Excursion #1.

 

1. Kiev State Taras Shevchenko University (it's more than a hundred years old) with a monument to the famous Ukrainian poet Shevchenko in the middle of a nice small park just opposite the University.

 

2. St. Vladimir's Cathedral, named after the Grand Kiev Prince Vladimir the Baptizer, is one of Kiev's major landmarks and the mother cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It is one of the three greatest Orthodox churches built in the nineteenth century, on a par with St. Isaac's in St. Petersburg and Christ the Savior in Moscow.

 

3. The Neo-Renaissance building of the National Opera House was constructed in 1898 - 1901 by architect V. Nikolayev. It looks as magnificent and glorious outside as it does inside. The rich sets of the operas and ballets and the talented performers make each visit to the National Opera House enjoyable and unforgettable.

4. The Golden Gate is one of the most remarkable fortifications from the times of the Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise (1019 -1054). In 1982 the ruins of the Golden Gate, built as a defensive structure, were restored to their present condition. In the same year, the Golden Gate Museum was opened. It contains exhibits about the history of ancient Kiev.

 

5. The outstanding Saint Sophia Cathedral was founded by Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise in 1017 to commemorate the victory over the Pecheneg tribe. The Cathedral was dedicated to Divine Wisdom. The impressive cathedral is famous for its unique 11th century mosaics and frescoes. St. Sophia Cathedral and the related monastery buildings were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990.  

 

Excursion #2.

 

1. St . Michael's Monastery of the Golden Domes was built in 1108 -1113 by Prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich. It was famous for its unique frescoes and mosaics as well for preserving the relics of St. Varvara. Unfortunately this masterpiece of architecture was destroyed in 1936 because of the Soviet Union's plans to build a huge governmental center in its place. The reconstruction of the Monastery was completed in 2000. Now it again attracts tourists with its shining golden domes.

2. Andriyivsky Descent (Uzviz) with its open air art market is called Kiev's Montmartre. Any time you go there you will see quite a few artists selling their pictures despite bad weather sometimes. This is the best place to buy souvenirs in terms of price (it can be negotiated) and a good selection from the famous “matryoshka” dolls, embroidered shirts, ceramics, jewelry with semi-precious stones to uniforms, medals, coins and other memorabilia of the Soviet Union.

3. The main attraction of this view point is the 800 year old lime-tree. Here also are the remains of the Church of the Tithes where Kiev people found shelter in the time of the Tatar-Mongol invasion.

 

4. St. Andrew's Church was built in 1747-1762 by order of the Russian Empress Elizabeth. She laid the foundation stone of the church herself. The famous Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelly supervised the construction. The church's elegant silhouette on Andriyivsky Hill rises high into the sky above Andriyivsky Descent, Podil and the Dnepr Valley.

5. The museum of M. Bulgakov is located at Andriyivsky descent №13. The famous Ukrainian-born Russian author M. A. Bulgakov lived in this house from 1906 up to 1919 with his parents. The novels "The Master and Margarita", “The White Guard” and “The Dog's Heart” brought the world fame to the writer. Here, in this house, Bulgakov placed the characters of his novel "The White Guard" and his play "Days of the Turbins".

 

Excursion #3.

 

1. The bronze statue of Prince Vladimir the Baptizer was erected in Vladimir's Hill Park in 1853. The statue faces the River Dnepr where the people of ancient Kievan Rus were baptized by order of the Prince.

 

2. The monument to friendship between Ukraine and Russia. This huge arc (rainbow) was constructed to commemorate friendship and cooperation between Ukraine and Russia in 1985. It's located in the wonderful Mariinskiy Park on the hills near the River Dnepr.

 

3. The park bridge, known as the bridge of couples in love, was designed by famous Ukrainian engineer-constructor E. Paton as his degree project in 1911.

 

4. Mariinskiy (Tsar's) palace was built in 1748 - 1752 as a residence for Russian monarchs. The architect Michurin designed it in the baroque style and in the style of the Empress Elizabeth's favourite architect B.Rastrelli, famous for his structures in St. Petersburg (the Winter Palace is among them). The Mariinskiy Palace was intended to copy Versailles in miniature. Nowadays, the Palace is the official residence of the President of Ukraine for state functions. Twice a week it is open to the public.

 

5. The House with Chimeras (Hunting house) is one of the most interesting buildings in Kyiv located in a quiet part of downtown, just the opposite the Presidential House. The well-known architect Horodetsky built the house as a private residence in 1902 - 1903. The walls and the roof of the building are decorated with intricate sculptures based on mythological and hunting themes. The building is considered to be one of the most fascinating in Kiev.

 

Excursion #4.

 

These two landmarks are in the same remote district of Dorogozhychi:

 

1. The memorial "Babiy Yar" must be the most sorrowful place in Kiev. It was built to commemorate the murdered Ukrainian people (most of them were Jews – 33,770) on the 29 - 30 September 1941. The massive Peace Center is under construction now in Babiy Yar; it will have no analogues anywhere in the world.

 

2. Saint Cyril's church is famous for its unique frescos restored in the 19th century by famous Russian artists including M. Vrubel. The church is in the place where Chernigiv Prince Vsevolod-Cyril Olgovich won a battle in 1139 and seized the town. He founded the family monastery here and named it Saint Cyril after his Christian patron.

 

Excursion #5.

The Pirogovo Landscape and Architecture Preserve presents original ancient houses that were brought here from different regions of Ukraine and restored. Traditional Ukrainian clothes and ceramics are also on display. The open-air museum is located on 150 hectares of picturesque land in the south - west suburbs of Kiev.

Excursion #6.

The monastery Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is a first-rate religious and cultural center. The title “Lavra” is given by the Orthodox church to the large monasteries of great religious importance. Founded in 1051 by the monk Antoniy, this working monastery is famous for its caves with holy relics. Located on spectacular hills, the monastery has several wonderful view points as well as some interesting museums. I'd especially recommend visiting two of them:

The museum of miniatures is a must for inquisitive travelers who are fond of such wonders as a rose branch inserted into a human hair or a shoed flea - it was done in the 50's so no laser technologies were available!

The Museum of Historic Valuables of Ukraine . A unique exhibition of Scythian gold excavated from burial mounds in the south of Ukraine.

 

Excursion #7.

The Vydubychy Monastery of St.Michael, located in the territory of the Botanical garden, is a sample of Ukrainian traditional Baroque style. There is an interesting legend about the foundation of the monastery. The Necropolis contains the tombs of some distinguished people of the past. There are spectacular views of the Botanical garden and the left bank of the River Dnepr.

Excursion #8.

 

The Museum of the Second World War. The museum was opened on 9th May 1981. The complex occupies 20 hectares and consists of the Museum building and the Motherland statue (62 meters high), the Eternity Flame (16m in diameter) and the outdoor exhibition of the armored vehicles of World War II. There are lots of examples of classic Soviet-era memorial statuary as well as some amazing exhibits of military hardware. The main display is located within an area of 5,000 sq. m and has more than 12,000 items including original letters, newspapers, documents, orders, medals, etc.