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Kiev
(Kyiv) Streets.
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Khreschatik Street
Khreschatik
Street is Kiev's, most famous "strip"and one of the cities
most congested during the week.. It is a
wide boulevard shadowed by an elegent array of ancient chestnut trees that
add a warmness to Kiev's splendid architecture. The
street includes three squares: Besarabs'ka, Maidan
Nezalezhnosti and Yevropeis'ka (European). The
area includes many shops, international boutiques,
banks, luxurious
restaurants, cafes, hotels and various governmental buildings.
It is hard to believe that in
the past Khreschatik used to lie in a valley with a river surrounded by
forest. The valley was called Khreshataya Dolyna (Crossed) because it was intersected by
many ravines, thus the name "Khreschatik". Within this valley modern
Khreshatik was a road which served as a very important
transit route. It was also a favorite hunting spot
for Kiev's Princes.
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Squares
Churches
and Cathedrals
Parks
Monuments
Museums
Operas
and Theatres
Bridges
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There
is another version as to the origin of the name "Khreschatik. It suggests that it was so called in honor of
the transformation of Ukraine from a Paganistic
to Christian society carried out with the
baptisims of the populace in the year 988
by Saint Knyaz' Volodymyr Velykiy (the
Great). The Russian word "krest"
means cross.
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The first
buildings appeared on the right side of the street
at the end of the 18th century. In 1805 came the
founding of Kiev's first theater
. Nowadays at
that same location you'll find situated the multi-functional "Ukrainian House".
Khreschatik tooks
its current shape in 1837. During a 45 year period
from 1870 to 1914, a complete wall of
buildings was built.. In 1913 and 1914
the famous "Passage" was erected, a project
by architecht P. Andreyev.
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The architectural look of
Khreschatik Street continued to change gradually. For a long time beautiful stone
buildings adjoined thatched-roofed houses and clay-walled huts. Pigs
would nap in their favorite mud puddle. It was only possible to
cross Kreschatik with stilts or by specially built
stone crossings. There were people called "bosyaki"
(bear footed), who would carry people from one side of Khreschatik to another
for a fee. The puddles would seemingly never dry
out and would grow into a quite dirty little river
during rainy seasons.
The situation
changed after the installation of a canal system.
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After
the aquisition of large deposits
of granite taken from the near by town of Fastiv, Khreschatik
was layered with
granite blocks, becoming quite elegant and fashionable. In 1892 the
country's first tram went along the street but eventualy
gave way to trolley buses in 1936, when the
tram
rails were removed and the tram taken out of service.
With
many administrative
buildings, fine shops, theatres, cinemas, hotels
and restaurants, the street became one of the very
best
streets of the city, the so called "Grand Avenue"
of Kiev.
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During World War II Khreschatik
was almost completely destroyed. However, immediately after Kiev's liberation,
in 1943, reconstruction of Khreschatik got under
way. After it's renovation was complete the
street became "higher and wider", in some instances reaching 100 meters
wide. Buildings on the right side of the street
became 2 meters higher. Todays Khreschatik is a
mixture of varied architecture styles reflecting diverse
generations.
Today's
modern Khreschatik remains one of Kiev's major attractions. Kievians adore this street, as well do guests to Kyiv who
look forward to a stroll down Kiev's finest avenue,
taking in all of it's charming atmosphere.
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The first
buildings appeared on the right side of the street
at the end of the 18th century. In 1805 came the
founding of Kiev's first theater
. Nowadays at
that same location you'll find situated the multi-functional "Ukrainian House".
Khreschatik tooks
its current shape in 1837. During a 45 year period
from 1870 to 1914, a complete wall of
buildings was built. In 1913 and 1914
the famous "Passage" was erected, a project
by architecht P. Andreyev.
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On the weekends Khreschatik
Street is closed to traffic, so one may be able to enjoy the
many
different side-shows, street music, and various
entertainers all competing for your attention. Don't forget to visit the little bridge adjoining
the Hotel Ukraine from which one can enjoy a spectacular panoramic
view of Maidan Nezalezhnosti below. Kreschatik
buildings of note are the Kiev City Council, the Central Department Store known
as TSUM, the National Philharmonic
as well as many other administrative buildings, stores, hotels and restaurants
deserving of your special attention.
Andriyvsky Uzviz / Andrew's Descent
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Inheriting
it's name in the 1840's, Andriyivsky Uzviz (Andrew's
Street) was known as the shortest route
from the Upper city to the lower lying Podil district. In 1753 the stunning
"St. Andrew’s Church"
was designed and built by Bartolomeo F. Rastrelli
It is not only a highlight
of Andriyvsky Uzviz and Kiev, but also a Ukrainian architechural
treasure.
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According
to legend, there was a "sea" where the Dnipro River now
flows. When St. Andrew
came to Kiev and erected the cross on the hill where St. Andrew's Church now
stands, the "sea" drained down in size, with a part of it remaining hidden
under the Andrew's
Hill. Later on after the Church was built there, a stream opened up
under the altar. This explains why there are no bells at St. Andrew's Church, for
with the first bell stroke
water would awaken and flood not only Kyiv but the entire territory of the left
bank of the Dnipro.
The
principle development and construction of the
street was made at the turn of the century, from
the 1890's on into the 1900's.
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Andriyivsky Uzviz
is Kyiv's "Monmartre". It is a place for street vendors and
open exhibitions coupled with the cities trendiest
and most interesting shops. Come rain or shine
artists show and deal their artwork, along side
genuine Ukrainian crafts that would be difficult
to track down anywhere else. Along with folksy creative goodies, you
will find decorative-art,
rings, brooches, necklaces,
embroidered shirts, earthware in the most unusual shapes and forms, curiosities galore
made of wood and various materials, Soviet memorabilia, and now "Orange
Revolution" souvenirs.
There's
an interesting building that Kyivany refer to as
the Castle of Richard the Lion - Hearted, built
in 1902.
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You can
see artists and singers performing on Andriyvsky Uzviz
as well as enjoy the many
comfortable and cozy little cafes and small shops tucked away into their various
niches.
At №13 was the
home of
Mikhail Bulgakov, the famed author of the novel "Master and Margaret". The house is now the
Bulgakov Museum. Another well
known museum of the Uzviz is the quite
unique "Museum of One Street". It traces the
Uzviz history in pictures, photographs and other things from the earliest times
up to the present day.
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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.
You cannot be bored walking
down Andriyvsky Uzvis. Explore all the crooks, crannies,
and corners, because in them you'll find
the real masters, who've brought real masterpieces
of art, coming from cities and towns all over
Ukraine.
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Finally,
Andriyvsky
Uzvis is a street of contrasts. You'll see rich
and
poor, high fashion along side village costumes
in a carnival sideshow type atmosphere. Where
there are genuine masterpieces and genuine masters,
there are also cheap fakes and immations. Dive in
and enjoy!
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