Kiev travel

Kiev (Kyiv) is the biggest and the most visited by tourists city in Ukraine. After15 centuries of history, Kiev preserved a lot of historical monuments. The most intresting places in Kiev for tourists are:

1. Kyivo-Pecherska Lavra
2. Sofiivska and Mikhailivska church
3. Andriivsky descent
4. Mariinsky park
5. Podil

Kyivo-Pecherska Lavra, also called the Monastery of the Caves, is the most well-known and popular tourist attraction in Kiev.

Lavra was founded in 1051 by Saint Anthony, survived during numerous invasions and plunderings of Kyiv and today is the spiritual center of the all Ukrainian orthodox people. Some of the Pechersk Lavra tourist attractions include not only churches, but a lot of museums, such as Historical Jewelry Museum, Museum of Decorative Arts. Caves or catacombs possesses dozens of niches in which coffin was covered with glass which is 123 mummified bodies of monks because the air composition and humidity. They are also unique paintings painted on cave walls, some of which are 900 years old. Nearby caves are a complex system of underground tunnels, containing three churches close to underground caves. Great Lavra Bell Tower has a height of 96.52 meters and has 4 floors, walls have thickness up to 8 meters.Since 1990, Pechersk Lavra, St. Sophia Cathedral with, is inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage.

Saint Sophia Cathedral is a mixtureof Byzantine and Ukrainian architecture, one of the most breathtaking and old buildings in Kiev. The fronts of the cathedral are decorated with ornamental niches and paintings.

Inside, visitors can see the splendid frescoes and mosaics, including the famous mosaic of the Virgin of Oran, who was in the cathedral since its foundation. Cathedral hosts the graves of several princes of Kiev, including Yaroslav I the Wise. Saint Sophia Cathedral construction began in 1037 (some say 1017) by order of Grand Prince Yaroslav I.

The Andriivsky descent, located between two hills, is the shortest passageway from the historic Upper Town to the commercial Podil district. One of the hills, known as Uzdyhal’nytsia, was the place where pre-Christian idols once stood, and another hill, called Zamkova Hora, served as a castle hill during the Middle Ages. Now this street is a place for Kiev artists and painters. Exhibitions are open right on the street. One legend says that Andrew the Apostle visited these mountains and predicted a foundation of a great Christian city.

The Mariinsky Park is located right next to the Mariinsky Palace, which was built in the middle of the 18 century by Rastrelli in the baroque style and was intended to echo French Versailles in miniature.It is the central park of Kiev, one of the most favorite places of the city dwellers and guests.

Crimea travel

Crimea is the name of the Ukraine's peninsula in the Black Sea. Crimea is one of the most fascinating places of Ukraine, with the most varied scenery and climate, sea, mountains, ancient history, and the greatest opportunities for tourism. Places for tourists to visit in Crimea are:

1. Ancient Khersonesos
2. Khan's Palace in Bakhchisaraj
3. Vorontsov's palace in Alupka

Ancient Khersonesos was built in 422-21 BC by Greek colonists. The city has developed between the fourth and second centuries and due to geographical position was one of the main ports on the northern Black Sea coast. Between V and XI centuries AD became an important center of Byzantine culture. At the end of the Xth century was occupied by Kiev Prince Vladimir the Great, Vladimir was baptized here in 988 (Khersonesos is the corigin of Christianity in ancient Russia). The city was abandoned by habitants in 15th century.  The excavations have revealed ancient basilica, white marble columns, hundreds of meters of defensive walls and towers, Greek temples, houses with rainwater tanks and the Roman amphitheater, which has about 3,000 seats and used as gladiator's arena.

Bakhchisaraj means the "palace of gardens" (Tatar). It was a capital of the Crimean Khanate (XV-XVIII). The main thing to see here is the Khan's Castle-Palace, the only one historical oriental palace preserved in Europe. Build in unique architektural style it is the real diamond of Crimea. Visitors to the palace today can see the Big Khan Mosque, one of the first structures to be built in the complex, and a nearby cemetery that holds the remains of nine khans plus other members of the royal family and aristocracy. The former living quarters of the palace have been restored and furnished in period pieces and other areas have been converted into a museum to display artifacts from the period.

Vorontsov Palace was constructed for Count Vorontsov in 1828-1848 by serf-masters according to the project of Blore. The Palace is built in pseudo-gothic style with the eastern style elements. Opened for visitors since 1921, the Palace-museum has the original interiors, collections of furniture, painting, china. bronzes, cut-glass ware. Around the Palace there's a wonderful Alupka Park, grounded in 1820 - one of the most known landscape parks in Ukraine. The park consists of the upper and the lower zones and has a large amount of landscape architecture. One of stories says that Prime-minister Churchille wanted to bye this palace in conversation with Stalin, and stone by stone move to Great Britain.

Khotyn Fortress

Khotyn Castle is one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine and is a popular tourist place and historical films background.

The fortress is located on the right bank of the Dniester River region Chernovtsy (Chernivtsi Oblast) and occupies a rectangular area of 1219 by 244 meters, and the walls have a height of 40 meters and a thickness of 6 meters.

The Khotyn castle is  interesting particularly due to the famous battle that occurred just outside its walls in 1621. In the battle, ukrainian Cossack Hetman Petro Sahaydachnyi defeated the Turks (army of 300, 000 men and officers) and struck an important peace agreement with them, which ultimately benefited the Poles and gave them power over the region. Khotyn is a unique city in the history of Ukraine. To preserve the historical heritagethe State Historical and Cultural Reserve "Khotyns'ka fortress" was created in 2000. Tens of thousands of tourists every year come here to touch the history of not only Ukraine but also Europe, see the place where the advance of Ottoman Empire to the west was stopped.

For any iterested travaller it is very convenient that Kamianets-Podilskiy with is own fortress is located just 20 km from Khotyn.

Chernobyl

Yes, inspite of national tragedy - radiation burst on Chernobyl nuclear power (1986) wich caused total evacuation of several towns and villiages of Ukraine and Belarus - More than three hundred thousand people lost their homes in the adjacent area. - now Chernobyl is the one of the most popular corners of Ukraine for tourists from all over the world. It is located about 1.5 hours by car to the north from Kiev.

The "dead city" Prypiat takes imagination - empty buildings with equipped but abandoned apartments, hospitals, schools, children playgrounds.

Tourists venture into the 'dead zone' to visit not only the famous reactor 4, but also the deserted town of Pripyat, wich was evacuated during 1-2 hours, with all things left by people on their places, the red forest and the scientific centre.