Text Alina Krasnova photo Shutterstock
The residents of Kiev are proud of their city and with good reason. They know its history well and are happy to pass the time of day regaling visitors with fascinating stories.
You don’t need a professional guide to introduce you to Kiev, as you will find that any taxi driver will be able to talk about the city’s major historic events and legends and offer advice as to where to go to learn more about this beautiful city.
There is no doubt that Kiev has a great location. The main feature of the city is the majestic Dnieper River, whose slow and dignified progress has been a source of pleasure for residents and visitors to this capital city for hundreds of years. When you see it you are reminded of the words of Gogol, who claimed that it was a rare bird that would fly to the middle of the Dnieper, and gazing at this huge river you would be surprised at the courage of any bird that tried to cross it. The quay by Riverside
Station has recently been given a makeover and now it is the most popular place for locals to gather together and relax. In the centre of the square is a large fountain, which people on roller skates circle tirelessly. Tourists rest on the convenient benches after long walks around the city, romantic couples stroll along the quay, and this is the perfect spot to eat dinner in a restaurant with outdoor tables and picturesque views.
Kiev is also famous for its hills, being one of the few cities in the world where the words ‘up’ and ‘down’ are used more often than ‘north’ or ‘south’. Kiev has a huge number of observation decks providing views of the city, with the most famous of them being the platform in Kreschaty Park near the Friendship of Nations Arch. Others include the Zamkova Hora, which you can reach from the staircase at Andriyivskyy Descent, and Vladimirskaya Gorka, not far from Mikhailovsky Monastery. There are also beautiful views to be had from Mariinsky Park, where the Russian Empresses loved to walk. The Empress Elizabeth commissioned Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the famous architect, to build the Mariinsky Palace. Catherine the Great often had military exercises here and Maria Alexandrovna turned the bridgehead into an elegant park.
We could write endlessly about the architecture of Kiev. At the top of the list would be the House of Chimeras, located in the heart of the city and famous for the sculptures appearing both on the facade and interior of the house. The history of this elaborate building is well documented and has many legends attached to it. People say that it was built as the result of a bet. The architect, Wladislaw Horodecki, was wagered that he could not build a house above a steep precipice, on the banks of a drained march, in record time. He won the bet. The house was built in three years, as a result of employing an innovative technological solution, concrete, and has now stood quietly on Bankova Street for more than a hundred years.
If, during your visit to Kiev, you decide
to have a look at the House of Chimeras, you should know that there is a local saying that if you find the crocodile hidden amongst all the other sculptures, you will be successful for the rest of your life. It is not easy to find it in this profusion of real and fabulous creatures, but we can give you a hint: crocodiles can’t fly, so you should start your search at the lower part of the building.
A list of the places of cultural interest in Kiev would be incomplete without a mention of Nickolai Syadistry’s Museum of Microminiatures, located in the grounds of Kiev Pechersk Lavra, which is itself a place of symbolic significance. This astonishing museum is full of exhibits that have travelled around the world. As well as his extraordinary talent as an artist, Nikolai Syadristy also has a phenomenal memory. If you want him to quote from any of his books, all you have to do is offer the page and line you want. His works are no less unique: the stem of a rose inserted into a strand of hair, a caravan of golden camels passing through the eye of a needle, the smallest chess set in the world placed on the head of a pin – these are just a few of the exhibits on display in the museum. The exhibition hall is quite small; however, taking into consideration the scope of every microscopic work and the years of labour required for their creation, you