(Kiev, Ukraine)

Last Saturday, when Grant and I visited the Easter fair, we decided to tour one of the main cathedrals in Kiev since we happened to be just outside its gate. And we thought we could get great views of the city from the bell tower.

St. Sophia of Kiev is a cathedral originally built in the 11th Century. The building was damaged by a fire in 1697 and rebuilt in the 18th Century. Other monastic buildings were also built around this time within the gated complex and is representative of the Ukrainian baroque style. One of the larger of the buildings was built as a residence and once housed the royal family. Later, it was used as a military barracks. Now the residence building, as well as the other structures, have been converted into museums and art exhibit halls.

In 1990, St. Sophia’s Cathedral and the accompanying monastic buildings, were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to photograph the inside of the cathedral, but we hope you enjoy the photos we took of the outside.

In the bell tower after climbing several flights of stairs to the 1st viewing platform:

Exploring the other buildings:

If you are visiting Orthodox churches, it is polite to wear a scarf covering your hair if you are a woman. Some places require it and won’t let you go inside unless your hair is covered. At St. Sophia’s this didn’t seem like a requirement for tourists but it is good to carry a scarf just in case.

Touring this cathedral and its museum exhibits doesn’t take long so it’s something one can do in a couple of hours. It’s not an all day attraction by itself but is definitely worth the visit, especially if you are a history buff. The inside of the cathedral still retains some of the original fresco paintings from the 11th Century as well as parts of the original stone flooring and walls.

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