Kiev
(Kyiv) Monuments.
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Golden Gate (Zoloti
Vorota)
Zoloti
Vorota ("Golden Gate") The name comes from it's similarity
with Constantinopol's Golden Gate. You
can find this historical fortress on the corner of Volodymyrs'ka and Prorizna
Street, next to the Metro Station Zoloti Vorota.
This unique monument
was constructed by Yaroslav the Wise, Prince of Kiev, between
1017and 1024. It reflects the art of fortification of Kievan
Rus.
Golden Gate was the main entrance into the
grand city of Kyiv.
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Squares
Streets
Churches
and Cathedrals
Parks
Museums
Operas
and Theatres
Bridges
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This unique structure served
as a defensive tower and
a church..
Kievans called Golden Gate "the sky gate"
as every morning the sun passed
through it, rose and entered "the vault of heaven". It was an awesome view!
The fortified construction of Zoloti Vorota was totally
inaccessible. Nomadic tribes could never take it by assault, and even Batu Khan
didn't manage to enter the city through the Gate. Batu
Khan's Golden Horde stormed a less fortified
Lyads'ki Gates and destroyed Zoloti Vorota from inside in 1240.
Zoloti Vorota witnessed many important historical events.
In 1648 Kievians greeted
the hero of the Ukrainian national liberation struggle Bogdan Khmelnitsky. You'll
find more about the monument
to B.Khmelnitsky a little further on.
Zoloti Vorota continued as the
principal gate to Kyiv through the 18th Century,
and was favored for ceremonial purposes, even though
it gradually fell into disrepair.
In the mid-eighteenth century, following engineer Debosquet's design, the
remnants of the ancient Zoloti Vorota were buried underground and replaced anew.
The
year 1832 saw
the second birth of Zoloti Vorota, when archeologists discovered
the ruins of the old fortification. They were restored and fenced with
metal iron. With time,
however, the ancient masonry, exposed to wind and precipitation, further
deteriorated.
Further improvments in the 1970s added
an adjacent pavillion (housing a museum of the Gates history), which would protect
it from further
destruction as well as recreate
the ancient appearance of the monument. The ancient structures
(including nineteenth-century brickwork and joins of metal) have been fully
preserved and can be viewed from all sides.
The"Opening"
was held in May of 1982 on the event of Kiev's 1500th
anniversary. The museums exposition
presents items related to the history of old Kiev, including objects of everyday
life, weapons, and other exhibited items that were discovered during the course of
archeological
excavations in the area of Zoloti Vorota.
It was discovered that the floor and
walls of the old Annunciation Church were covered with frescos and mosaics,
so the restored church was also decorated with
mosaics and frescos. This church was put up in honor of the Virgin as the gratitude for the
victory over the Pechenegs.
The name Zoloti Vorota is used for a nearby stop on the Kyiv metro.
Monument
to Yaroslav Mudry (Yaroslav The Wise)
Corner of Volodymyrs'ka and Prorizna
Street, next to the Metro Station Zoloti Vorota
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Yaroslav Rurikide I, Grand Prince of Kiev "Yaroslav The Wise"
or Yaroslav Mudry was born 980. He died 2 Feb 1054 in Kiev, Ukraine. Yaroslav married Ingegerd Ynglinga Olafsdatter, Princess of Sweden.
He was the "grand prince" of Kiev from 1019 to 1054. A son of the grand prince Vladimir, he was vice-regent of Novgorod at the time of his father's death in 1015.
Yaroslav became the grand prince of Kiev in 1019.
He began consolidating the Kievan state through both cultural and administrative improvements and through military campaigns. He promoted the spread of Christianity in the Kievan state, gathered a large collection of books, and employed many scribes to translate Greek religious texts into the Slavic language.
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He founded churches and monasteries and issued statutes regulating the legal position of the Christian Church and the rights of the clergy. With the help of Byzantine architects and craftsmen, Yaroslav fortified and beautified Kiev along Byzantine lines. He built the majestic Cathedral of St. Sophia and the famous Golden Gate
(Zoloti Vorota) of the Kievan fortress.* The legend says that before the final battle with powerful Pechenegs, Yaroslav Mudry prayed and begged the Virgin to help him to defeat the enemy. He promised to build the church dedicated to the Mother of God in case of success. He did not forget his promise and ordered the
Golden Gate topped with the gilded-domed Annunciation Church.
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Trade with the East and West played an important role in Kievan Rus in the 11th century, and Yaroslav maintained diplomatic relations with the European states. *(Yaroslav I. (2006). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 20, 2006, from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service)
The monument shows Yaroslav The Wise, holding a model of Saint Sofia Cathedral. It
was unveiled in 1997
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Architect Horodetskyi’s Beast House
10 Bankova St.
This building located in a lovely part of the city center is definitely among
the most interesting in Kyiv. It was built by architect Vladyslav
Horodetskyi in the Modernist style in 1902 - 1903 for his family. The owner
of one of the first cement companies in Kiev was
asking Horodetsky to convince everybody that cement
is a more reliable and firm material than lime. For
the promotional purposes of its product, the owner
was supplying Horodetskyi with cement for the project
for free.
