Kiev - in Russian, Kyiv - in Ukrainian...
This is short, pleasant sounding word refers to a city with the history of 15,000 to 20,000 years. It has been growing in treasures for ages between the left and right banks of the Dnieper river and is described in numerous chronicles, tales and legends.
One of them told us, that at the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 6th centuries, three brothers Kiy, Shchek, and Khoriv and their sister Lybid founded a town and named it after their elder brother Kiy, as "Kiev".

The evolution of Kiev into a city is indivisible from the development of the old Kievan- Rus feudal state.

Legends and historical documents describe courageous kievlyane - citizens of Kiev - defending their city over the ages against the Khazars and Pechenegs, Polovtsi, Tartars and Mongols, Lithuanian and Polish feudal lords, the Duchy of Muscovy, and the Russian Empire.

The early settlers of Kiev built their first citadel on the steep right bank of the Dnieper River to protect themselves from marauding normadic tribes.

Later, Kiev's Grand Princes built their palaces and churches on Starokievskaya Hill, while artisans and merchants built their houses next to the wharf on the Dnieper. 

By the end of the 9th century, when the Kievan-Rus princes united scattered Slavic tribes, Kiev was the political center of the Eastern Slavs.

The position of ancient Kiev on the important waterway (whole length of Dnieper) known as the "route from Varagians to the Greeks" helped to promote the trade and to establish strong trade relations. This made Kiev the important and influential trade center of that time.

Kiev's development accelerated during the reign of Prince Volodymir the Great (980 - 1015). In 988, intent on strengthening his power on the broader international arena, Prince Volodymir the Great introduced Christianity as the establishment of political and cultural relations with the Byzantine Empire, the Bulgarians, and other countries of Western Europe and the Near East.

By the 11th century, Kiev was one of the largest centers of civilization in the Christian World. It boasted over 400 churches, eight markets and nearly 50,000 inhabitants. In comparison, Novgorod, Rus' second largest city, had a population of 30,000. London, Hamburg and Gdansk each had around 20,000.

It was a time of prosperity for the Kievan Rus state. The European and Orient counties tried to establish and maintain close trading and diplomatic contacts with it. Many European kings considered it an honour to establish matrimonial ties with the family of the Grand Prince of Kiev.

The most interesting story is about Anna Yaroslavna.
The younger daughter of Grand Prince of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise (978 - February 20, 1054), granddaughter of Volodymir the Great, princess Anna (born 1024/25 or 1032 - died after 1075) was married the King of France Henry I. The sonless, twice-widowed Henry arranged to marry Anna to obtain Yaroslav’s support against the Holy Roman Empire and in the hope that Anna would give him a male heir.
Their marriage took place at the Reims Cathedral on 19 May 1051, and the first of their three sons, later King Philip I, was born in 1052. After Henry's death in 1060, Anna (Anne) ruled France while Philip was a child, thus becoming the first queen of France to serve as regent.
Anna was educated woman. Her signature in Cyrillic on a French royal document from 1069 is the oldest extant example of Old Ukrainian handwriting. Not all European kings of that time were educated. King Henry I could not write and read.
When Anna came from Kiev to France, she brought with her a Glagolitic, an Old Church Slavonic copy of what became known as the Reims Gospel, which was used during the enthronement of all French kings from 1059 to 1793.

Other daughters of Yaroslav the Wise  were Anastasia, wife of Andrew I of Hungary; Elizabeth, wife of Harald III of Norway; and Agatha, wife of Edward the Exile.

After the death of the great Kievan Prince Volodymir Monomakh (1125), Kievan Rus became involved in a long period of feudal wars. Foreign powers were quick to take advantage of this situation.

In the autumn of 1240, the Tartar-Mongols headed by Batu-Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, captured Kiev after a series of long and bloody battles. Thousands of people were killed and much of the city was razed. Kiev fell into a prolonged period of decline.

The Tartar- Mongols ruled for almost a century. Despite foreign rule, Kiev retained its artisan, trade, and cultural traditions of ancient Kievan-Rus and remained an important political, trade and cultural center.

In the 14th century, the Kiev region became the cradle for the birth of the modern Ukrainian nation.

In the 15th century, Kiev was granted the "Magdenburg Rights", which permitted greater independence of the city in matters of international commerce.

