Kiev streets are full of sights. You just pay a bit more attention and will see charming Kiev magic in every building, every its street. It is impossible to imagine what legacy this wonderful city keeps…

Kreschatik is the most famous and one of the busiest streets in Kiev. It is a wide boulevard with plenty of chestnut trees. It is hard to believe that some time ago on the site of Kreschatik used to be a valley and a river surrounded by forest. The valley was called Kreshataya (Crossed) because it was intersected by many ravines. It was one of the favorite hunting places of Kiev princes. Today its buildings perfectly harmonize with surrounding landscape, and Kreschatik impresses as a single whole. Nowadays Kreschatik ranges among the major attractions of Kiev. The citizens of the city adore this street, and the guests of Kiev try to visit it and feel its charming atmosphere first of all. Such Kreschatik buildings as Kiev City Council, Central Department Store, National Philharmonic, as well as other administrative constructions, stores, hotels and metro stations deserve special attention of Kiev guests.

The Independence Square, or Maidan Nezalezhnosti, is the central square in Kiev, the main and the most beautiful one. Parades, concerts, festivals and other city arrangements and holidays take place on this square. It contains six fountains, Independence Column and artificial waterfall.

One of the best notable decorations of the central square is the Independency Column topped with a statue of Archangel Mikhail, who is considered to be the saint patron of Kiev. In front of the column, at the end of the square there is an arch decorated with the statue of Archangel with sword and shield. Another attraction of the square is 5,000-sprays fountain called Friendship of Nations designed by architect Komarovsky.

The site of Independence Square used to be the border of Kiev fortified with defense ramparts. Archeologists also found old parts of a water mill there. The first large stone building was constructed on the place in the middle of the 19th century: it was designed by architect Beretti and housed the Province Noblemen' Assembly. In the 20th century the square got its modern look.

Golden Gate is a unique fortification architecture monument that survived until nowadays. It was constructed in 1017-1024 and served as a main gala entrance to Kiev. The great tower with Annunciation Church delighted contemporaries and terrified enemies, due to its inaccessibility. The name of the Gate in Kiev reminds of famous entrance to Constantinople: Kiev prince Yaroslav the Wise wanted to underline that his country was as powerful as Byzantine Empire.

Yaroslav the Wise paid much attention to Kiev enlargement, consolidation and fortification. During the time of his rule the territory of the city became 10 times larger than it had used to be. Yaroslav was the one who destroyed hordes of nomads Pechenegs who regularly attacked Kiev. On the site where Yaroslav's troops won the final victory over the nomads the prince ordered to found the fortification tower that was named Golden Gate. The legend says that before the final battle with powerful Pechenegs Yaroslav the Wise prayed and begged the Virgin to help him to defeat the enemy. He promised to build the church dedicated to the Mother of God in case of success. He did not forget his promise and ordered to top Golden Gate with gilded-domed Annunciation Church.

Monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky was erected in Kiev city in 1888; sculptor Mikhail Mikeshin, pedestal by Vladimir Nikolayev. Overall height of the Bogdan Khmelnitsky monument 16.85 meters; height of the figure, 3.7 meters. The design was approved as early as 1869, but execution was delayed through lack of funds. The bulk of the money was raised by local subscription.

The sculpture of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, weighing ten tons, was cast in bronze in 1878 in St Petersburg and transported to Kiev city only in 1880. The Bogdan Khmelnitsky monument is well sited in the square in front of St Sophia's Cathedral. Here the citizens of Kiev gave a triumphal welcome to their national hero, the hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, after the Cossack victory over the Polish invaders in 1648.

Vladimir Sviatoslavich (Vladimir the Great) monument was erected in Kiev city in 1853 to the design of the sculptor Vasily Demuth-Malinovsky. The statue was done by Piotr Klodt, and the pedestal by Konstantin Ton. The overall height is 20.4 meters, the height of the bronze figure 4.5 meters. The pedestal is faced with plates of cast iron.

