Kiev (Kyiv)

Kyiv, the capital and largest city of Ukraine, is located in the north-central region of the country along the Dnieper River. With 2,952,301 residents as of January 1, 2022, this city is the seventh most populous in Europe. For more than a millennium, this ancient city—one of Eastern Europe’s oldest—has been central in the history, culture, and economy of the region.

Kyiv’s name comes from one of its four legendary founders, Kyi, thus its beginnings are rich in mythologies. Possibly as early as the fifth century, the city’s strategic location on the trade path between Scandinavia and Constantinople helped explain its early growth as a commercial center. Originally a Khazars tributary, Kyiv’s destiny changed drastically in the middle of the 9th century when it was taken by the Varangians, or Vikings. Kyiv became the capital of Kievan Rus’, the first East Slavic state, under their control, so initiating its golden age.

Still, Kyiv’s prominence was not meant to linger. The city was totally devastated by the Mongol invasions of 1240, so reducing its influence for centuries to come. Kyiv came under the rule of several nations in the next years: Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and so on. Notwithstanding these obstacles, the city progressively came to be more important, first as a frontier market then as a major center of Orthodox learning in the 16th century and finally as a hub of trade, industry, and government by the 19th century.

Under the Russian Empire, Kyiv experienced fresh wealth during the late 19th century Industrial Revolution. Following the October Revolution, the city’s fortunes once more changed when it became the capital of the newly declared independent Ukrainian People’s Republic. But this time of independence was fleeting. Kyiv became the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic formally in 1934 after first serving as the capital following the wars between Ukraine and Poland.

Though Kyiv suffered great damage during World War II, the city showed amazing resiliency and recovered quickly in the years following war. Under Soviet control, it kept its third-largest city rank and kept expanding and developing. Kyiv entered a new chapter when the Soviet Union fell apart and Ukraine gained its independence in 1991. Being the capital of independent Ukraine, the city saw a consistent flow of ethnic Ukrainian immigrants from other areas, so reinforcing its role as the political, economic, and cultural center of the nation.

Kyiv has changed significantly in the years after gaining its freedom. After the Soviet fall, the armaments-dependent industrial sector of the city dropped, impacting sectors including science and technology; new economic drivers then surfaced. Kyiv’s expansion has been facilitated by the services and financial sectors, which has raised investment and pay scales. This economic change has given the construction of urban infrastructure and homes ongoing financing, so modernizing the city’s skyline and safeguarding its rich historical legacy.

With political parties pushing for closer connection with the European Union dominating elections, Kyiv has also become Ukraine’s most pro-Western region. This political orientation captures the city’s modernizing ambitions as well as its need to more precisely match Western European norms and values.

One cannot stress the cultural value of the city. Kyiv has been a historic hub of East Slavic culture and a main cradle for Christianization of Kievan Rus. For Eastern Orthodox Christianity, it remained a center of main relevance even during times of relative downturn. For ages pilgrims have flocked to the city’s holy sites, especially Saint Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (the Monastery of the Caves). Comprising the Seven Wonders of Ukraine, these UNESCO World Heritage Sites are not only main religious centers but also main tourist attractions.

Rich and varied Kyiv’s cultural scene consists in many theaters, museums, and other cultural establishments. Among the energetic performing arts scene of Kiev are the Kyiv Opera House, Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater, and the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. Rich history and artistic legacy of the area are preserved and shown by museums including the National Art Museum and the Kyiv State Historical Museum.

The city has also become well-known abroad for staging big events including the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005 and 2017. These events have not only shown Kyiv’s capacity for planning big-scale international conferences but also helped to establish the city’s increasing tourism appeal.

Particularly following the adoption of a visa-free policy for EU members states and Switzerland in 2005, Kyiv’s tourism has seen notable increase. The UEFA Euro 2012 football tournament signaled a sea change and made Kyiv the most sought-after travel destination in Europe. The city’s economic development and international profile have resulted from its capacity to welcome and draw business as well as recreational visitors.