"Beautiful Kiev" a Kiev Travel Page by socrates_07

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Michael's Monastery of the Golden Roof

KYIV

There, up in the roseate sky
Holy Kyiv seemed suspended,
Golden domes appeared alight,
Bathed in awesome glory splendid
Talking with the Lord on high.

Taras Shevchenko

Thank you Kyiv, it was a wonderful stay!

In October 2001 I had the chance to visit Lisa, a friend from Kiev. Before I went to Kiev I didnt know a lot about it. Thanks Lisa and you VT-guys, I learned some more about Kiev. So I decided to accept Lisa's invitation. The result: IMPRESSIVE!! A modern and clean city, kind people, all sights in a terrific condition ..

Enough opening words, so now letīs go to the 10-day journey through Kiev...

Friday, 19.10.01

Weather: cloudy
After a flight with stopover in Budapest I arrived well in Kiev in the afternoon. Lisa picked me up from the airport and we drove with the car to the city of Kiev. After a short stay we strolled around a little in the area because I wanted to collect first impressions. Along the river Dnepr we went back, I was a little tired after the a little complicated journey.

Saturday, 20.10.01

Weather: cloudy
Lisa and I went to Khretschatik, the main street of Kiev by subway. This street is used as a pedestrian precinct at the weekend. At the Independence Square (Majdan Nezalezhnosti), Kiev's main square, I took the first photos. It is the most popular meeting place for natives and guests. The column on the northern side of the place was build for the 10-year anniversary of the state foundation. The woman on the column symbolizes Ukraine. There is a column opposite which show you the distance to other cities of the world. We passed the European square (Yevropejeskaja Plotschad) and took a broad stairway which leads to a huge stainless steel arch commemorating the Reunion of Russia and Ukraine.(Arka objedinenija Rossii I Ukrainy). The view of the river and the left bank provided beyond the monument is spectacular. There was built up an amusement park where they played songs of ABBA which reminded me to the glorious 70s . To my childhood ....!!! In a free air theater we drank a coffee and rested a little bit. Then we strolled a little through the amusement park and from there to the stadium of Dynamo Kiev. Lisa convinced the Security that I am a true Dynamo Kiev fan who came to Kiev only to visit the Stadium of the best soccer team in Ukraine. Thank you, Lisa! :-) After it we strolled through the park where the stadium lies (Mariynskij Park of Culture and Rest) and came to the Mariinsky Square. There the Mariinsky Palace (Mariinskij Dworets) is located which now is used for official state visits and international meetings. The Supreme Rada (parliament) building (Werchowna Rada Ukrainy) is located besides it. By metro we returned to the apartment after this first tour in Kiev.

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Kyivo-Percherska Lavra

Sunday, 21.10.01

Weather: sunny
Wunderul, the sun shines this was importantly for that day's tour and to take impressive pictures of Kyivo-Percherska Lavra. This is a cloister complex which is partly managed by the state and partly churchly. A part of the church part isn't accessible for the public. We started our tour in Vechnoi Slavy park and took some pictures of Mogila Neizvestnogo soldata. (an Obilisk, which reminds this to war dead). After a lunch we went to that cloister complex. At the admission we noticed that the admission charge is much cheaper for natives than for foreign tourists. I have to admit, I have tried to come through as a Ukrainian but the woman at the entrance immediately became suspicious. She asked me a question, which I answered with "DA" (in Russian: YES) Her answer to Lisa: "He doesn't look like an Ukrainian, he shall buy a tourist ticket for himself". Well, it was just a try...?
This place is really very impressively and for every Kiev visitor a must. A longer stay in this cloister complex we passed Vechnoi Slavy park again on the way back to the apartement.

