This post is part of my series about Kyiv, Ukraine. I was born and raised in Kyiv and brought my Canadian partner for the fist time in the June 2019. I decided to put together a comprehensive guide on this lesser known destination that has so much to offer and can be enjoyed on a low budget.
The best way to explore Kyiv is on foot. The right bank of the city with its historic core is hilly and green with a lot of parks, squares, and broad sidewalks. The numerous hills feature many picturesque lookouts over the river Dnieper and golden domes of the churches. This walking tour will take you to Kiev Pechersk Lavra and the Motherland Monument.
You can access my notes and directions for this self-guided walking tour via my Google maps.
Arsenalna Metro Station
Start by riding the escalator out of the deepest metro station in the world! Walk along Lavrs’ka street towards a square with the Kyiv Palace of Children and Youth. This is the central location for children’s extracurricular clubs for the city. These kinds of facilities were free during the Soviet era and each neighbourhood had one. Your kids could take dance classes, sing in a choir, study archeology, do pottery, take theatre lessons — you name it! — outside of school and at no to minimal cost to parents.
Park of the Eternal Glory
Take one of the alleyways and enter the Park of the Eternal Glory. Here is located the WWII monument to the unknown soldier — a tall obelisk with an eternal flame burning at the bottom. Further into the park, is the more contemporary memorial and museum of National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide. The Holodomor (translated from Ukrainian as “to kill by starvation”) was a man-made Soviet famine of 1932-33 that killed millions of Ukrainians. The park has some of the best views over the river and the nearby hills of Lavra in the city.
Kiev Pechersk Lavra
The Ukrainian word “pechera” means cave; the word “lavra” designates a high ranking monastery for male monks. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra is also known as the Cave Monastery. Lavra was founded in 1051 and for centuries served as the centre of Orthodox faith in Eastern Europe.
Today, Kiev Pechersk Lavra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Before the numerous churches and monasteries were erected in the area above ground, Lavra existed as a monastery in a series of underground caves. The caves are open to visitors (both tourists and pilgrims) and contain the burials and relics of many important historical and religious figures.*
The grounds of Lavra contain numerous architectural structures and monuments as well as museums. The grounds are also a functional monastery with over 100 monks in residence. Be respectful and quiet at all times. Expect to spend many hours on the grounds. You will be ticketed upon entry to the grounds and then again to visit individual museums.
My favourite museum on the grounds is the Mykola Siadrystyi Micro Miniatures Museum. The museum features the works of Mykola Siadrystyi like an elaborate rose carved inside a human hair or a horse-drawn chariot with a warrior inside an eye of a needle.
The Motherland Monument
The iconic statue is located in the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, the grounds of which are right next to Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The museum is a large outdoor park with various monuments and exhibits in addition to the Motherland Monument. The museum opened in 1981 and commemorates the German-Soviet War. Expect to spend several hours here to explore the vast grounds of the area.
*Reminder: Dress modestly during your visit to Lavra. If you’re a woman, bring a head scarf and wear it before you enter any of the churches. Women must also wear long skirts when visiting the caves — you can rent them on the grounds.
