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Andriyivsky uzviz
It says a lot for Andriyivsky uzviz that it has retained its charm despite the souvenir stalls overflowing on its cobblestones. Historically this curving incline linked the high ground of the administrative centre, or Upper Town, to Podil. Nowadays it's frequented by purveyors of Ukrainian crafts, Soviet memorabilia, Yuri Gagarin T-shirts and the occasional stunning photo of Kyiv. Yet the quaint houses and crooked pavements still give the place plenty of atmosphere.
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Central Synagogue
Kyiv has an active Jewish community numbering about 60,000. The largest synagogue is the Central Synagogue.
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Church of Mykola Prytysko
The Church of Mykola Prytysko, next to the Florivsky Monastery, survived the 1811 fire that destroyed much of Podil. This 1631 church is the oldest structure in the district and is surrounded by several pastel-coloured brick buildings exhibiting the eclectic style in vogue in Kyiv at the end of the 19th century.
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Dormition Cathedral
Back out on the main path, you can't miss the seven gleaming gold domes of the Dormition Cathedral , a year-2000 replica of the famous and sacred original. To this day historians are unsure whether the Nazis or the Soviets were responsible for blowing up the original. You can enter the church only during services, typically held Saturday afternoons at and Sunday mornings at . The big rock in the square between the cathedral and the bell tower is a fragment of the original cathedral.
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excursion bureau
As this is the city's single most fascinating and extensive tourist site, you will need at least half a day to get a decent introduction of the Lavra. Try to avoid the Lavra on weekends, when it gets extremely busy. If you must go then, visit early and head for the caves first.
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Florivsky Monastery
Florivsky Monastery is a 15th-century women's convent in Podil that defiantly remained open during the communist era. Pass through the bell tower to the grounds, which contain several attractive churches; there are great views from here of St Andrew's Church on Andriyivsky uzviz. Dress appropriately to enter the grounds.
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funicular
Heading around the left of St Michael's Gold-Domed Monastery to the rear, you'll find the quaint funicular that runs down a steep hillside to the river terminal in the mercantile district of Podil. Although in the summer trees partially obscure your view, this is still the most fun public-transport ride in town.
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Great Bell Tower
Towering over the Dormition Cathedral (Uspensky Sobor) is the 96.5m-tall Great Bell Tower. Climbing the 174 steps to the top is an essential experience, however, the tower was shut down for renovations in 2005 and is unlikely to reopen before 2009.
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House of Chimeras
With its demonic-looking animals and gargoyles, the House of Chimeras is Kyiv's weirdest building. Built at the start of the 20th century by architect Vladislav Horodetsky, it's been more recently used as a presidential administration office. There are plenty of other interesting old mansions in this district, known as Lypky.
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Kievo-Pecherska Lavra
Tourists and Orthodox pilgrims alike flock to the Kievo-Pecherska Lavra. It's easy to see why the tourists come. Set on 28 hectares of grassy hills above the Dnipro River, the monastery's tight cluster of gold-domed churches is a feast for the eyes, the hoard of Scythian gold rivals that of the Hermitage in St Petersburg, and the underground labyrinths lined with mummified monks are exotic and intriguing.
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maydan Nezalezhnosti
Fountain-filled maydan Nezalezhnosti is the city's most popular meeting place. This was made plain on worldwide TV at the end of 2004 when the square became ground zero for Ukraine's Orange Revolution and makeshift tent city.
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Monument to the Victims of the Great Famine
Left of the St Michael's Gold-Domed Monastery's entrance is a moving monument to the victims of the great famine. English placards above the monument tell the dark story of Ukraine's holodomor.
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Podil
The funicular to the rear of St Michael's Gold-Domed Monastery and Andriyivsky uzviz both lead down to the riverside mercantile quarter of Podil. An appealing grid of streets lined with quaint lanterns and eclectic turn-of-the-20th-century buildings, it's the antidote to all those Soviet façades that dominate vul Khreshchatyk. Dating back to the earliest settlements, the area grew quickly around the port. Today it's a buzzing restaurant district.
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St Andrew's Church
Andriyivsky uzviz is named after Kyiv's first Christian preacher, Andrivy, who is said to have climbed the hill here, affixed a cross to its summit and returned via this path. That blue, beautiful piece of baroque dominating the view as you walk up 'the uzviz ' is St Andrew's Church. Built in 1754 by Italian architect Bartelomeo Rastrelli, who also designed the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, this is a magnificent interpretation of the traditional Ukrainian five-domed, cross-shaped church.
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St Michael's Gold-Domed Monastery
Looking from St Sophia's Cathedral past the Bohdan Khmelnytsky statue it's impossible to ignore the gold-domed blue church at the other end of proyizd Volodymyrska. This is St Michael's Gold-Domed Monastery, named after Kyiv's patron saint. As the impossibly shiny cupolas imply, this is a fresh (2001) copy of the original St Michael's (1108), which was torn down by the Soviets in 1937.
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St Nicholas Naberezhny
Church lovers will find several attractive and historic specimens in Podil. Right on the river is St Nicholas Naberezhny, dedicated to Nicholas Naberezhny (Nicholas by the River), the patron saint of sailors and others journeying along the river to do business.
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St Nicholas' Church
In the northwest section of the grounds is the small, late-17th-century St Nicholas' Church, its unique blue dome adorned with golden stars. It's now an administrative building.
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St Sophia's Cathedral
The interior is the most astounding aspect of Kyiv's oldest standing church, St Sophia's Cathedral. Many of the mosaics and frescoes are original, dating back to 1017-31, when the cathedral was built to celebrate Prince Yaroslav's victory in protecting Kyiv from the Pechenegs, tribal raiders.
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St Volodymyr's Cathedral
Although not one of Kyiv's most important churches, St Volodymyr's Cathedral arguably has the prettiest interior. Built in the late 19th century to mark 900 years of Orthodox Christianity in the city, its yellow exterior and seven blue domes conform to standard Byzantine style. However, inside it breaks new ground by displaying Art Nouveau influences.
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Trinity Gate Church
The main entrance to the Caves Monastery's upper lavra is through the striking Trinity Gate Church, a rather well-preserved piece of early-12th-century Rus architecture. Rebuilt in the 18th century, it once doubled as a watchtower and as part of the monastery fortifications. It's well worth going inside to observe its rich frescoes and lavish gilded altar. To access the church turn left immediately after entering through the main gate.
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Vydubytsky Monastery
Few churches appear more frozen in time than those of the Vydubytsky Monastery, nestled into the hill's dense foliage beneath the Botanical Gardens. If you found the crowds at the Lavra a little too much to bear - or if you're just into intense serenity - you should not hesitate to come here. The monastery, which is thought to be at least as old as Kyiv, is looking in fine fettle today after centuries of catastrophes followed by years of Soviet neglect.
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Zoloti Vorota
Part of Kyiv's fortifications during the rule of Yaroslav the Wise, the famous Zoloti Vorota sounds much better than it looks, but the summer patio around the fountain out front is a great place to have a drink. Erected in 1037 and modelled on Constantinople's Golden Gate, this was the main entrance into the ancient city, with ramparts stretching out from both sides. However, the gate was largely destroyed in the 1240 Mongol sacking of Kyiv, and what you see today is a 1982 reconstruction.
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