In 1569, Poland and Lithuania united into what was known as the Rzecz Pospolita Commonwealth. This led to the establishment of the rule of the Polish and Lithuanian nobility in Ukraine. Repression by the foreign nobility eventually inspired resistance from the Ukrainian people.

In 1648, led by the Ukrainian Cossack Hetman (military leader) Bohdan Khmelnitsky, the people began an uprising that liberated Kiev and larger areas of Ukraine.
Later, faced with ravaging attacks by the armies of Polish and Lithuanian feudal lords from the West, the Turkish Sultan and the Crimean Khan from the South, Hetman Khmelnitsky was forced to seek military assistance of the Russian Czar.
The union of Ukraine and Russia was formalized by the Treaty of Pereyaslav (1654). Afterwards, Ukraine plunged into a long period of domination by the Russian Empire.

Despite repression and severe Czarist autocratic rule, 17th and 18th century Kiev still managed to preserve some niches of political, economic, cultural and religious development.

Ukrainian culture continued to flourish around institutions like the Kiev Mohila Academia. Ukrainian scholars based in Kiev earned a strong reputation in Moscow and elsewhere in the Russian Empire.

By the 18th century, Kiev, with its hundreds of churches, the world-known Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Saint Sophia's Cathedral, number of other monasteries and convent became the Russian Empire's center of worship and symbol of Orthodox Christianity.

After the social reforms of 1861 which did away with some of the worst aspects of serfdom in Russia and Ukraine, some improvements occurred in Kiev's cultural and economic communities. The number of hospitals and educational establishments increased.

After the construction of the Odessa-Kursk railroad in the 1860's and the development of shipping on the Dnieper River, Kiev became a major transportation and trade center. Transactions at Kiev's grain and sugar exchanges influenced world prices for food products.

The first electric street-car line in the Russian Empire was built in Kiev in 1892. Home and foreign business communities readily invested Kiev's industries.

Military and political power in Kiev changed numerous times in the years following the Bolshevik's overthrow of Russia's Czars during the October Revolution in 1917.
Between 1917 and 1921, three successive governments of an independent but constantly besieged Ukrainian State were based in Kiev.
On January 22,1918, the Ukrainian Central Rada (Council), led by historian Mikhaylo Hrushevsky, formally proclaimed Ukraine's independence. One of the first countries to officially recognize Ukraine's independence was Russia, who was trying to solidify its grasp over what was soon to become the U.S.S.R. Shortly thereafter, Russia's Red Army attacked Ukraine.
In 1919, amid great fanfare, the Ukrainian People's Republic, led by journalist Simon Petliura, formally united with the West Ukrainian People's Republic (which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) based in Lviv. This union of Ukraine's lands proved to be short lived as the West Ukrainian National Government's Army lost the war against Polish expansionists, while the Kiev- based Ukrainian Army was forced out of Ukraine by the Red Army.
Soon after, Ukraine was officially incorporated into the Soviet Union.

During World War II, Kiev again was heavily damaged.
For 72 days the city was defended by its citizens and Soviet troops against the invading Nazis.
On September 19, 1941, Nazi troops entered Kiev. The Nazis built two concentration camps for civilians and service people near Kiev. During this period, over 200,000 people were killed and over 100,000 were deported to Germany for forced labor.
Kiev was liberated on November 6,1943, by Soviet troops.There is the grave of the Unkonwn Soldier. This is the small cemetery on the beautiful Kiev hill, where are the Soviet soldiers graves, who liberated Kiev and died in the battles with Nazists that November. 
Every year on May 9 Ukrainian people celebrate the Victory day and come with flowers to this place.

The post war years in Kiev were marked by intensive restoration of the damage caused during the war. The city began to dress its wounds.

Kiev suffered severely during World War II, and many irreplaceable architectural and art treasures were destroyed. Earlier in the 1930's the Soviet authorities system destroyed many churches. Extensive restoration has revived much of historic Kiev.

The art and architecture of Kiev are world treasures and many of them are under the UNESCO protections.
One of them is the St.Sophia's Cathedral, where the princes of Kiev were crowned in the years of Kiev's grandeur, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century. 

The mosaics in the cathedral are remarkable for their rich and pure tones. Every colour has a number of shades. Only gold colour has 25 of them.

