Kyiv is one of the most beautiful cities of the world that picturesquely spreads on the Dnipro river hills. As others old cities Kyiv has no exact date of foundation. According to the legend, Kyiv was founded more than 1,500 years ago by three brothers Kyi, Schek, Khoryv and their sister Lybid. The city was named after the oldest brother Kyi. In the 9th century, Kyiv became the capital of the Ancient Rus. The territory of this independent state stretched out from the Baltic Sea in the North to the Black Sea in the South and from Volga River in the East to the Carpathians Mountains in the West. Kyiv is often referred to as “the mother of all cities” by Russians and Ukrainians and as a cradle of Slavonic civilization.
Since then, Kyiv has developed into an important center of East Europe attracting foreign businesses and investors to its economic and natural potential. Considering population Kyiv is among the 10 largest cities in Europe. Its historical path is related to the great political and cultural events in Europe and represented in many age-old architectural monuments. 2148 objects of history and culture are located on the territory of Kyiv. Among them are over 100 museums 33 theatres and theatres-studios 53 cultural buildings 140 libraries, 20 concert organizations and independent musical collectives that are working in the capital of Ukraine.
Culture and Leisure
Opera and Ballet Theatre
There are 27 museums in Kiev, 25 theaters and studio theaters (for example, the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater of Ukraine named after T. Shevchenko, the Kiev Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theater for Children and Youth, the National Academic Drama Theater named after Ivan Franko).
In Kiev, there is one of the largest planetariums in Eastern Europe.
Kiev is rich in monuments of culture and art. The most important of them are Golden Gate, St. Sophia Cathedral (XI century), Vydubitsky monastery (XI century), a complex of buildings of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (XI-XVIII centuries), St. Michael’s Golden-domed Monastery, beginning of the XVI century , Church of the Savior on Bereste (XII century.), Baroque Resurrection, St. Andrew, Pokrov, Trinity Church.
Forests, parks, and gardens make up more than half of its area. Within the city, there are two botanical gardens.
Kiev is rightly called one of the greenest cities in the world (and it was once considered the greenest). The famous Kiev chestnuts, which bloom luxuriously in May, and sometimes twice a year: in spring and autumn, have become one of the symbols of the city.
Education
Since the 9th century, Kiev has been an important center for the intellectual development of Eastern Europe. Since the end of the XVII century, the Kiev-Mogilyanskaya Academy has prepared many famous scientists. However, the first modern European-style university was founded by the decree of Nicholas I in 1834: the Kiev Imperial University of Sv. Vladimir Kiev University became the seventh University of the Russian Empire.
And today Kiev is one of the largest centers of science and education in Ukraine. A large number of higher and secondary specialized educational institutions are located in Kiev, including several universities of international importance, in particular, the three most prestigious universities of Ukraine: Kiev Taras Shevchenko National University, Igor Sikorsky Kiev Polytechnic Institute and Kiev-Mogilyanskaya Academy National University.
Transport
Kiev is a major transportation hub (railways and highways, river port, airports). Since 1960, operates underground. The bus, trolleybus and tram networks are developed the funicular works.
Air transport
The first major passenger airport (as well as a military airfield) of Kiev was Brovarsky, destroyed in 1941.
Currently, there are three airports in Kiev:
Railway transport
Kiev is a major railway junction. In Kiev, the headquarters of the South-Western Railway. The central railway station is Kiev Passenger.
Automobile transport
Kiev is a major road junction in Ukraine. The length of roads in the city is over 1600 km, 80% of them as of 2017 do not meet the standards.
River transport
Kiev river port was built in July 1897. The port quays stretch from the harbor to the Dnipro metro station. Cargo and passenger transportation on the Dnieper carried out shipping company “Ukrrechflot.” In Soviet times, passenger transportation was unprofitable but was subsidized by the state. After the privatization of Ukrrechflot on November 11, 1992, the volume of traffic began to fall, at the same time passenger ships and ships were sold abroad, went for scrap. Today on the Dnieper for passengers sightseeing tours are carried out only in the area of Kiev. In 2009, a type of public transport, which had been forgotten for Kiev, was launched – the so-called “river tram”, for communication between the right and left banks of Kiev. The tram runs only in the warm season. The Dnieper is used to transport bulky cargo.
Underground
Scheme of the Kiev Metro lines, 2013
Construction of the metro in Kiev started in 1949, the first section was opened on November 6, 1960. At present, there are three lines (Svyatoshinsko-Brovarskaya, Kurenyovsko-Krasnoarmeyskaya, Syretsko-Pecherskaya) with a total length of 67.6 km with 52 stations. The Metro carries about 1.439 million passengers daily.
Bus
For the first time, they tried to launch a regular bus service in Kiev as early as 1913. In fact, the full work of the bus began in 1925. Then on the only route, there were 2 buses. Now in Kiev, there are about 90 municipal bus routes. The number of buses exceeds 700 units. There are 8 bus fleets.