Built in the 11th century, the Saint Sophia Cathedral has managed to preserve its beauty and majesty until today, solidifying its place among unique historical monuments. In fact, it was the first Ukrainian landmark to be included onto the UNESCO World Heritage List. Construction on the cathedral began in 1037. Yaroslav the Wise, an Old Russian prince, commissioned it to be built at the place whe

The Golden Gates are a unique monument of Old Russian defensive constructions, one of few that remain today. This amazing construction still amazes with its magnitude and grandeur; for good reason, it is included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Golden Gates appeared in the 11th century, during Yaroslav the Wise’s reign. They were a part of a powerful defensive complex, surrounding

Andriyivsky Descent, popularly known as the Montmartre of Kyiv, is one of the most ancient streets in the Ukrainian capital. It charms with its legendary history, inimitable colors, and unique architectural ensemble. Because of its atmosphere, it successfully competes in popularity with Kyiv’s main street - Khreshchatyk. Andriyivsky Descent appeared in the times of the Kyivan Rus. Back then, it c

‘The house is surely somewhat strange, but trust me, there is not one person in Kyiv who would not honor it with a glance,’ said the owner of the House with Chimeras. Vladislav Gorodetsky was an eccentric Kyivan architect of Polish descent, and it was he, who in the early 20th century built this unusual and mysterious art nouveau house. Indeed, even to this day, every passerby invariably looks at

In the summer of 1709, a battle took place in Poltava. It decided the results of not only the 21-year long Northern War, but also the future of Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. Two hundred years later, the National Historical-Cultural Reserve ‘The Field of the Battle of Poltava’ was created at the place of the battle. Right away, it became the city’s main attraction. It is the only cultural reserve i

Lviv is famous not only for its majestic cathedrals, fairytale houses, and unique museums, but also for the ancient castles that are located on its outskirts. One of the most remarkable ones is the Zolochiv Castle. Over its history, it has been a royal residence, a prison, and an educational facility. Jakub Sobieski - the father of the Polish king Jan III - built the stone castle to replace a woo

Mangup Kale is the biggest cavern fortress on the Crimean peninsula. It is located at the top of Mangup Mountain that stands above three picturesque valleys. The plateau, located at the height of almost 600 meters (1,968 feet) above the sea level, has a peculiar form: from above, it looks like a palm with four capes acting as ‘fingers.’ Nature made this area impregnable: on three sides, the platea

The ‘cavern fortress’ Chufut Kale is one of the most shining and the best-preserved medieval landmarks of the peninsula. It is located near Bakhchisaray (around 3 km, or 2 miles) on a mountain plateau with precipices 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) above sea level. It may be said that nature created this fort, and people have only strengthened and improved its defenses. To be fair, it should be mentioned

‘Olvia’ is a national historical and archaeological conservation area, located in the Mykolaiv region, not far from Ochakiv. Located at the place of an ancient Greek colony, which was built in the 6th century BC and was one of the largest ancient city-states on the northern Black Sea coast. Spacious steppes, estuaries merged with the sea, springs struggling to make their way through the bottom of