The greatest  mosaic image of the Virgin Orans, the madonna in prayer and as we, Ukrainians call it Orantha, is the main icon of our country.

Now the St.Sofia's Cathedral is the part of the State Historical and Architectural Museum that includes the St.Sophia's Cathedral and the adjoining buildings of the St.Sophia Monastery,Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew,the Golden Gates, St.Cyril’s Church and the reconstructed in 2000 the St.Michael’s Monastery of the Golden Domes Cathedral.  

On the slope of Starokievskaya Hill stands the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew, much beloved by kievlyane. It's terrace forms a splendid look-out point with an inimitable view of the Podol district, the sunny Dnieper's vistas and the city's new housing projets on the left bank of river.

This church was built on the express order of Empress Elisabeth Petrovna to the 1748 design of outstanding Russian architect Bartholomeo Rastrelli.
The church was constructed in period 1749-1754.

The Kiev-Percherska Lavra - the Monastery at the Caves - has two 11th century cathedrals on its grounds, in addition to its world famous catacombs, bell tower and museum collections.

The contemporary city of Kiev is one of the biggest cities in Europe. The population of Kiev is about 4,5 millions people. It stands pre-eminent as the administrative, economic, research, cultural and educational centre of a new independent state of Ukraine, which is one of the largest European countries with a population of 46,000, 000 (as per 1st January 2007).

The capital of Ukraine, the city of Kiev is the largest administrative centre of the country. Located in Kiev and working there are President, the Supreme Soviet, the Government, practically all Ministries and governmental departments of Ukraine.

The area of Kiev is 839 sq. km. Only 350 sq. km or 42, 3 % have been built up within the city limits. All the rest is the area of reservoirs and forest tracts and green plantings in general use. The area of forest tracts and green plantings constitutes 214 sq. m per one citizen; this is one of the best indicators in the world.

The capital of Ukraine has a great cultural potential: 28 state and many private museums; many theatres; many standing art exhibitions.
The most known museums are the National Museum of History of Ukraine, the Museum of Ukrainian Fine Arts, the Khonenko's Museum of Western and Oriental Art.
The Kiev Opera House presents very good opera as well as a broad repertoire of ballets.

The city hit the headlines in April 1986, when the nuclear reactor at nearby Chernobyl exploded, but scientists generally agree that the city is now safe from radiation effects.

Despite repressions, suffering, political turmoil and ecological disasters, Ukraine's spirit and national identity have never died.
On August 24, 1991, after the aborted coup in Moscow, Ukraine proclaimed its independence.

Since 1994 Ukraine has diplomatic relations with mostly all countries in the world and the diplomatic missions are established in Kiev.The correspondents of many mass media, business representatives and students from all over the world reside in Kiev.

The decision of Ukrainian government to cancel in 2005 visa for visiting Ukraine make flow of foreign tourists heavy year round.

The modern center with surviving parts of the old city is on the hilly west, or right bank, of the Dnieper river. The main street, Kreschatik, runs between two steep hills. Parallel about half a kilometer west, is vulytsya (street) Volodymyrskaya, the main street of the Old Kiev area (Starij Kiev). 
Woods and parks cover most of the steep right-bank slopes. The capital's newer sections stretch out on the flat left bank. These are characterized by large housing developments and industrialized neighborhoods.

All tourists and visitors like bright and unique Ukrainian souvenirs. Pottery, embroidery and handicrafts are available throughout the city, particularly in shops and art gallaries on Andrievsky Uzviz (Andreevsky decent), at the Kiev-Perchersk Lavra Monastery and St. Sophia's cathedral, Kreschatik street and Majdan Nezalezhnosti (Independence square). Quality and quantity vary from shop to shop, from gallery to gallery.
 
Dear friends! We have no idea to tell you detailed history of Kiev - it is impossible! Kiev is a great city.
History of Kiev is interesting.
Kiev boasts a long and glorious history full of heroic deeds.
It is called "The Mother of Slavic cities" by right.
Citizens of Kiev - kievlyane - love their city, proud with it.
Hospitable Ukrainians will be delighted to introduce Slavic culture to their foreign guests.
DISCOVER  KIEV!

Beautifully yours... Timeless... Kiev