Best attractions in Kiev: Top 30
Content
Do you want to have an unforgettable trip to the capital of Ukraine, but don’t know what to see in Kiev? Then read our review: its recommendations will tell you about the most fascinating and unusual sights of Kiev.
What to see in Kiev first of all?
Excursions in Kiev are so numerous and diverse that it is quite difficult to make their rating. In our opinion, every tourist should see such sights of Kiev as:
1. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra
Legendary historical and architectural object of the city. Date of construction - 1051. It is famous for its unique churches, colorful towers, and mysterious caves with the remains of saints. A trip here for divine blessing is annually planned by thousands of believers.
Official website: https://lavra.ua/
2. Sofia Cathedral
What to visit in Kiev for fans of historical and religious masterpieces? The building from the 11th century was created in the baroque style. The interior decoration is represented by remarkable mosaics and ancient frescoes: including the famous mosaic of Our Lady of Orant.
Official website: https://st-sophia.org.ua/en/home/
3. Vladimirskiy Cathedral
It took about 20 years to create a temple in Byzantine style. The building with paintings by Ukrainian and Russian masters has eclectic forms and heavy proportions.
4. St. Nicholas church
Few places of interest in Kiev have such majestic architecture as this church with its original patterned decoration. Inside the Roman Catholic Church there is the House of Organ and Chamber Music.
5. St. Andrew’s Church
Beautiful orthodox temple in baroque style. The building is in the shape of a cross, with decorative turrets at each of the four corners and a beautiful dome in the central part.
Official website: http://andriyivska-tserkva
Feel the atmosphere of Kiev in this beautiful video!
6. Andriyivsky descent
Where to go in Kiev in order to feel the spirit of the real capital of Ukraine? To this famous neighborhood with its many attractions: the One Street Museum, Bulgakov Museum, Richard Castle and St. Andrew’s Church. The street is surrounded by green hills and inhabited by folk crafts merchants. Experienced guides in Kiev recommend going here for souvenirs.
7. St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery
The church was named in honor of its gilded dome. The current building of the monastery with 7 domes, built in 1999, was a replacement for the ancient cathedral of 1108.
8. Richard’s Castle - The Lionheart
The former owners of the castle in neo-Gothic style of the 19th century were the Earls Orlovs. There are many legends connected with the building, one of which is about evil spirits living there. Today, this age-old myth has been debunked: immured bottles were found in the walls - their necks made mysterious sounds, similar to the howling of unearthly beings.
9. The House with Chimeras
Original architectural building of the 20th century (Art Nouveau style). The interior and facade of the house are guarded by sculptures and images of inhabitants of the underwater world, magical creatures and beasts. If you are in the mood for a tour of this sightseeing of Ukraine, buy the ticket in advance. Tours of the inner halls are held on strictly defined days and hours.
Official website: http://infoportal.kiev
10. Khreshchatyk Street
The main pedestrian street of the city, 1.3 kilometers long. It is famous for the fact that at one time Prince Vladimir was baptized nearby. Today, the most important events and public holidays are held on it.
Official site: http://infoportal.kiev.ua/kreshhatik
11. Landscape alley
Date of opening - 2009. The alley is a landscaped and landscaped area for citizens and guests of the capital city. There are funny sculptural compositions, benches and a square for children.
12. Taras Shevchenko Opera House
Erected to replace the former Kiev theater, destroyed by fire. On the stage there sang and danced such famous ballet and opera artists as Shalyapin, Gmyria, Gaidai. This place is often included in lists of “the best sights of Kiev” also due to the fact that more than 100 years ago Stolypin was killed here.
Official site: https://www.opera.com.ua/en
13. Building of the National Bank of Ukraine
The Venetian-style building is called one of the most majestic and beautiful in the country. The magnificent facade of the bank has remained unchanged since its construction in 1905. Periodically, it only gets renewed.
14. National University of Kiev
It is impossible to miss the rich red color of the main building. It was built in the 19th century in the spirit of Russian classicism. Inside the university there are history museums, faculties and the rectorate.
15. Sofia Square
What to see in Kiev in 1 day? This square with its early 18th century stone bell tower and sculpture of Bogdan Khmelnitsky on a horse. The central and ancient part of the city, considered to be its heart.
16. Maidan Nezalezhnosti
Recent unfortunate events have brought this place a sad fame. Protests, rallies and state holidays of Kiev citizens are held here to this day. The Independence Stela is the main sight of the square. From the foot of the monument there is a cascade of water. On the right side of the monument, you will see the Dandelion, a unique fountain that splashes with every whiff of wind. On the left side is another original fountain in honor of the founders of the city. Within walking distance are the Globus shopping mall, the main post office, the People’s Cultural Center and the Metropolitan Conservatory.
17. Kontraktova square
Since ancient times on this square there have been held contract fairs - it gave the place its name. When you come here you will be able to see the Samson Fountain, the Kiev Mohyla Academy, the temple, the Kontraktova House and the inn of the 19th century. The reviews of tourists about a visit to the square are always enthusiastic and positive.
18. National Museum of History of Ukraine
The largest historical house-museum of the state. Its collections contain over 800 00 items, including unique exhibits of ancient times: archaeological artifacts, objects of numismatics, weapons, etc.
Official site: https://nmiu.com.
19. Bulgakov Museum
The building is located on Andrew’s Descent in Kiev. Bulgakov and his family lived here until 1919. Exhibitions began to be held here at the end of the 20th century: they were based on private collections of Konchakovsky (the first director of the house-museum).
