A journey into Kyiv oblast: hidden gems on the outskirts

One of the biggest collection of ceramics is a proud of Trypillya culture museum

This pot is two or three thousand years older than the Yin-Yang found in China.

A bird from straw is an ancient Ukrainian averter.

Museum is a two-stored building, located in Trypillya village on the bank of the Dnipro River.

There clay figures symbolise a Foremother whom trypiltsi worshriped.

This power plant is located on the place where legendary Dragon or Zmiy burst out having left famous Dragon Walls or "Zmiyevi Valy".

Sviato-Pokrovska church in Parkhomivka village, 30 kilometers south of Bila Tserkva town. Researchers discovered antique, pagan and Byzantine architectural motifs in it that are supposed to symbolize the unity of all religions. The church was a technical miracle of its time, with boilers in the basement to heat the floor and the church.

But the greatest treasure of the church is its mosaics by the iconic Russian painter Nikolay Rerikh.

     There are plenty of travel options for a weekend break in Ukraine, but one that Kyiv residents often seem to overlook is the closest: Kyiv Oblast.

     You may be surprised to find that in the distance of no more than 100 kilometers from the capital, you can look at: the remains of one of the oldest civilizations, in Trypillya village; the legendary Dragon Walls, created by ancient people to protect themselves from enemies; a church with mosaics by famous artist Nikolay Rerikh in Parkhomivka village; and Oleksandriya dendrological park – a beautiful and romantic place for a walk in the town of Bila Tserkva. All these places are a part of the “Golden Ring of Kyiv Oblast” tour conducted by art agency Territoriya A and the government as part of preparations for Euro 2012, the soccer championship that will have games in Kyiv.

Trypillya culture museum

     Imperfect roads and a lack of good hotels and cafes should not be an obstacle for someone who is able to appreciate the unpolished pearls of the Kyiv province, almost untouched by the tourist business.

     After a half-hour trip by a small bus or car along Novoobukhivske Shose, you won’t notice anything remarkable about the two-storyd brick house in Trypillya village 40 kilometers from Kyiv. However, you may notice the diverse landscape that surrounds it. The building, which accommodates the museum of Trypillya Civilization, is located on the picturesque bank of the Dnipro River which does not seem to work with a view of a power plant with fuming pipes. Next to the building is a clumsy imitation of an ancient Trypillyan two-storied house of wood and clay, with a gate that looks like a two-horned arch. 

     The museum has one of the biggest collections of ceramics and ancient tools gathered by private collector Oleksandr Polishchuk. It is located near the place where archaeologist Vikentiy Khvoyko discovered a new archaeological culture in 1896. It was named after the nearest village of Trypillya.

     The most intriguing thing about the Trypillya Civilization is the challenges it presents to official science. Trypillya traces its origins back by 7,500 years, which makes it older than the Egyptian civilization. It existed for 3,000 years. It occupied a large territory of the present day right-bank Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Hungary.

     “It was 25 percent of civilized Europe at that time,” said Denys Olenchenko, a young and enthusiastic museum guide. “[One historian] even said: “Ukrainians, search for the beginning of all Europe around your Middle Dnipro.”

     There is evidence that people from this ancient culture were the first ones to invent a wheel. “Archeologist found a small clay bull-toy on wheels. If there was a toy with wheels, than a real wheel also existed but it, of course, rotted as it was wooden,” said Olenchenko.

     One of the pots in the museum boasts an ornament that looks almost like the famous Chinese Yin-Yang symbol. But this pot is two or three thousand years older than the Yin-Yang found in China.

     One of the museum’s exhibits is a collection of Ukrainian embroidered shirts, many of which inherited symbols of the Trypillya culture: there you can see a Foremother with elevated hands and a swastika, the sun symbol.

Dragon Walls

     After the museum, the tour took us to Zmiyevi Valy (Dragon Walls), located a few kilometers from Trypillya. We got off the bus on top of an unremarkable hill littered with garbage, and our guide told us a myth that every Ukrainian kid knows. In the old times, a Zmiy (Dragon) lived here and killed people. Then ancient hero Kyrylo Kozhumyaka (Cyril the Tanner) from Kyiv risked his life, saving Kyivans from the dragon. He harnessed the creature and made it plough. The two big hills appeared as a result. In the end, a tired and thirsty Zmiy went to the Dnipro and drank until it burst. “And that happened somewhere here,” he pointed down from the hill to the place where the Stuhna river flows into the Dnipro, and where a power plant stands now. “It’s remarkable but this power plant is a symbolical reminder of that Dragon.”

     The hill or, more precisely, an earth wall we stood on was one of the fortification structures created by a civilization that came after Trypillya to protect themselves from steppe nomads travelling from the south. 2,000 kilometers of those fortifications, six to eight meters high, remained in the Kyiv region on the right bank of the Dnipro.