The front and the roof of the building
are decorated with
statues of animals, mythical figures, and hunting objects. They were made by
the sculptor Elio Saal according to Horodetskyi's
sketches.
The entire
architectural composition is captivating to the onlooker with its striking perfection, while
seeming to invite the viewer into the world of fantasy.
The
Statues of Princess Olha, Apostle Andriy, St. Cyrill
and St. Methodius
Mykhailivska ploscha This
monument is situated next to St. Michael's Golden-Domed
Cathedral on Mykhailivska ploscha. It was reconstructed
in 1996.
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Grand Princess Olha ruled Kyivan Rus from 945 through 964
as a Kyivan Rus’
princess and Orthodox saint, wife of Prince Ihor and mother
of Sviatoslav
I Ihorovych. She was a wise and
energetic ruler that arranged the previously separated Rus lands into a
well-organized and prosperous country.
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Olha was the first to adopt Christianity
in Rus. In the Ukrainian church Olha is considered an equal of the Apostles. Princess Olha’s statue is flanked by figures of the Apostle Andrew the
First Called and the great educators Cyril and Methodius , who were
credited with
developing the modern day Cyrillic alphabet.
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In the
1920s this monument was stolen by the Communists and for a long time was considered to be lost. But during the reconstruction of the Mykhailivska Square
in 1995 it was discovered under the road and installed once again in its original spot.
Monument
to the millions of Ukrainian victims of the Great
Famine in 1932-1933
Mykhailivska ploscha
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This monument is also located next to St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral on Tryokhsvyatytel's'ka Street, 6. It is nearly always covered with flowers. The composition is of granite stone with its recess made in the form of a cross and bronze effigy of "Mother-Ukraine with child".
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Afghanistan 1979-1989 War memorial.
Sichnevoho Povstannya Str.
Opposite
the
Kyiv-Pechers'k Lavra you'll see the monument to
"Ukrainian soldiers Internationalists", who died
during the Afghanistan War, started by the Soviet govenment.
There are memorial plaques with the names of soldiers
around the sculptures.
The
Sculptor was N. Olenik. The monument was unveiled in 1994
Monument
to Bohdan Khmel'nyts'ky
Sofiis'ka
Ploscha
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Among Kyiv's best-known public monuments is the statue of Bohdan
Khmel'nyts'ky. (Bohdan Zynovii Mykhailovych Khmel'nyts'ky commonly transliterated as
Khmelnytsky, and known in Polish as Bogdan Zenobi Chmielnicki)
He
was a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Noble of Polish or Ruthenian origin, and leader of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate,
Hetman of Ukraine.
Bohdan
Khmel'nyts'ky was noted for his revolt against Poland (1648 – 1654) and the
Treaty of
Pereyaslavl' which eventually led to the annexation of Ukraine by the Russian Empire.
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(The five
Hryvnia Ukrainian banknotes depicte Bohdan Khmel'nyts'ky)
Prince
Volodymyr Monument
This monument can be
seen
from the Volodymyrs'ka Girka Park, down the
hill, or from Volodymyrs'ky Uzviz up the hill
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On the slopes of the Volodymyr Hill and
overlooking the Dnipro River there is a
monument to Grand Prince Olha's grandson, Volodymyr who is also called the Baptiser of Rus. as
he introduced Christianity into Old Rus in 988.
Volodymyr, his family, and his closest associates were baptised in December 987,
when he took the Christian name Vasylii (Basil). Soon afterward he ordered the
destruction of all pagan idols.
The mass baptism of the citizens of Kyiv took
place on August 1, 988. The remaining population of Rus’ were slowly convertedas
well,
though sometimes by force.
During Volodymyr's reign the first schools and churches were built, notably the
Church of the
Tithes in Kyiv.
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The adoption of Christianity as the official religion
facilitated the unification of the Rus’ tribes and the
establishment of foreign dynastic, political, cultural, religious, and
commercial relations, particularly with the Byzantine Empire,
Bulgaria, and Germany.
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Relations with Poland improved after Volodymyr's, son Sviatopolk I, married
the daughter of Prince Bolesław I the
Brave in 992.
Volodymyr expanded the borders of Kyivan Rus’ and
turned it into one of the most powerful states in Eastern Europe.
The Rus’ clergy
venerated Volodymyr because of his support of the church, but he was canonized
only after 1240. Thereafter he was referred to as ‘the holy, equal to the
Apostles, grand
prince of Kyiv.’A bronze statue of Grand
Prince Volodymyr was erected in 1853 in Kyiv.
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The
Monument
of Motherland
Pechers'ky
Landshaftny Park, next to Kyiv Pechers'k Lavra
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Kiev's statue of the Motherland
is a memorial of the Great Patriotic War (World War II). The statue itself is 62
meters (203.4 feet) tall, the overall height is 102 meters
(334.6 feet). (You can find links to
conversion calculators on our Travel
Forum
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The figure is made of a
chrome nickel steel variation and weighs about
450 tons.