Official site: http://bulgakov.org.ua/museum
20. Museum of Water (Water Information Center)
Describing the main places of interest in Kiev briefly, no guide or Kievan will ignore this unique museum. For over 15 years, the Water Information Center has been located underground in the old water tower. It has a 1,350,000-liter fluid reservoir and several 20-meter water towers.
To see the collections of the original museum, you have to go underground in an elevator. All exhibits and expositions are related to Ukraine’s water resources, water treatment technologies and the Earth’s hydrosphere. There is a special area for kids, where you can create your own bed in the sand. The most visited attraction of the center is the “soap bubbles”. Buy a ticket to the museum, and you can find yourself inside a huge soap-ball.
Kiev sights: what else is there to see in Kiev?
We told you only about a small part of the sights and interesting places in the capital. If you have free time, you should visit these places:
21. Mariinsky Palace
Even the most modern hotels in Kiev can not compare in its beauty with this architectural monument. The baroque palace building is located on the right bank of the Dnieper. Inside the luxurious halls you can see the residence of the president of the country. State celebrations and receptions for the most important people in the world are also held here. The palace was built on the order of Empress Elizabeth in 1744.
Official website: hm-palace.com.ua
22. Open-air museum Pirogovo
On an area of more than 130 hectares there is an open-air museum that tells about the Ukrainian architecture, folk culture and traditions. The territory is built up by 275 buildings of 16-20 centuries. Information necessary for the erection of historically accurate ancient rural houses and other objects of the settlement was taken from documentary sources. In Pirogovo there are not only buildings themselves, but also various exhibits: ancient furniture, crockery made of wood and clay, folk costumes.
23. The Kiev fortress
The fortress complex is also located on the right bank of the Dnieper. It includes administrative and household buildings, citadels, earth fortifications. The approximate date of the construction of the object is the 5th century. In the 13th century the buildings were destroyed almost completely, but the authorities allocated a lot of money for their reconstruction. The complex is of great historical value.
24. Golden Gate
It is a monument of history, defense architecture and architecture from the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. In former centuries the structure was a giant fortress with a vast passage. Now you have to visit it in person in order to appreciate its scale. There are temporary and permanent exhibitions inside the building.
Official site: zolotivorota.com.ua/ru/
25. Motherland
A majestic monument created in 1981 on the right bank of the Dnieper River. The monument glorifies the heroes of World War II. The giant sculpture stands in the middle of a beautiful park zone. Arriving here, you can get acquainted with historical exhibits telling about the events of the Great Patriotic War.
26. Babi Yar
The name of the ravine where the Germans shot the population of Kiev (mass murder) during WWII. For a short time, several tens of thousands of citizens died here and were buried in mass graves (the number of dead exceeds 100,000 inhabitants). Now there are memorials to the victims of the Nazi atrocities erected on the ravine.
27. N.N. Grishko Botanical Garden
In the greenhouse of the Botanical Garden there are perfect conditions for the growth of many exotic flowers and plants, which are brought here from different parts of the world. The total area
of the complex is about 130 hectares: you can see roses, irises, magnolias, and other “inhabitants” in a huge arboretum. There is also the Ioninsky Holy Trinity Church on the square. The garden belongs to the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences.
Official website: http://www.nbg.kiev.ua/ru/
28. Vladimirskaya Gorka park
.
The most picturesque and ancient park of the capital city, laid out back in the 19th century. Here is a monument to Vladimir the Great (it gave the place its name). In addition to this monument, you can find a lot of other sculptures of Ukrainian masters. The area of Vladimirskaya Hill is 17 hectares. It is famous for its historical monuments, beautiful landscapes and majestic architecture. Moreover, a funicular operates here: buy a ticket to the ride and you will see all the landscapes of Kiev at once.
Official site: http://infoportal.kiev.
29. The Kiev funicular railway
If you want to quickly ascend or descend the steep Volodymyrska Hill, take this rare form of transportation. Its construction and reconstruction dates back to 1903 and 1929, respectively. The length of the current route is more than 220 meters, the path runs at an angle of 18-20 degrees. From the starting point “A” to the end point “B” you can go down or up on the funicular in three minutes. The difference between the lower and upper stations - 75 meters. Each carriage can hold up to one hundred passengers. However, the number of seats is limited to only three dozen. You should not be afraid of traveling on the cable car - the construction is subjected to timely repairs and regular maintenance.
30. Hydropark
Visiting Hydropark in Kiev should be for those who love water and everything related to it. The site is located on an area of 365 hectares (on several islands). The complex on the shores of Rusanovsky Strait and the Dnieper includes a small town with training machines, many cafes and restaurants, nightclubs and extreme attractions, sports fields and endless beach lines with deck chairs and umbrellas (some beaches are free). The islands are connected by a 144-meter Venetian bridge. The park opens to the public in May (during the winter months the complex “falls asleep”). One of its own attractions is the museum “Mini Kiev” - in a scale of 1 to 33 are created all the important objects of the capital - the city bridges, Dnieper, airport, St. Nicholas Church and Independence Square.
Official site: http://gidropark.org.ua/
We hope that our Kiev sights, photos with names and descriptions of which you have just seen, will cause you genuine interest. We hope that every visitor of the capital city will enjoy them. Read also about Sights of Lviv and be inspired for your further journey around Ukraine.