Sviato-Pokrovska church

     Another under-explored site of interest in the Kyiv region is Sviato-Pokrovska church in Parkhomivka village, 30 kilometers south of Bila Tserkva town. 

     Typically Ukrainian villages have wooden churches or baroque-style churches painted white. But this church is quite different. Researchers discovered antique, pagan and Byzantine architectural motifs in it that are supposed to symbolize the unity of all religions. But the greatest treasure of the church is its mosaics by the iconic Russian painter Nikolay Rerikh. The mosaic above the main entrance depicts Pokrova, the protection of the Virgin, who covers people with a carpet. The mosaic is mostly done in blue and white smalt, special non-transparent glass that shines and glints in the sun. Rerikh and architect Volodymyr Pokrovskiy conceived the idea of this church on the tomb of their friend, landlord Viktor Holubiev, who built schools in Parkhomivka and was adored by his peasants. The church was a technical miracle of its time, with boilers in the basement to heat the floor and the church.

     The floor of the choir loft is slightly inclined to create a marvelous acoustic effect. The church survived some tough times. During the Soviet rule, it was used as a warehouse for fertilizers and corn. Currently, it is a working church where marriages and christenings are performed every Sunday.

Oleksandriya landscape park

     On your way back to Kyiv you can make a stop in Bila Tserkva and visit Oleksandriya, a vast park on the north-western suburbs of the town, 80 kilometers from Kyiv. Though to explore the biggest landscape park in Ukraine, you need a full day at your disposal.

     Today anyone can visit the park. But 200 years ago, when the park was a brand new creation of the Branytskiy family, only their guests and members of the royal family could walk its lanes. It was designed in a romantic style with few artificial landscape changes. Nearly every pathway in the park was made from wood chippings and clay, not asphalt or concrete. The park is located along the river Ros and has a system of beautiful pounds with swans, waterfalls and bridges. It’s a perfect place for a long romantic day out.

Trypillya culture museum Ancient Aratta – Ukraine
Trypillya village (1 Rybolovetska, 520-9444).
Near Vydubychi metro station, take the marshrutka to Stayky or Rzhyshchiv, Bukryn, Kaniv (through Rzhyshchiv) to “Shkola-Internat” station in Trypillya village.
Open Tue-Sun, 10 a.m. till 6 p.m.
Tickets are Hr 10, for students Hr 5, for pupils Hr 3
Extra fees: Hr 7 to take pictures, Hr 15 for filming.
A guide is provided for free for a group of 10 or more (non-English speaking). 

Oleksandriya landscape park
Bila Tserkva town (8 (04463) 4-05-51, 4-05-47)
Tours around park from Hr 100
Tickets to museum Hr 6, for students and pupils Hr 2
In the winter, the park is open Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.
Starting April 15, the park is open daily, except Tuesdays, 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.
www.alexandriapark.kiev.ua

Oksana Faryna for "Kyiv Post"

Photos: Serhiy Anishchenko

The mystery of the Lybid River

    

 What does an average Kyivan think when they hear the name Lybid? It is a three-star hotel in the city center, on Victory Square.

     A lady sharing that name is part of a famous monument on the Dnipro bank. She stands on a boat together with her three legendary brothers Kiy, Shchek and Khory, the so-called founders of Kyiv.

     The boat they stand in is sometimes referred to by Kyivans as “Noah’s Ark”, or “The Titanic”. The monument was erected in 1982 as a part of Kyiv’s 1,500-year anniversary festivities. Another version of this boat – but a lot smaller – appeared on Maidan Nezalezhnosti after its latest reconstruction in 2001.

     But there is one site of interest that tourist guides mention but don’t show: the remains of the ancient river Lybid.

     Legend has it that the river was named after the only girl among the four siblings who founded Kyiv. The river’s name was first mentioned in chronicles dating back to 968 A.D. In those times, it was a full-fledged river, 20 meters deep and a kilometer wide that could sail big boats. It marked the southern border of the city.

     Today, it is a pathetic brook 0.5 meters deep and between 1.6 and 3.5 meters wide, flowing mostly underground in pipes or a concrete shell through the city’s industrial area and quietly sabotaging the extension of the underground line south of Lybidska station.

     Of course, it took the river many years to degrade to its present state, and there were a few attempts to save it. During his visit to Kyiv in 1850, Russian Emperor Nikolai I decreed the construction of a canal along the Lybid leading to the Dnipro, and the erection of a boulevard where Naberezhno-Zhylianska Street now runs. But the Crimean war that broke out soon after, and then the Czar’s death, halted the work.

