Kyiv is incredibly rich in historical and cultural places of interest. The city has a huge number of religious objects that will appeal not just to the believers, but also to the curious travelers and the lovers of history, architecture and art.
There are so many churches in Kiev that it is almost impossible to choose the most important among them. However, it is recommended to start your journey with these ones:
- Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The lavra is well known to everyone far beyond the city and the country. The excursion will take you several hours. The complex was founded in 1051, and at that time it was one of the first monasteries in the Kyiv Rus. Gradually, a small temple grew into one of the most enormous religious centers in Ukraine and Europe. Artists from all over the world were invited to design it. There are 123 saints buried in the caves, and thousands of unique icons and relics throughout its territory.
- St. Sophia Cathedral. The cathedral as well as the Lavra dates back to the 11th century. They both are included into the UNESCO list. Besides the impressive history, it is also famous for its interior decoration. The Cathedral has the largest collection of frescoes and mosaics that date back to the 11th century. Holy Liturgy is held there only once per year on the Independence Day of Ukraine.
- St. Andrew’s Church. It is the decoration of the Podil and Andriyivskyy descent, an architectural masterpiece, which was built in the baroque style. Before 1754 there was a wooden church of the Cross-church. Now the height of the temple is 50 meters. It has a powerful two-storey foundation. Due to the difficult location, the church had to be constantly strengthened and repaired.
- The church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Pyrogoshchi. The temple has got the Byzantine icon of Pyrghottis that was there during the times of the Rus. The first church on this place was erected in the 1130’s by the decree of Mstyslav the son of Vladimir Monomakh. The building was destroyed and rebuilt almost from scratch several times.
- St. Michael’s Cathedral. One of the oldest monasteries in Kyiv and the first one in the Rus that was decorated with the gilded domes. In the 1930’s it was demolished, but in the 1990’s it was completely restored and all the mosaics and frescoes which were removed then, were returned to the cathedral.
- St. Ilyinska church. It is considered to be the first Orthodox church of the Kyiv Rus. According to the legend, its foundation was laid by Askold and Dir after having visited Constantinople. According to the legend It is precisely the place where the Drevlyans were christened. In 1692, a stone church was built there. It was gradually completed, repaired, and preserved until our times.
- Cyril’s Church. Together with Sophia, these are two temples, the walls of which are kept intact. The church was built in 1139 by the decree of Vsevolod Chernihiv. Then it was also a fortress for the defense of the outskirts of Kyiv. In the 1730s, it acquired Baroque features, but the ancient frescoes and works of Vrubel remained on their places.
- Temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It is the first and actually the only floating church in Ukraine. The 23-meter temple is made in the style of the Ukrainian Neo Baroque . It is built on 12 powerful ferro-concrete piles, and is connected to the shore with a small bridge.
If you want to enjoy the exciting excursion program and not waste time on planning routes, long distance and public transport, please contact us! Ukr-Prokat offers car rental in Kyiv. The cars are of different sizes and capacities.
