" My City "

Kiev is known as the capital of Ukraine and one of the largest cities in Europe. It is situated on the both banks of the Dniper and covers an area of over 800 square kilometeres. The city's population in around 2.7 million people.

According to the legend told by Nestor, an early Russian chronicler and monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, three brothers - Kiy, Shchek and Khoriv and their sister Lybed founded a town on one of the beautiful hills rising above the Dinieper river, and named Kiev after their eldest brother Kiy.

The town's location on the major trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks", that is from the Baltic to the Black Sea along the Dnieper, promoted its rapid growth and development.

Prince Oleg's reign (882-912) was the period of Kiev's rise, when numerous East Slavic tribes were united around it and the first state, Kievan Rus', emerged.

The power of Kiev and Kievan Rus' grew, when Prince Vladimir, ruling from 980 to 1015, replaced the traditional paganism of the Slaves with Byzantine trend of Christianity in 988-989.

Vladimir's son Yaroslav, known as the Wise, extended the city boundaries, fortified its approaches, built the Golden Gate and St. Sophia's Cathedral, founded the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, one of the Russian's most ancient monasteries. Yaroslav the Wise promoted culture and literature by collecting a large library, opening a school and setting up a workshop to copy and translate manuscripts.

In 1240, the Mongol hordes, led by Batu Khan, conquered Kiev. They destroyed Kiev, as well as dozens of other Russian cities, and massacred most of its population.

Beginning in the 17th century, Kiev once again turned into leading spiritual and cultural centre.

Today Kiev is a major industrial, scientific and cultural centre of Ukraine.

 

" Yaroslav the Wise "

Yaroslav the Wise was born in 978 and died on February 20, 1054 in Kyiv. He was the son of Grand Prince Volodymyr the Great. He became the Grand Prince of Kyiv from 1019; seven his sons governed different parts of Kievan Rus.

During his father reign Yaroslav governed the lands of Rostov (from 988) and Novgorod (from 1010). While ruling Novgorod, which became his main power base, ge rebelled against his father by refusing to pay the yearly tribute. After his father's death Yaroslav waged war against his brother Sviatopolk I for the Kyiv throne. He defended Sviatopolk and gained the Kyiv throne.

To retain his authority in northern Rus, he fought and defeated his cousin Briachyslav Iziaslavych of Polatsk in 1021. In 1030 Yaroslav conquered lands between Lake Peipus and the Baltic Sea.

After Mstyslav death in 1036, Yaroslav annexed his lands and became the ruler of Kyiv Rus except the Polatsk land. In 1043, however, his military expedition against Constantinopole, ended in disastrous defeat.

To defend his state from the attacks of normadic tribes, Yaroslav fortified southern frontier by building the line of castles along the Ros, the towns of Kaniv, Pereiasliv and Lubny. In 1037 he initiated the construction of the St Sophia Cathedral. During the Yaroslav's reign the cities of Kyiv, Novgorod, Chernigiv, Periaslav and Volodymyr-Volynski were considerably transformed. Over 400 churches were built in Kyiv alone, which was turned thereby into an architechtural rival of Constantinopole. Yaroslav walled inner city of Kyiv, which covered an area of nearly 60 ha, and St Sophia Cathedral stood in the centre, encircled by large palaces.

During his rule Christianity spread and grew stronger in Rus and the organisational and hierarchical structure of the Rus church was established. The first monasteries in Rus were formaly established during Yaroslav's reign.

He provided order in social and legal relations during his realm. Yaroslav arranged the compilation of a book of laws called "Pravda Yaroslavova" (Yaroslav's Justice). He founded a primary school and library at the St Sophia cathedral and sponsored the translation of Greek and other texts into Church Slavonic, the copying of many books and the compilation of a chronicle (1037-1039).

Yaroslav strengthened the international role of Kyiv Rus. As a European power Kyiv Rus reached its top under his rule. To ensure the unity of his state after his death, he divided the Kiiv Rus between his 7 sons. Ironically, this division weakened the state and Kiev Rus would never be united again. Yaroslaw the Wise was buried in the St Sophia Cathedral, where his marble sarcophagus has been preserved.