On its front side is a bas-relief showing The Baptism of Russia; at the back is the emblem of Kiev city. The Vladimir Sviatoslavich monument's site is extremely well chosen: it is on the hillside seventy meters above the river Dnepr, and gives excellent views over the Dnepr valley, Podol, and the far bank of the river.

The National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after T.G. Shevchenko is the oldest musical theatre in Ukraine. It was founded in 1867.

In 1896 the old building of the theatre, designed by architect I. Shtrom, was burnt to ashes and on its place the new one was constructed. Victor Shreter, the talented architect from Saint Petersburg, erected a splendid Neo-Renaissance building, which has preserved till nowadays.

Originally the theatre was called the Russian Opera, in 1919 it was renamed the State Opera House. In 1926 the theatre got the status of Academic. In 1934 it was again given the new name - the Ukrainian Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Nowadays the official name of the theatre is the National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after T.G. Shevchenko, but very often it is also called the National Opera House of Ukraine. The name of the theatre has been changed many times, but the high artistic level of the troupe has always remained steady.

Nowadays the National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet is one of the most successful theaters in the country. It can be proved not only by the immense popularity of the theater, but also by the numerous awards at different theatrical festivals.

It was constructed during 1748-1749 after the Podil magistrate's decision to repair the water distribution system. The project was assigned to Ivan Hryhorovych-Barskyi, a descendant of a well-known Podil family and a graduate of the Kyiv Mohyla Academy. The fountain was a pavilion-like circular rotunda with a cupola resting on four piers, with each pier embellished by two columns of Corinthian order. The dome of the fountain was topped by a 2 meter high gilded copper statue of St. Andrew. Before the 1800s a statue of an angel who held a chance from which water issued and ran into a basin was erected inside the fountain. In 1809, the angel was replaced by an almost life size wooden sculpture of Samson, who was tearing the lion's jaws from which the water flowed, hence the name, Fountain of Samson. The sculpture was likely modeled upon Mikhail Kozlovsky’s famous statue, a centerpiece of the Peterhof Palace Grand Cascade, with St. Samson symbolising the Russian victory over Sweden at Poltava: the lion is an element of Sweden's coat of arms and the battle was won on St. Samson Day.

The funicular (cable car) was built in 1905 and until now it offers quick, exciting, and inexpensive rides from Podil (Lower City) up to Mykhailivska Ploscha (Upper City). The ride is short (about 2 minutes), but it is worth seeing a magnificent panorama of Kyiv and the Dnipro River that uncovers from the Funicular.

Has been built in 1982, is located in Khreschaty Park. Sculptor A. Skoblikov and Architect I. Ivanov and others. Dedicated to the unification of Russia and Ukraine, but called "The Yoke" by kievans. The rainbow shape arch is 50 metres in Diameter. There is a viewing deck here (right picture) where most of the east bank can be viewed and towards the north of the city. Underneath the Friendship Arch there are two statues. The left one is made of bronze and depicts a Russian and Ukrainian worker holding up The Soviet Order of Friendship of Peoples and the one on the right is made from granite and depicts the participants of the Pereyaslavska Rada.of 1654.

The statue of the “Motherland” is situated in the one of the largest museums in Ukraine (more than 300 thousand exhibits). Over 20 million visitors already attend the Great Patriotic War museum. “Motherland” monument was built by Yevgeny Vuchetich in 1975 and stands over 100 meters tall and weighing more than 500 tons. The sword of the “Motherland” is 16 meters long and weighing 9 tons, shield of the monument with the Coat of arms of the Soviet Union is 13 meters high and 8 meters width.

Water Museum is located in a picturesque park in Kiev Center. It is an interesting place to visit for both adults and children. Here you can see giant soap bubbles, unusual fish, water towers, small waterfalls and many other exhibits connected with water. You will also learn how the water is prepared for home use and see how the ice-boxes melt. Kids will be able to play with soap bubbles, change the river flow and look at the live fish.