"Kiev and Ukraine History 101" a Kiev Travel Page by Tolik

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On this page, I will try to give prospect VT traveller some information about Ukrainian history and history of its capital - marvelous Kiev. The English form of the name Kiev, based on Old Ukrainian, goes back centuries while the modern name is spelled Kyiv in Ukrainian. The Government of Ukraine favors the use of the form Kyiv by its government agencies but Kiev is still the common usage in the English speaking world today.

Northwestern Ukraine, including Kiev, is the original homeland of all the Slavic peoples so Kiev perhaps represent the oldest Slavic city. In 1982 the City of Kiev celebrated its 1,500th Anniversary, however we know that the city existed long before that. Archeologists have found stone age (late paleolithic) remains but the oldest dwelling in Kiev is from the 25th century B.C., about 4,500 years ago, so Kiev was inhabited long before King Kie. However, according to some historians King Kie (or Kyi) was a real person who ruled the Polianians and lived in the 5th century A.D. And here comes the first legend:

"Once upon a time there was a royal family of three brothers. One was named Kie, the second was Shchek, the third Khoriv and they had a beautiful sister called Lebid'. They had lost their mother and father to invaders from the East and were searching for a place to make a new home.
When they arrived at the beautiful blue Dnipro River, and saw the seven majestic green hills across the river covered with kashtan (chestnut) trees and flowers, King Kie chose the place as their new home. Kie and his brothers built a boat and then sailed across the broad and mighty Dnipro River towards the high green bank on the western side. But what should be the name of the new city? Kie's brothers and sister decided to name the new city Kiev in honor of their strong and brave elder brother, King Kie. Thus it was that the City of Kiev was founded on the last weekend in May, in the Spring of the year 482 A.D.
Kie ruled on the hill which is now called Borichev, Shchek settled on the hill which is now called Shchekovitsa, and Khoriv settled on the third, which after him was called Khorevitsa. And it was thus that they founded the great city over 1,500 years ago".

On the picture: Monument to Kyj, Shchek and Khoryv and their syster Lybid -- the legendary founders of Kyiv.