Monday, 22.10.01

Weather: cloudy
First we went to Golden Gate (Zolotyje Vorota), we were the only tourists (actually I was the only tourist) .The Monument of Jaroslave the Wise (Yaroslaw Mudryj) is next to the Golden Gate. From the top of the Golden Gate you have a nice view on the Monument of Jaroslave the Wise.Then we went to the St.Sophie Square (Sophijskaja Plotschad). There are St.Sophie Cathedral (Sophijskij Sobor), the Bell Tower and the Monument of Bohdan Khmelnitsky. In some distance I saw a monastery which should become my favorite sight. The Mykhailivsky Zolotoverkhyi Monastery (Michael's Monastery of the Golden Roof). After I had taken some pictures at the St.Sophie Square we went to the St.Michael's Square. Firstly, to have a closer look of this monastery and secondly to go to St. Andews Cathedral (Andreewskaja Tserkow). The building of the Central Committee of The Ukrainian Communist is located on the left of the Mykhailivsky Zolotoverkhyi Monastery. We passed it and came to St.Andrew Cathedral. What an impressive building! On the Andriyivsky Uzviz.(one of Kiev's oldest streets) we went back with the metro. In ancient times, this street linked the administrative part of the Upper City with the Podil , the Lower City of merchants and artisans.
In the evening we went to a birthday party.

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Monument of the founders of Kiev

Tuesday, 23.10.01

Weather: rainy
We came home quite late and because of the change of the climate I caught a chill. I decided only to go around in the neighborhood at that day.

Wednesday, 24.10.01

Weather: Sunny but very windy and cold
Because my condition wasn't much better and I didn't want to take the risk to remain longer ill, I just stayed in the apartment again.

Thursday, 25.10.01

Weather: Sunny and warm
Cold, warm ... . oh, this headache . ..terrible !!!
Actually it was the repetition of the Monday tour, but this time we inspected the sights more exactly. After a short visit and taking some photos on the river station of the Dnepr we took the Cable car (Funicular) to Upper Kiev. Our first destination: my favorite place in Kiev, the Mykhailivsky Zolotoverkhyi Monastery. It looked even more beautiful in the sunlight, however, some would say these golden roofs are kitschy. But nevertheless, I liked them very much. That time we also went to the inside of the monastery and I was very impressed by the mural painting. Unfortunately, it was not allowed to take any pictures, postcards I also couldnīt find to show you some pictures of the mural painting. Well, just visit it, it is really worth in my opinion. In front of the monastery (at St.Michaelīs Square) there is the Monument of Princess Olha, St.Cyril and St.Methodius. Then we went to the St.Sophie Cathedral, but unfortunately, we couldn't get inside the church. Although the church is impressive, its a little bit colorless compared to my favorite monastery. After a coffee break we went to Square St.Michael again, passed Andriyivsky Uzviz and reached the St. Andrewīs Church. In this street you can can buy a lot of different and typical souvenirs of Ukraine. There is a little park opposite the church with the remains of the oldest church Kiev, the Zehent Church (Remnants of the foundation of the church of the Thithes, the oldest lime of Kiev (planted in 1635) and the National Museum.
In the evening some chinese friends of Lisa invited us for dinner.

Friday, 26.10.01

Weather: Sunny and warm
This day should become an excursion to the younger history of the Ukraine. We went by subway to the Park of the Glory and further through a little wood below Kiewo-Petscherskaja Lavra. In the foot of the hill there is the Church of the Life-Giving Well. Not far away is the Monument of the founders of Kiev (Pamjatnik osnowateljam Kiewa), located besides the River Dnepr. Two wedding couples took some memory pictures when we were there. It seems it is a popular place for such photos. From there we went to the Monument to the National Preserve Landscape Park with the Museum of History of the Great Patriotik War of 1941 - 1945 and the Mother of Kiev (Rodina Mat), made of titanium.

Saturday, 27.10.01

Weather: Sunny and warm
At the last day we just relaxed in downtown and I also bought some souvenirs.

Saturday, 27.10.01

Weather: Sunny and warm
After the breakfast the cab picked us up and drove us to the airport… it was an unforgetable stay in Kiev!