In the left hand the figure is holding a
shield which is decorated with the state symbol of the
USSR
(13 tons). In the right hand there is a sword which weighs 9 tons and is 16 meters (52.5
feet) long. The monument was opened by L.Brezhnev
in 1981.
"The National Museum of the history of World War II" is
located at the base of the statue.
Its base begins at a depth of 17,8 meters (58.4 feet) below
the museum entrance. There’s a concrete well with
a diameter of 34 meters (111.5 feet), reaching
down 17.8 meters also.
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The
Statue’s "skeleton" is made from stainless steel and was produced in Zaporizhzhya.
It was the first statue of it's size ever made in the USSR. Its final construction
was in the Kiev factory Parizhskoi
Kommuny with the help of the Institute of Electric Welding, ie; Patona.
The monument was assembled with
the use of a 100 meters (328 feet) tall crane,
specially made in Donbass. It is calculated, that
the statue can survive a 9 point earthquake and
should last for over 150 years.
There are two lifts (elevators) inside
the statue. It was previously possible to go inside
the head, sword and shield areas, but in 2002 the
access for tourists was limited, due to a series
of accidents.
The Monument of Eternal Glory at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier
Vichnoyi
Slavy Park (Eternal Glory Park), Arsenal'na Metro Station
Throughout a number of wars, vast
numbers of soldiers have died without their remains being identified.
Thus a practice has developed for nations to establish a symbolic "Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier" that represents the war
memorial for those that have never been identified. Kyiv is no exception.
The
Eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier fallen
in WWII, is one of Kiev's most recognized landmarks. In
1957
the
Park of "Eternal Glory" was created (see more
in our Parks
section).
Here, through
day and night, burns the Eternal fire on the Tomb
of the Unknown soldier, at the base of a 27-meters
(88.6 feet)
granite obelisk . There are 34 heroes, victims for
the Native land, buried at this monument.
During
the creation of the park the remains of these heroes,
with observance of all military honors, were solemnly
re-buried on its main avenue.
People come here
on Victory Day and on other days to put flowers
and pay their respects to the memory of the soldiers who forced
their way through in the battle of the Dnipro
and freed Kiev, and the soldiers who had victoriously
finished the war in Berlin.
Ukraine Independence
Monument Maidan
Nezalezhnosti
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One
of the notable figures of the Central square is
the Ukraine Independence Monument, which includes the statute of a woman in Ukrainian national costume on a 40 meter
(131.2 feet) column,
symbolizing the independence of Ukraine.
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Monument
to Founders of Kyiv
Navodnyts'kyi
Park, opposite Naberezhne Shose
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This prominent riverside monument to the founders of Kyiv – Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv
and their sister Lybid was unveiled in 1982 at the foot of Pechersky
plateau on the bank of the Dnipro.
It was created by Vasily Borodai along with architect N.
Feschenko.
The sculpture is a
boat with the three brothers standing at the stern with two holding spears and
Kyi holding a large bow.
Lybid stands tall and strong at the bow, with
the wind
gracefully lifting her cloak. (Unveiled in 1982).
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The Ukrainian post-marriage tradition of visiting city monuments continues to
this day. Don't be surprised if you find yourself blocked from points of interest by droves of newlyweds frantically taking
pictures, using backdrops of every city figure with any historical
significance.
Monument
to the coursge, faithfulness and heroism of the
Mothers
Solomens'ka
Ploscha
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Another
notable Kyiv monument is the monument to
the courage, faithfulness and heroism
of the mothers, whose sons and daughters
fought the Nazis during World War
II.
This
monument is a little bit off the beaten
path for most tourists, but worth seeing.
It's grandeur and fulness of feeling
is striking.
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Monument
to Grygory Skovoroda
Kontraktova
Ploscha
This monument can
be found on Kontraktova Ploscha (Kontraktova Square). It is devoted to the poet Grygory Skovoroda and
was made by the sculptor I. Kavaleridze in 1976.
In
1973 a street in Kyiv was named after Grygory
Skovoroda. He was a famous Ukrainian philosopher,
poet, enlightener, and -humanitarian. Skovoroda studied
at Kyiv-Mohila Academy between 1738 and
1742, and
1744
through 1750. The Academy is located on Skovorody Street, 2
Pronya
Prokopivna and Svirid Golokhvastov
Andriyvsky
Uzviz
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Uphill from Andriyvs'ka Church on Desyatynna Street
(just the beginning of Andriyvsky
Uzviz) you'll find the monument dedicated
to Pronya Prokopivna Sirkova and Svirid Petrovich
Golokhvastov, characters of the cinema version of
Mikhail Staritskiy Play "After Two Hares".
Many tourists take pictures with Pronya and Svirid,
even if it means standing in line. Pronyas waist has
taken on a polished brightness from the many hands
that have embraced her for pictures. Unveiled
in 1999
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There
are numerous other grandeous monuments in Kyiv.
If
you would like
to share one that you find particularly interesting
with the rest of the world, please feel free to
send us your info and photos to ubkua@ukr.net
and we'll consider posting them here for other travellers
to enjoy.
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