Sights of Kiev

Kreschatik street
Kreschatik street
The main street of Kiev is a political, trading and entertainment centre of Kiev. The street appeared on city maps only in 1830. The name Kreschatik means crossed. It refers to the fact that long ago the place was a valley crossed by multiple ravines. A remarkable glimpse of history can be seen in the blocks between Bogdan Khmelnitskiy street and Taras Shevchenko boulevard. That area, built between the 19th and 20th centuries, gives visitors a full picture of the architectural variety of the times. Another building captures the look of the early 20th Century. The Bessarabskiy market building was built in 1912 in the rationalistic-modern style. The style is well suited to the needs of those using the building. Visitors will enjoy a number of beautiful sculptures of peasants, fish, fishing nets and the like.

Unfortunately, lots of the buildings of the 19th and early 20th centuries were destroyed during World War II. That means much of the modern look of Kreschatick consists of buildings of the 1950s made in the so-called Stalin style. The buildings have monument-like looks, decorated with lots of sculptures, small towers, columns, frontons and pylons. The offices of the city government and city council are in one of the buildings.

In 1995 the Kiev insignia, which features the image of Archangel Michael, was placed over the entrance of the building. Saint Michael was a Kiev patron in ancient times.

The main square of the city - Maidan Nezalezhnosti - has been reconstructed several times, the last time in the summer of 2001. It has now acquired a European look.

The most modern building on the street is the Ukrainian House - the concert and exhibition centre.

The main street of Kiev isn't very long - it runs about 1.2 kilometres - but it is the most attractive for tourists as well as Kiev inhabitants. On weekends, Kreschatik is closed to traffic, making it the real heart of city entertainment, pleasure and relaxation.
 

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