Kiev - the city sights

Contents:

• Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
• Saint Sophia Cathedral
• Monuments Kiev

Kiev - one of the oldest cities in the world. Sights of Kiev are known far beyond Ukraine.

Data collected by archaeologists during excavations indicate that the city was founded in the fifth century, when only just begun the formation of the Slavic peoples. It took a few centuries, and Kiev has become a shopping, cultural and political center of ancient Russia, the large and powerful state in Europe. Kiev has played a decisive role in the development and formation of the spiritual and political life of the majority of the peoples of Europe, first of all - the people of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Kiev has a rich, diversified culture and ancient history, so, despite the destruction during the war and revolutions, the city of many unique, unique attractions. It churches and temples, museums, monuments.
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Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

All guests and pilgrims seek to Kiev to visit the holy place - Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This is a unique monastery complex, which is included in the UNESCO list of monuments of world significance and heritage. During the existence of the complex on its territory was visited by nearly 45 million pilgrims and tourists who arrived here from all over the world.

The complex consists of two main parts: elevated, where the religious buildings and underground (cave) part.

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Saint Sophia Cathedral

Pearl of architecture - the Cathedral of St. Sophia. No accurate data when and who started its construction: Vladimir the Red Sun in 1017 and his son Yaroslav the Wise in 1037 Mr .. But historians say that St. Sophia Cathedral is older than Kiev-Pechora Lavra.

Standing on the site earlier wooden church, built in 952 g, it was burned in 1017 during a raid on Kiev Poles.

Almost a thousand years worth of Saint Sophia Cathedral. During this time he suffered the invasion of Batu Khan, wars, fires, destruction, the carve-up between the Greek Catholic and Orthodox believers. Relatively "quiet" life of the cathedral began only in the XX century, when it was fixed for the status of the museum-reserve. It is noteworthy that St. Sophia Cathedral - the first temple, which is in Ukraine's history was recorded in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tourists visiting the cathedral, should pay attention to fragments of ancient masonry, and inside the temple itself - the layout untouched Sofia of XI century. And then, and another very different from today's.

In Soviet times, despite frequent harassment, the temple has always worked in its usual purpose: to preach, perform the ritual.

On the territory of the cathedral were buried grand dukes of Kiev Vladimir Monomakh (grave not preserved) and Yaroslav the Wise.

• Church of St. Nicholas

Among the many churches in Kiev stands the church of St. Nicholas. Its peculiarity is that it is the only church in Europe, situated on a small mound in the waters of the river. It is connected to the bank of a small bridge. This monument - the shrine of all Christians, because it is at this point in the X century began the baptism of Rus' . The official beginning of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church is considered to be 968 per year.

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Monuments Kiev

Kiev - a city of monuments, to see all is simply impossible. The most famous of them - the monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky and Vladimir.

• Monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky

This monument is located on the oldest and most important square of Kiev - Sofia. Great Hetman became famous for his exploits in the fight against the Poles and Turks.

The author of the monument - Michael Mikeshin known Russian sculptor. Funds gathered at the statue of Charity subscription. However, Finance was not enough, so the monument itself was cast, but the pedestal managed to build a few years. All these years, the sculpture stood in one of the private households in Kiev.

• The monument to Prince Vladimir

A monument in 1853 on a steep bank of the Dnieper River, where the great Saint Vladimir was the beginning of an Orthodox baptism of Kievan Rus. The pedestal shaped like a chapel. At the top of the pedestal is the prince. In one hand he squeezes a cross in the other - the cap keeps the monarch.

The monument is well preserved. In Soviet times it "liberated" by religious symbols, but recently restored monument to the original appearance.

One of the features of the monument in that at night it is not illuminated. But the cross of St. Vladimir compressible hand, is made of fluorescent material, so it is clearly visible. Many believe that it is an eerie sight.