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Photo: Eugene Shutoff, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Once the lavish private estate of Viktor Yanukovych—Ukraine’s most notoriously corrupt president—this opulent residence is now open to the public. After he fled to Russia in 2014, ousted during the largest protests in Ukraine’s history, the grounds were reclaimed and now is a popular park in the outskirts of Kyiv overlooking the Dnipro River.
The Mezhyhirya Residence is an estate in Ukraine where Viktor Yanukovych lived when he was Prime Minister and then President of Ukraine and is now a museum displaying Yanukovych's luxurious lifestyle. Yanukovych lived in the estate from 2002, when he first became Prime Minister, to 21 February 2014, when he fled the country during the Revolution of Dignity.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
uk:Вишгород
A summer winter resort. For more, see Central Ukraine
There are several places in Kyiv to rent SUP board or kayak for an hour or two. It’s great way to explore the birds and nature of Kyiv newbies with no previous experience needed. Operating April to September. Pick the days with the nice weather and low wind conditions. Make sure to apply plenty of sunscreen as there is no shade on the open water.
Свято-Покровська церква на Приорці
A stone church built in 1902-1906 this was replaced the former wooden 'Dimitriyevskoho' house, what is built in 18th century. The new iconostasis, preserved until today, was built in 1944 and decorated by the famous Ukrainian artist Ivan Izhakevichem. In 1953 the house was made major renovations.
Храм Різдва Христового
Built by the popular architect of Ukraine, V. Isaac, in 2006-2007. The temple was built in the style of post-modern, cross-dome. The church has five domes, four of them are located over the crossbar of the cross. The Mid-Dome decorated with glass, so that give the impression of transparency. When you see it from the outside, it seems inside is very bright.
Кирилівська церква, Храм св.Кирила та Афанасія Олександрійських
This was established in the 12th century. Dorogozhychi quarter played an important role in the historical destiny of Kyiv. There the fate was solved for many princes pretending to the Kyivan throne on the one hand, and the fate of Kyiv itself, on the other hand. Numerous invaders carried out from here their multiple attacks on Kyiv, and Kyivan princes conducted bloody battles with them. Such a strategic importance of this location became one of the reasons for foundation of a monumental church-fortress. In 1139, Vsevolod Olhovych, Prince of Chernihiv approached Dorogozhychi, an important strategic point, on the Kyiv’s north-western outskirts, gained possession of the area and simultaneously obtained a convenient bridgehead at the approaches to Kyiv. In 1140–1146, Vsevolod Olhovych erects St. Cyril’s Church at Dorogozhychi. Construction of a church-fortress is a logical step of Vsevolod as a prince-worrier, and prince-strategist, for the sake of fortifying outskirts of the “capital city” so desired by many. St. Cyril’s monastery is an example of a unique functional combination, because it is a sacred center, patrimonial palace church, and at the same time it is a monumental church-fortress. The church was named after Cyril, the holy hierarch Cyril of Alexandria — Christian patron of the church’s founder, prince Vsevolod Olhovych. - The most precious treasure of the St. Cyril’s Church is its unique mural painting. - In the 12th century, walls of the St. Cyril’s Church were painted in fresco technique according to the Christian iconographic canons of that time. In the 17th century, the fresco painting of the Church was partially renewed by means of tempera. In the 1800s, during repair of the Church its walls instead of painting were just plastered and whitewashed. - In the 1880s, restoration works were carried out in the Church under the guidance of the professor of St. Petersburg University, A. Prakhov. At that time from under centuries-old layers of plaster and whitewash a unique Old Russian mural painting was discovered. However, soon after, in order to provide the mural painting for “grandeur” the frescoes were refreshed with oil paints. In the 1970s, a large-scale restoration works on frescoes’ discovery from under layer of oil paint of the 19th century were carried out. - Fresco painting: Monumental figures of twelve Apostles are located in window piers of the dome’s drum. Four Evangelists are portrayed on sails (architectural spherical triangles serving for transition from the drum’s cycle to the under-dome square). The representation of the EvangelisMark on the south-eastern sail has preserved the best of all.- Central arches supporting the dome’s drum are decorated with images of theSeban Martyrs placedewithin medallions literally interconnected by means of loops and hoops. These representations form as if “alive holy chain” protecting the celestial sphere. In the central apse there is a figure of the Holy Mother, Orans with her hands raised in prayer. Oil painting of the 19th century represents the major part of the composition; of the ancient fresco representation only an edge of the Holy Mother’s blue chiton and a podium on which she is standing have survived. Beneath the Orans the Eucharist fresco composition is located featuring the scene of the Apostles’ holy communion, in which the Christ is depicted twice: at the left He serves the body of Christ (bread) to the group of Apostles headed by the St. Peter, and at the right He serves the blood of Christ (cup of wine) to the group of Apostles headed by St. Paul. Similar plot depicting two figures of Christ is already known in miniature of Rossan Code in Asia Minor dated with the 6th century. According to the canon which can be recognized already in the Church of San-Vitale in Ravenna, in the St. Cyril’s Church the center of the composition represents a double dome on pillars over the throne on which a cross, a paten with seven round flat breads, a cup of wine and an asterisk are placed. - Belfry: Of the monastic buildings Ivan Hryhorovych-Barskyi constructed within the monastery, his most important construction was a free standing belfry, built in 1760. The belfry combined the idea of a tall campanile with a gate on the ground level and a chapel on the belfry's second tier. The two lower levels of the belfry had some elements of a Ukrainian tripartite church, consisting with the belltower placed over the central part of the nave. This architectural combination in a belfry with two apse-like lower elements on each side. The original roof above the belfry's chapel was a stepped-hipped roof, which was popular at the time. After the fire of 1849, the roof's over the chapel and the cupola were modified from the original. After the Ukrainian SSR's decision on the demolition of the belfry in 1936, the belfry was destroyed a year later, to be used as bricks in construction projects.
Кирилівський монастир
A medieval monastery. Founded in 1140. Reconstructed by the Ukrainian architect Ivan Hryhorovych-Barskyi during 1750–1760. Saint Cyril's Church, including the medieval interior frescoes and the 1880s murals by the famous Russian painter Mikhail Vrubel, were fortunately preserved. The remaining constructions of the complex, the rest of the monastic walls, one corner tower (see picture), and two buildings constructed by Barskyi were also preserved. Of the monastery's cemetery, only two 18th-century graves remained.