When I Was Young

From Traveller

Today • Thursday • June 26, 2008

WAR AND PEACE: Golden cupolas of the 11th century Cave Monastery (below) and the Unknown Soldier monument at a World War II memorial (left).

Cathedrals, Soviet statues form Kiev’s charm

Shining with Orthodox golden domes that rise from forested hilltops, criss-crossed by narrow cobblestone streets, and speckled by quiet, leafy parks, Kiev draws visitors with an Eastern European charm.

And for those who seek the artefacts of the Soviet era — Lenin statues, imposing bronze monuments and colonnaded subway stations — Kiev has those too.

Founded over 1,500 years ago, Kiev is one of the oldest and historically richest cities in Eastern Europe. The site of the ancient Kievan Rus state, forerunner of the Russian empire, it is considered the birthplace of Slavic civilisation.

The city endured the Mongol-Tatar invasion, was an important provincial capital in the Tsarist and Soviet eras and in 1991 finally became the capital of an independent Ukraine.

Today, Kiev strives to be a proper European city, at the same time preserving its unique Slavic appeal. Cut in two by the broad Dnieper River, the city is a mix of medieval onion-domed Orthodox cathedrals, elegant turn of the 20th century buildings and some stubbornly durable artefacts of the Soviet times, including giant statues and gloomy apartment blocks on the city’s outskirts.

Begin your tour with Khreshchatyk Street, Kiev’s calling card, a broad avenue lined with grand Stalin-era brown brick buildings and chestnut trees. On weekends, when Khreshchatyk is closed to traffic, it is especially pleasant to walk and mix with the locals — glamorous young women walking hand in hand with their suitors, teenagers dancing to hip hop music and retirees taking their giggly grandchildren for a stroll.

The street culminates with Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, where Ukrainians made history in 2004 by staging the peaceful Orange Revolution that overturned a fraudulent election and brought a pro-Western opposition leader to power.

Aside from the revolution, Maidan is noted for the soaring 40m statue of a young woman in the national costume representing the newly-independent Ukraine.

Kiev is dotted with hundreds of medieval Orthodox cathedrals and monasteries — a reminder that it was here that the state of Kievan Rus (parts of modern day Ukraine, Russia and Belarus) became Christian. In 988AD the Slavic Prince Volodymyr marched his servants into the Dnieper to be baptised and eventually converted the whole region to Christianity.

If you don’t have time for all of the churches, make sure you see at least three: The Baroque-styled St Sofia and St Michael cathedrals, both just up the hill from the Independence Square, and the landmark Kiev Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Cave Monastery, overlooking the Dnieper.

The last is one of the oldest and holiest Orthodox monasteries in Ukraine and a sacred pilgrimage site for Orthodox believers from all over the world. Located on the banks of the Dnieper, its sprawling territory is home to a dozen churches and museums, a forested park and massive underground caves. The saints buried inside are believed to have healing powers.

To feel the atmosphere of Kiev at the beginning of 20th century, head to Andriivsky Descent, a cobblestone, serpentine street that is one of the oldest in Kiev. The Descent is often compared with Montmartre in Paris. There are numerous art galleries, artists eager to paint your portrait or caricature, and cozy cafes offering both Ukrainian and foreign cuisine. Those looking for souvenirs — national costumes, folk music and even Red Army uniforms — can find them here too.

After you’ve enriched your soul, allow yourself some earthly pleasures. A traditional Ukrainian meal will keep you up and running for the rest of the day. Begin with the two best known local specialities — a piece of bread with a slice of salo (hog fat) and borsch (beet soup). Then try varenyky dumplings with cabbage, potatoes or meat and wash it all down with vodka, or horilka as it is known here. You can resume your diet after you’ve left Kiev.

After the meal, head to the Lypky district — a quiet area of 19th-century houses built for wealthy aristocrats and civil servants. Here, you will run into a miniature replica of the French Versailles — the Mariinsky Palace, built in 1755 by the renowned architect Bartholomeo Rastrelli.

If it’s warm outside, take a boat tour on the Dnieper and get a splendid view of the city’s green hills and church domes. But don’t get intimidated by the giant steel woman staring at you, a sword and a shield in her hands. If the Sovietera 62m Motherland statue looks more menacing than hospitable to you, just ignore it. The rest of the city welcomes you. — AP