Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is located on the scenic banks of the Dnipro River. There are a lot of parks, tree-lined broad and straight streets in our capital. Kyiv is one of the oldest cities of Europe and it has many places of historic interest. Among them are famous churches, cathedrals and monasteries, because Kyiv is the ancestral home of Christianity in Kyivan Rus. If you want to discover Kyiv, it is best to start with a tour on a sightseeing bus. Would you like to start your tour with visiting the imposing building of St. Volodymyr Cathedral? It was built in 1882 in a new Byzantic style by the architect Baretti. It is a traditionally Slavic six-column, three apse church crowned by seven cupolas. The height to the top of the cross on the main cupola is 48.9 m. The murals of the church interior are of considerable artistic significance. They were made in 1885—1896 by the famous Russian painters such as Nesterov, Vasnetsov, and Prakhov. The mosaics lining the cathedral's interior were made by Venitian masters. A visit to St Sophia Cathedral may be the highlight of your stay in Kyiv. Kyivites say that if you do not see it while here, then you did not see Kyiv. The church was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise on the site of a battle-field to commemorate the victory over the Pechenegs (Asian nomadic tribes) and to glorify the wisdom of Christianity (Sophia in Greek means "wisdom"). The most visitors are impressed by the beauty of St Andrew's Church. This church stands elegantly outlined against Kyiv skyline. It was built in 1748 by the architect Rastrelli, who also built the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg and the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv. From its terraces the famous writer Gogol used to look down at the lower town of Podil. The winding brick street Andriyvski Uzviz leading up the hill to the church has a variety of interesting art galleries and shops. This is one of the best areas to find traditional Ukrainian crafts and arts. Kyiv Pecherska Lavra Monastery is one of the most famous sites of Kyiv. "Lavra" is the term used by the Orthodox Church for its largest monastery. It was built in the eleventh century. The monks lived in caves under the monastery, which still can be visited. The famous monk Nestor wrote the chronicle "The Story of Begone Days" while living in this monastery. Lavra incorporates a number of old buildings, churches and museums. There is a lot to see there.
