Kiev excursions |  |
Walking City Tour lasting 3 hours gives you an opportunity to get introduced with the most valuable sightseeing of Kiev. During city tour you will attend: St. Sofia Cathedral, St. Michael’s Cathedral (the tourists come into the territory of the Cathedral, see all the buildings, a belfry, take pictures – but from outside), the Golden Gate of Kiev, St. Andrew’s Church (designed by famous architect Rastrelli who was a court architect of Russian Tsaritsa Elizabeth) - outside visit (nearby open-air souvenir market (10-15 minutes)), and a marvelous view of the Lower Old Town called Podol, Kreshchatik Street (main Kiev boulevard) - from the bus (car), Grushevskogo str. – where the Cabinet of Ministry and Supreme Soviet are allocated. While the breaks the tourist are able to have a snack at one of the Kiev Restaurant.
St. Sophia Cathedral – is the world famous historical and architectural monument of the first half of the 11th century. Built in the times of Yaroslav Mudry, the cathedral served as a social, political and cultural center of Kievan Rus, where foreign ambassadors were received, chronicles were recorded and the first Russian library, founded by Yaroslav Mudry himself, functioned. The cathedral is famous for its mosaics and frescos by Byzantine masters that date back to the 11th century. Marvelous frescos decorate walls, pillars and vaults. St. Sophia Cathedral was included to the list of international legacy of UNESKO.
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The golden-domed Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra — the Appanage (allotment) of the Most-Holy Theotokos, the cradle of the monasticism on Russian Land and the stronghold of Orthodoxy — rises on the high hills of the River Dnieper’s right bank. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra started its existence in Kiev in 1051, during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise and metropolitan ministry of St. Ilarion.
The Pechersk Monastery was spiritual, social, cultural and educational centre for the Eastern Slavonic Lands. The Pechersk Monastery was held in respect not only in Kievan Rus, but also in Poland, Armenia, Byzantine, Bulgaria and other countries.
By the end of the XVI century the monastery revived actively despite difficulties linked with spread of Catholicism on Ukrainian lands and intrusions into the Lavra’s life of the King and barons. The monastery built churches and acquired new lands. Although it did not enjoy the fame of the first centuries of its existence, it remained one of the biggest spiritual educational and cultural centres of Ukraine.
The Pechersk Monastery enjoyed the great fame. Even some Russian princes came to the Lavra and stayed there forever. All Russian Tsars devoted attention to the Lavra: Alexey Mikhailovich and Peter the Great, Catherine II, Anna Ioannovna, Nicholas I and Nicholas II, Alexander I, Alexander II, Alexander III, Pavel, Elizabeth… Names of great dukes and counts were among those who donated to the Lavra: Count Sheremetiev, Duchess Gagarina, Count Rumiantsev-Zadunaiskiy, Countess Orlova-Chesmenskaya and others. Many noble families, merchants, entrepreneurs, foreigners donated significant sums for the Lavra’s needs. Even ordinary people with meagre income considered making donations to the Lavra a Christian duty.
The Pechersk Monastery also had on its territory a hotel for pilgrims and a hospital. Every year the monastery provided accommodation and food for up to eight thousand pilgrims.
Like other monasteries of the Russian Empire the Lavra allocated significant sums for educational needs. The Lavra had its own primary school, theological college.
The Lavra and other monasteries allocated significant amounts of money during the Russian-Japanese war and WWI.
As evidenced, the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery had always participated in all good state or church undertakings. Charity, love to neighbours contributed to the immense prestige of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Generous donations from the Royal Family with inscriptions «in commemoration of a special love to the Monastery for feats and prayers of the Lavra brotherhood unto salvation of people’s souls».
The years of WWII did great damage to the architectural and historical valuables of the Lavra.
In June 1988, in commemoration of the thousandth anniversary of Kievan Rus Baptism and according to the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministries of the UkrSSR, the territory of the Far Caves with all monastery buildings was transferred to the possession of a newly created Pechersk community. In 1990 the territory of the Near Caves was handed over.
Nowadays, on the territory of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is allocated the Golden Treasure Museum – which has one the richest collections of golden articles in the FSU countries.
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Culture program (prices per person)
| Car (3 persons) | Mini Bus (4-7 persons) | Mini Bus (8-15 persons) | Bus (16-40 persons) | |
| Kiev city tour with attending St. Sophia Cethedral. Included: professianal guidance services, entrance tickets, transfer |
$136 | $175 | $235 | $412 |
| City tour with attending Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. Included: guide services, tickets, transfer |
$148 | $172 | $232 | $340 |
| Other tours | Upon request | Upon request | Upon request | Upon request |
