. The building belonged to the upper-class Tereschenko family and was built in the 1880s. Private artwork confiscated and nationalized by the Soviets along with the Tereschenkos' holdings formed the bulk of the museum's exhibits when it was opened in 1922. The most prized displays are a collection of exceptional Russian icons dating back to the late 13th century. The museum features artwork from many famous Russian painters such as I Repin, M Vrubel and N. Rerikh, as well as sculptures, handicraft and graphics. Kids should be kept on a tight rein as the staff can be rude if little people get too close to exhibits. Open 10:00-17:00 , Closed: Wedn, Thurs Tereschenkivs'ka 9 Tel: 234 62 18 National Art Museum Built in the late 19th century in the style of a Greek temple with a six-column portico designed by Kyiv architects Horodetsky and Boytsov, valuable collections largely unknown to Western visitors are contained in the museum's 21 galleries. Pieces include Ukrainian icons, paintings, and sculptures from the 14th century through the early 20th century. Works of revered artist and poet Taras Shevchenko, N Pymonenko, K Kostandi and H Narbut are some of the highlights of the museum. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Mon, Fri, 11:00 - 19:00. Hrushevs'koho 6 Tel: 278 74 54 National Museum of Chernobyl This museum does an excellent job of actually making you feel like you are at the site of the infamous nuclear accident. Road signs from towns and villages near Chernobyl greet you as you ascend the stairs, and as you descend the signs are crossed out to signify your departure. From the hundreds of pictures of emergency workers and affected children to the abundance of metal and outdated computers with `don't touch' signs, the whole place has a sort of run-down feeling, though it only opened a little more then 10 years ago. English-speaking guides available. Open 10:00-18:00, Sunday: Closed, Saturday: 10:00-17:00 Khorevyi lane 1, tel. 417 54 22, 4255220. PinchukArtCentre On September 16, 2006 Victor Pinchuk Foundation opened PinchukArtCentre, being the largest centre for contemporary art in Ukraine and one of the largest ones in the Eastern Europe. PinchukArtCentre is located in the ancient building in the heart of Kyiv City, at a historic Bessarabskiy square. Interior design of the exhibition premises of 2500 square meters was developed by a French architect Philippe Chiambaretta. PinchukArtCentre has become a place for permanent and temporary exhibitions, art-projects and essential part of contemporary cultural life of Ukraine. From it’s opening the Centre presented three exhibitions New Space, GENERATIONS.UsA and the solo exhibition of a Brazilian artist and photographer Vik Muniz: A Survey. More than 100 000 people have visited these exhibitions. Open: Tuesday - Sunday 12:00 - 21:00. The admission is fre Bessarabskiy Block 1/3-2, (“Arena”) tel.590-08-58 CATHEDRALS AND CHURCHESThe Cathedral of Saint SophiaThe St. Sophia's Cathedral was founded in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise in commemoration of the victory over the Pecheneg tribe. It took two decades to complete the cathedral. The grandiose ensemble became a major cultural and political center of Kievan Rus'. The structure of the cathedral has 13 golden domes, 5 naves, 5 apses, and 260 sq. m. of mosaics and 3,000 sq. m. of fresco painting from the 11th century. Today the St. Sophia's Cathedral building is a part of the Museum, which includes the adjoining buildings of the St. Sophia's Monastery, the Golden Gates, St. Cyril's Church, St. Andrew's Church and the Refectory of St. Michael's Monastery of the Golden Domes. Address: 24, Vladimirskaya st., Phone: 278-61-52 To go there: Metro station "Golden Gate" or "Independence Square" Open daily from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Wednesday - 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Thursday - day off. Kievo-Pecherska Lavra Important Note: To visit any of Lavra's churches or catacombs women MUST cover their hair and wear skirts, no shorts. Kievo-Pecherska Lavra or Kievan Cave Monastery is not just one of Kiev churches. Lavra is history of our state. It was founded in 1051 by monks Antoniy and Feodosiy. It originated from the caves (peschera in Russian) that gave the monastery it's name. Lavra occupies the huge territory (22 hectares) and is located on two big hills and the valley between them. The highest hill is the site of the Higher Monastery. The smaller hill is the location of the Far Caves and numerous gold and white churches. The Near Caves with a whole ensemble of buildings occupy the