Kyiv’s Magical Places
By Walter Kish
I was reminded recently how many truly interesting and scenic places grace Kyiv with their presence.
I was sitting in an outdoor amphitheatre set on the edge of
the escarpment overlooking the
As I strolled home through one of the many parkland trails that thread through central Kyiv, I got to thinking about some of the many magical places that I have discovered during my stay in this charming city.
I have often mentioned that Kyiv is a pedestrian’s paradise. Whether you want to explore the historical byways of the central core or take in the verdant splendour of its many parks, there is no shortage of enticing choices. One of my favourites is the park behind St. Michael’s Cathedral. Here you can find some of the best vantage points from which to view the magnificent Dnipro, with excellent vistas of the lower city in Podil, as well as the islands downriver. The park is dotted with eclectic sculptures that are both enchanting and humorous. My favourite is a statue of what appears to be a Neanderthal squatting on the ground, his face upturned, catching the warming rays of the sun. Just below one of the vantage points stands the famous statue of St. Volodymyr overlooking the river where he baptized his subjects in 988AD and changed Ukrainian history forever. From the park you can descend along one of many trails that stretch for kilometers along the escarpment.
A more modest yet equally enjoyable spot is a wonderful
little beer garden on Volodymyrska St., almost midway
between the St. Sophia and
Kyiv is also home to many a fine dining establishment; one
of my favourites is relatively unknown to Kyiv’s
nouveau riche, fast-spending crowd. One takes a stroll to the end of
The cook is a grandfatherly type who grills the main courses on a homemade fireplace in one corner of the yard. The resident cat wanders around the yard looking for handouts. One sits in the open air, removed from the sounds and smells of the big city and cannot help but enjoy this temporary escape from civilization.
Of course, this list could go on for a long time. One cannot speak of interesting places in Kyiv without mentioning Andriyivskiy Uzviz, that kilometer-plus stretch of cobblestone street that contains both art and kitsch, souvenirs and treasures, history and tourist traps. Then, too, there is St. Sophia’s, the thousand year-old shrine to our Orthodox past, whose interiors invoke awe and spiritual feelings in even the most die-hard of religious skeptics.
The Botanical Garden behind
And there are many more. But writing about them can’t do them proper justice – one must come and experience these places for oneself!