     In 1891 the city council, or Duma, considered a plan for creating a boat channel that would make Kyiv a bit like Amsterdam. The channel was supposed to be 5 kilometers long, 4 meters deep and 32 meters wide, and become the main waterway communication channel for the public and merchants between the Dnipro and the railway station. The cost of this engineering miracle was estimated at 250,000 rubles, 10 times the size the city budget. This time World War I kept the endeavor a concept only.

     The concrete shell around Lybid was built in Soviet times after the flood of 1937. Spring waters overflowed the banks and submerged large areas of the city between today’s Povitroflotskiy Prospect and Victory Square. Many houses were flooded, the water having reached a meter above sea level in 22 houses. For 12 days, Kyiv resembled Venice with boats on the streets.

     The disaster forced the city government to strengthen the river bed with concrete panels and build a water collector. It was then that the Lybid received its tame and industrial look.

     There is only one place in Kyiv where you can see the remains of the Lybid river in a pleasant and natural setting. It is Vidradniy Park in Solomyanskiy district of the city. You can get there from Heroiy Sevastopolya Street or from Vidradniy Prospect. There is a beautiful pond with willows growing along its banks. An unremarkable carved rock next to the pond reads: “This is one of the spots where the legendary Lybid river starts.” Vidradniy tributary flows into the Lybid in this place.

     Beyond this pond, the river dives into a pipe to start its 16-kilometer journey. Another source of the river is located near Karavayevi Dachi railway station, just behind the Radio Market.

     Vidradniy Park is a favorite student hangout for the National Aviation University, which is located nearby. Romantic couples, families with children and pensioners are also regular park visitors. The park’s pond is a good place for fishing in the summer.

     By the way, the park improved significantly after the reconstruction, completed a couple days ago. Its reopening was dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Kyiv from Nazi occupation, observed on Nov. 6.

     The park now has new footpaths and benches, flower-beds and a pretty iron gate at the main entrance. When this Kyiv Post reporter visited the park, workers were still busy welding the letters of the park’s name to the gate.

     But if you prefer a more extreme sightseeing tour of the Lybid, there is a popular route just for you. Flowing in its shell under Lebedeva-Kumacha street, Lybid crosses Industrialna and reappears above ground near Zaliznychna Street. From there it flows through an open concrete bed. Lybid flows along the railway on Naberezhno-Zhylianska, and once again hides in a collector on Saperno-Slobidska. It resurfaces by Vydubychi metro station, runs along Promyslova Street and flows into the Dnipro.

     The river’s longest open stretch is along Naberezhno-Slobidska street. It was no accident that the railway line was built along this route. It was built along the river bed to avoid cutting through Kyiv’s many hills. A section of the Lybid on Naberezhno-Slobidska between Moskovska square and Ivana Fedorova Street is the favorite place of graffiti artists. The concrete walls running along the river have essentially become a graffiti gallery known as “The Hall of Fame.” There you can see splendid examples of street art by authoritative graffiti groups “Psya Krev” and “Interesni Kazky”.

    The easiest way to get to the graffiti gallery is to go under the railway bridge between Lybidska and Moskovska Squares. You can take a walk along the river and come out around Ivana Fedorova Street.

     People who have walked this three-kilometer route claim it is safe. Ivan Siyak, editor of “Nash Kyiv”, an internet site, advises to avoid the route soon after the rain unless you want to be completely covered in mud. In any case, wear something casual so that you don’t have to worry in case you get a little dirty. Be nice to the homeless people if you find them sunbathing there, and they won’t bother you.

     The historical river was once an important waterway, but now it’s a symbol of new urban life.
However, it is still important for the city. It helps to drain large flat areas of the city, including parts of the city center and the planes where the railway station and the central bus station are located. It sucks up the brooks that still flow under a number of industrial giants, including Dairy Factory No.1, “Kyivhuma” rubber plant, a confectionery, a margarine plant, and two power plants.

Oksana Faryna for "Kyiv Post

Photo: mytabor.blogspot.com; Angel & rose at samodelki.kiev.ua

Legends of Lypky villas

    Moody autumn is the best time to walk around the city, to recall its past times and legends. Strolling around the most prestigious district in Kyiv, Lypky, is especially pleasant on weekends, when the streets are quiet and there is much less traffic. Previously, this territory was occupied by the lime trees and mulberry gardens of Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery. When streets were laid here in the first half of the 19th century, the new district derived its name from the word “lypa” – Ukrainian for “lime tree.” Only the richest merchants and aristocrats could afford to build their villas here. These masterpieces of architecture impressed common people with luxury and became quickly surrounded by gossip.

      Probably the best way to start your walk is at the entrance to Khreshchatyk metro station. There are several of them, but you need the one that opens onto Instytutska Street. Take the second turn on your right and you’ll find yourself at Bankova street, where the Presidential Administration is located. Right away you’ll see the first of the most interesting buildings of Lypky. It is all grey, decorated with different fantastic creatures – mythic nereids on dolphins, frogs, lizards, the heads of elephants and rhinoceroses. The House with Chimeras, as it was called by Kyivans, was built in 1903 by famous architect Vladyslav Horodetskiy for his own use.

