Monumental Architecture in Kyiv A Monastery built above the Dnipro River. This building built into the bluff above the Dnipro extends into the caves in the rock-face. Many monasteries like this one were built under the reign of Yaroslav the Wise as monuments to the city's wealth and the orthodox religion.               The great patriotic war museum and monument was built to commemorate soviet losses during the Nazi invasion of WorldWar Two. Because of Kyiv's proximity to the Babyn Yar death camp and the number of Ukrainians who dies there, the city was chosen as the sight for the monument. The base of the statue is a museum about the War.           The large steel arch to the left was built by the soviet government during their "make-over" of Kyiv. It's official name was "The bridge of Friendship Between the Russian and Ukrainian Peoples" The people of Kyiv however, have a different name for it. The refer to it as the "yarmo" which when translated means "The Yoke."             A Modern Monument is displayed on the side of a building to the Pepsi-Cola Company and Kozak [Cossack] brand cigarettes. After the collapse of the communist government free enterprise made advertising a business again and billboards quickly sprung up on the sides of everything from apartments to office builings.             The golden gate of Kyiv shown here was restored in the middle 1980's to commemorate Kyiv's 1500th anniversay. It was originally part of the wall that surrounded the city. A gold domed chapel sits atop the gate itself.           Back to Urban Lanscape Back to Main Menu Back to History