Khreshchatyk Street

The main street of Kyiv is a political, commercial and entertainment centre of Kyiv. The street appeared on city maps only in 1830. The name Khreshchatyk means "crossed". It points to the fact that long ago the place was a valley crossed by multiple ravines. A remarkable glimpse of history can be seen in the blocks between Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street and Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. That area, built between the 19th and 20th centuries, gives visitors a full picture of the architectural variety of the times. Another building preserves the look of the early 20th century. The Bessarabskyi Market building was built in 1912 in the rational modern style. The style suits the building's purpose well. Visitors can enjoy a number of beautiful sculptures of peasants, fish, fishing nets and the like.

Unfortunately, lots of the buildings of the 19th and early 20th centuries were destroyed during World War II. That means much of the modern look of Khreshchatyk consists of buildings of the 1950s made in the so-called Stalinist style. The buildings have a monumental look, decorated with lots of sculptures, small towers, columns, pediments and pylons. The offices of the city government and city council are in one of the buildings.

In 1995 the Kyiv coat of arms, which features the image of Archangel Michael, was placed over the entrance of the building. Archangel Michael was Kyiv's patron in ancient times.

The main square of the city - Maidan Nezalezhnosti - has been reconstructed several times, the last time in the summer of 2001. It has now acquired a European look.

The most modern building on the street is the Ukrainian House - the concert and exhibition centre.

The main street of Kyiv isn't very long - it runs about 1.2 kilometres - but it is the most attractive for tourists as well as Kyiv residents. On weekends, Khreshchatyk is closed to traffic, making it the real heart of city entertainment, pleasure and relaxation.