The House with Chimeras

     People like to say that the famous architect built the house dedicated to sea creatures in memory of his drowned daughter. In truth, this is no more than a beautiful legend. The architect’s daughter, Helena, outlived her father and died in Switzerland. It probably was Horodetskiy’s own hobby that induced him to seat all those creatures on the building. He was an experienced hunter, or “sportsman,” as it was called at the time. He hunted in Ukrainian Polissya, the Caspian steppe, in the Alps and the Siberian taiga. After finishing the House with Chimeras, he fulfilled his old dream and went hunting in Africa in 1911, a luxury affordable by the likes of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt or Count Stanislav Pototskiy. As people told, after this voyage, Horodetskiy would stroll down Khreshchatyk with a tamed monkey or trained giraffe. It is, of course, another fable.

     The real fact, however, is that the legendary architect was one of the first people in Kyiv to own a car. Horodetskiy’s firm was very profitable, and apart from luxurious building projects, it made the first sewers in Kyiv. He was also a stockholder of “FOR” cement plant, which gave him cement for free just to advertise new building materials. Could there be better advertising than such a masterpiece as the House with Chimeras? Another fact is that the architect bet his colleague that it is possible to build a house on a steep hill. And he won. You can also bet a tourist that in Kyiv there is a house with three floors on one side and six on the other. It might be hard to believe, but the House with Chimeras is a "living" proof.

     Horodetskiy moved to a new house when he was 40 years old. He said to the impressed guests at the first reception: “I understand that the building looks a bit wild, but nobody who walks through will stay indifferent.” The architect lived in only one of its apartments and rented out the rest. To have fresh milk for his morning coffee, he even built a cowshed. He placed it in such a way that the bad smell couldn't reach the living rooms and wouldn't bother guests. Today, the House with Chimeras is used for official presidential receptions while Mariyinskiy Palace is being reconstructed.

The House of Grieving Widow

     Flags of foreign countries from time to time appear on the front of the building on 23 Lyuteranska Street. Honorable guests stay there while visiting Kyiv. The building doesn’t strike you as something special from the first glance. But if you look up its front you’ll see a bass-relief of a woman’s face. There are small holes in the apple of her eyes. The rain and snow falls in special holes in the back of her head and flows out like tears from her eyes. Due to this, the building is called The House of Grieving Widow.

     Historian Dmytro Malakhov recalls a legend from his childhood about the building. People said there was a train carriage in the yard where the master invited his guests to stay at night. There were bed linen and tea glasses like in a real train. The carriage could even shake, imitating a moving train. Another story says that there was a room designed like a train compartment in the building. The master of the house wanted to have such a room because that’s how he met his beloved wife – on a train. When he tragically died, his wife built a house with a crying woman on the front. In reality the room with the compartment really exists, but it’s located in the house of Kovalyovskiy’s family on the next street. The House of the Grieving Widow was built by a merchant of the second guild, Serhiy Arshavskiy, in 1907. He lived peacefully with his family and planted a couple of paradise trees in the yard. Why the crying bass-relief appeared on the house of a happy family, even historians can’t tell.

Chocolate House

     Now the merchant of the first guild, Semen Mohylyovtsev, from the neighboring Shovkovychna street, was the one who really lived a lonely life. Go up on Lyuteranska, take a turn on your left and you will see his brown two-floored villa under the number 17 built in 1899 by architect Volodymyr Nikolayev’s project. Kyivans could not believe that such a rich entrepreneur and patron, member of the city council, director of the city credit association and head of Kyiv's stock exchange committee didn’t have a wife and made up a legend that he was fall in love with a rich married woman from another city and built a house for their romantic meetings. Wether it was mere coincidence or fate, after Mohylyovtsev died, in 1960s-80s his villa was used as a Wedding Palace (a common name for administrations were marriages were registered in Soviet times).

     Due to its rich brown color, the building became known as Chocolate House. “It really smells like chocolate when you stand near the house,” – a friend of mine said after we went past the Chocolate House together. Indeed, it is said that you can feel a taste of cocoa in your mouth if you watch the brown front of the house for a while. Since 1989, Chocolate House has been closed for restoration. So we can judge about the interior only from photos. The building had a Gothic dining room, Baroque cabinets and rooms in modern, Moorish and Russian styles. It was decorated with stained-glass windows, marble window sills, carved doors, and painted walls. It was one of the richest villas in the city. It desperately needs restoration, but for the last twenty years, the city administration has been unable to find money for it.

Oksana Faryna for "Kyiv Post"
Photo: Olena Pavlova