Top Kiev Attractions

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With so many activities to experience and sights to see, Kiev tourism is alive and well. Even if you only have one or two days in this historical and cultural center, make sure to visit the city’s top attractions. Here are the top attractions that you should not miss.

St. Sophia’s Cathedral

St. Sophia’s Cathedral is Kiev’s oldest church. It was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, the country’s powerful leader whose remain is still inside the cathedral. It features 13 golden cupolas that sit above the complex of white towers, which are best viewed from the 250ft (76m) bell tower at the entrance.

St. Nicolas Catholic Cathedral

Construction of St. Nicolas Catholic Cathedral started in 1899 and was completed in 1909. The structure is placed on Chervonoarmiyska St. (one of Kiev’s central streets), and you can easily recognize it by its unique Gothic style and two beautiful needle towers. The cathedral was restored in the 1980s and is now also used as concert hall for organ music.

Kievo-Pechersky Caves Monastery

Kievo-Pechersky Caves Monastery is a spectacular complex of churches on the Dnieper River banks. Its architecture will not fail to impress you; it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Beneath the golden-domed churches is a network of candle-lit lavra (catacombs) where saints from Ukraine are encased in glass coffins.

Golden Gate

Golden Gate is fortified wall defines the city limits and used to serve as a protective barrier against foreign invaders in the past. It dates back to 1037 under the rule of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In 1983, the Golden Gate was restored to its present condition and now also serves as a historical museum.

National Chernobyl Museum

The National Chernobyl Museum is a blend of artistic representations of the nuclear disaster and artifacts from the site itself. It also features model reconstructions that commemorate the heroics of many rescue workers who died. Signs that hang from the ceiling make a chilling memorial to the towns still too hazardous to live in.

The National Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945

The National Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 is a memorial complex that commemorates the country’s controversial participation in WW II when half of Kiev’s population died under the hands of the Nazis. With more than 300,000 exhibits, it is one of the country’s largest museums. It houses a 203ft (62m) tall Brezhnev era titanium Motherland statue.

Bulgakov Museum

Bulgakov Museum is a very interesting if unusual insight into the family life of the writer Mikhail Bulgakov, Kiev’s most famous son, as a young boy. Exhibits center on the autobiographical account (White Guard) of his experience in Kiev during the Russian civil war; they do not focus on Master and Magarita, Bulgakov’s most well-regarded masterpiece.