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About Kiev
Upcoming Tour: Nikolaev on hold until further notice Kiev is situated on the banks of the river Dnepr. According to a legend Kiev was founded by three brothers Kiy, Shchek and Khoryv and their sister Lybid more than 15 centuries ago. The town had been the political center of Kiev Rus'. The blossoming forth of Kiev was during the ruling of the prince Volodymyr Sviatoslavovych and Yaroslav Mudry. The baptism of Ukraine began in Kiev. In the X - XII centuries Kiev was one of the biggest cities in Europe. In nearly 1362 Kiev land became part of Great Lithuanian principality. In 1494 Kiev was given the Magdeburg Right. Since 1648 it was a center of Kiev regiment. The largest city of Ukraine, it is Ukrainian industrial, transportation, and cultural center. Among leading manufactures of Kiev are machinery, machine tools, chemicals, motor vehicles, processed food, textiles, clothing, forest products, and printed materials. The city also serves as the market for an agricultural region producing grain, fruit, sugar beets, and other commodities. A beautiful city with many parks and historical structures, Kiev is built mostly on hills overlooking the Dnepr. The old part of Kiev, on the right bank of the river, includes hills surmounted by churches and the ruins of ancient castles and fortifications. The Cathedral of St. Sophia, where the princes of Kiev were crowned in the years of Kiev's grandeur, has outstanding mosaics and frescoes dating back to the 11th century. Overlooking the old section of Kiev, Podol, stands the Ukrainian Baroque church of St. Andrew, much beloved by Ukrainians. The Percherska Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, a short trolley ride from the center of town, has two 11th-century cathedrals on its grounds, in addition to its world-famous catacombs, bell tower, and museum collections. Close to the center of town stands the Golden Gate, that was built in 1037. The art and architecture of Kiev are world treasures.
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