The National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet is the oldest musical theatre in Ukraine. It was founded in 1867. While at that time Ukraine was a part of Russian Empire, mainly the operas of Russian composers were staged, such as Mermaid by A. Dargomyzhsky, Life for Tsar and Ruslan and Lyudmila by М. Glinka, Queen of Spades by P. Tchaikovsky.

Independence Square, or Maidan Nezalezhnosti, is the central square in Kiev, the main and the most beautiful one. Parades, concerts, festivals and other city arrangements and holidays regularly take place on this square. It contains six fountains, Independence Column, artificial waterfall, and other attractions.

On the high hills of the right bank of the Dnepr River magnificent Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra topped with gilded domes is situated. According to the legend, Apostle Andrew, while preaching the Word of God in the Scythian Land, blessed the hilly bank of the Dnepr River and said: "On these hills the great city and many churches in glorification of Holy God will be".

Kreschatik is the most famous and busiest street in Kiev. It is a wide boulevard with plenty of chestnut trees. It is hard to believe that some time ago on the site of Kreschatik used to be a valley and a river surrounded by forest. Nowadays it stretches from Europeiskaya Square to Bessarabskaya Square and contains trade buildings, bank departments and luxurious hotels.

The golden gate was one of the main structures built by Yaroslav in 1037. Cut into the rampart, it measured 6.4 meters, which was wide enough for a triumphal entry. The "golden" part of its name emphasized the triumphal character of the gate and also referred to the golden cupola of the Church of the Annunciation which was built over it.

The Saint Sophia Cathedral was built in 11 century. It is situated in a very heart of the city. There are 260 square meters of mosaics left and 300 square meters of frescoes left through the centuries. It's impossible to find such church with so much frescoes of 11 century left. There are the monastery buildings dating from 17th century and conducted in Ukrainian baroque style around the cathedral.

According to legend, Kiev was founded by three brothers, Swedish Vikings: Kyy, Shchek, Khorev and their sister Lybid in the 5th century and was first established as a trading outpost to Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. At the end of the 9th century the city became the political center of the Eastern Slavs. The city flourished as a trading city from the tenth to mid-thirteenth century, but was invaded by Mongol warriors beginning in the early 1200s - Kiev declined in importance thereafter.