Prince Volodymyr ordered the Desyatynna Church built in 989 and devoted 10% of his income to it, hence the name (desyatyn means 'one-tenth'). The church collapsed under the weight of the people who took refuge on its roof during the Mongol sacking of Kyiv in 1240. It was rebuilt in the 19th century, but later was destroyed once again, this time by the Soviets. The ruins of the church are in a park near the National Museum of Ukrainian History.
Desyatynna Church Ruins
Kyiv
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.34 MILES
The interior is the most astounding aspect of Kyiv's oldest standing church. Many of the mosaics and frescoes are original, dating back to 1017–31, when…
2.28 MILES
Tourists and Orthodox pilgrims alike flock to the Lavra, set on 28 hectares of grassy hills above the Dnipro River in Pechersk. It's easy to see why…
0.53 MILES
Be it celebration or revolution, whenever Ukrainians want to get together – and they often do – 'Maidan' is the nation's meeting point. The square saw pro…
St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery
0.25 MILES
Looking from St Sophia's past the Bohdan Khmelnytsky statue, it's impossible to ignore the gold-domed blue church at the other end of proyizd Volodymyrsky…
0.74 MILES
It's hard to characterise this beachfront hippie haven on Trukhaniv Island. It derives its name from the smattering of raised wooden chill-out huts that…
1.09 MILES
The rotating exhibits at this world-class gallery feature elite names in the world of European contemporary art and design, all financed by billionaire…
2.94 MILES
As you journey into Kyiv from the airport, at some point this giant statue of a female warrior will loom up on the horizon and make you wonder, 'What the…
10.86 MILES
Kyiv's newest tourist attraction is Mezhyhirya, the estate that once 'belonged' to ex-president and wannabe Ukrainian dictator, Viktor Yanukovych,…
Nearby Kyiv attractions
1. National Museum of Ukrainian History
0.08 MILES
Located more or less at the spot where history began for Kyiv, this huge museum has been fully modernised in recent years and represents a fantastic…
0.1 MILES
The gold-and-blue baroque masterpiece that dominates the view as you walk up Andriyivsky uzviz was built in 1754 by Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli…
0.15 MILES
According to legend, a man walked up the hill here, erected a cross and prophesied, 'A great city will stand on this spot.' That man was the Apostle…
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
0.18 MILES
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was built by the Soviets on the site of the Tryokhsvyatytelska Church, one of Kyiv's holiest edifices, destroyed by Stalin…
5. St Michael's Monastery Museum
0.23 MILES
The fascinating history of the St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is explained in great detail (in Ukrainian and English placards) in a museum located in…
6. St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery
0.25 MILES
Looking from St Sophia's past the Bohdan Khmelnytsky statue, it's impossible to ignore the gold-domed blue church at the other end of proyizd Volodymyrsky…
0.26 MILES
The much-loved author of The Master and Margarita lived in this house between 1906 and 1919 – long before writing his most famous book. The house became…
0.27 MILES
Starting by the National Museum of Ukrainian History, the alley skirts around a large ravine offering great views of the city. It's always full of people…