valley. Within the grounds of Lavra there are also a few different museums: • The Museum of Historical Treasures.It has one the richest collections of golden articles in the FSU countries. • The Museum of Micro Miniatures. An artist Nikolay Syadristy has created about 100 miniatures with instruments he made himself. I suspect , it will be one of the most amazing things you've ever seen. • The Museum of Ukrainian Decorative and Applied Art. Its exposition presents Ukrainian folk art of the 17-th - 20-th centuries. • The Museum of Ukrainian Books and Printing. The collection includes manuscript volumes from the times of Kievan Rus'. • The State Museum of Theater, Music and Cinema. The museum's collections feature unique exhibits of theater, music and cinema history. In 1990 Kievo-Pecherska Lavra Monastery was enlisted on the UNESCO's World Heritage List. Address:0 I.Mazepi st.,23. Phone: 295-94-57, 254-3427 To go there: Metro station "Arsenalnaya" Open daily from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. St. Andrew's Cathedral St. Andrew's Cathedral stands at the top of Andriyivskyy Descent (Andriyivskyy Spusk). It is often called "a swan song" of the famous Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The cathedral was built in 1749 - 1754 at the behest of the Russian Empress Elizabeth. The building has very unusual architecture: strict proportions, amazing forms and perfect lines. Located on the steep slope of the Staro-Kievskaya Hill, it has an observation platform where wonderful views on the Old Podol can be observed. Address:23, Andriyivskyy Descent(Andriyivskyy Spusk). Phone: 278-58-61, 278-12-21 To go there:Metro station "Golden Gate" Open daily from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Thursday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. Wednesday - day off. Service: from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m., from 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. Musical concerts : Friday, Saturday, Sunday - 7.30 p.m. Mykhalovsky Zlatoverkhy Cathedral Mykhalovsky Zlatoverkhy Cathedral is located just opposite Saint Sophia Cathedral. Originally it was built by a grandson of Yaroslav the Wise Prince Sviatopolk Izyaslavovich in 1108. The Cathedral have been built in honor of Archangel Michael, the guardian angel of Kiev. Among Kiev churches St. Michael's Cathedral was the second largest one. St. Michael's Golden Domed Cathedral was destroyed in 1934 through 1936 by the Soviet regime due to the construction of the new Ukrainian SSR capital center when Ukrainian government moved from industrial Kharkov to ancient Kiev. Cathedral has been reconstructed from scratch in 2000. The St. Michael's Golden Domed Cathedral was 822-year old before it was destroyed. Today a six-year old St. Michael's Cathedral attracts millions of tourists and local people every year. Cathedral looks a little bit too new and shiny, but it is really beautiful. St. Vladimir's Cathedral St. Vladimir's Cathedral commemorates the 900th anniversary of the baptism of Kievan Rus by prince Vladimir the Great of Kiev. The Cathedral was founded in 1862, but it took almost 30 years (from 1862 to 1896) to finish it. The Cathedral is a striking combination of the perfect architecture and unique mosaics and frescoes. Similar to all Kiev churches St. Vladimir's Cathedral went through hard times. From 1917 till 1938 more than 40,000 churches in the USSR were demolished or confiscated by the state. But the St. Vladimir's Cathedral survived thanks to conversion into... Anti-Religious Museum. Address:20, Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. Phone: 225-03-62 To go there: Metro station "Universitet" Open daily from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. St. Cyril's Church. Saint Cyril's Church was built in 1146 and named in honor of Saint Cyril, one of the most eminent Orthodox saints. Church has always been considered as a family burial site for the family of Princess Olga. ortunately, the renovations in the 18th- 17th centuries didn't change design of the main building too much. The ancient architectural forms are easily recognizable through later modifications. Perhaps, St. Cyril's Church would still remain just an old church, but in 1860s under the eighteenth century plaster about 800 sq.m fresco paintings of the 12th century were found. Address: 12, Eleny Teligy st. Phone: 468-11-26, 417-22-68. To go there: Metro station "Dorogozhichy"+ troleybus #27 to "Kirilovskaya church" Open daily from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Thursday from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. |
