Touch on history of Kyiv

Walking along the narrow streets of Kyiv during our "Photo shoot & excursion in Kyiv", know that you are walking along the streets where Prince Volodymyr, Baptiser of Rus was walking or horse riding.

In order to see and have photos in most places, described here in this post, we would need about 4 hours. You can order a long tour in direct. To have Basic route you can choose 2 hours long "Photo shoot and excursion" with different times sites and exciting stories pressing the button.

In order to plunge into power of history of Rus, please get aqcuainted with the people, who established the Rus state and Baptised Rus.

Princess Olga, Saint Olga (around 902-969) - Princess of Kyiv, the wife of Prince Ihor of the House of Rurik. After the assassination of her husband, she became a regent and actual ruler of Rus, hense her son Sviatoslav was a minor. She was canonized as a saint.

Prince Sviatoslav the Brave, or the Conqueror (around 935-972) - Grand Prince of Rus of the Rurik dynasty. The son of Prince Ihor and Princess Olga.

Prince Volodymyr the Great (960/963-1015) - Prince of the Rurik dynasty - the Baptiser of Rus (988) - the son of Prince Sviatoslav and the father of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

But first, ancient history of Ukraine is very exciting and the cultural items of those times still can be observed in the museums of Ukraine.

Prince Yaroslav the Wise (980-1054) -  He built the majestic Cathedral of St. Sophia and the famous Golden Gate.

The name "Ukraine" comes from the old Slavic word "krai", originally meaning "territory",

 "land" as well as the "state".

In other words, "to live in Ukraine" meant "to live in one`s own lands".

8 th - 3rd cent. BC - Scythian culture was located almost on the whole territory that resembles the territory of nowadays Ukraine (with occupied territories).

The most famous and beautiful and massive breastplate of Scythian times that was found is Pectoral from burial mound of Tovsta Mohyla (Fat Barrow), a breastplate of a Scythian king the 4th century BC.

Already in the 70s and the 80s AD, the King Inismeos, Olvia had silver coins.

In 153-174 was used personal seal of Tiberius Julius Eupator Kig of Bosporus.

According to historical evidences, Kyiv was established earlier than in 482, as founding of Kyiv was officially recognized in the Soviey era.

The Slavs are mentioned in chronicles and annals for the first time. Later thay inhabited the lands that now belong to Belorus, Poland and Ukraine.The beginning of the unification of the ancient Slavic principalities around Kyiv, that became the capital of a new state. It went down in history under the name of Rus.

Rus was ruled by a Scandinavian dynasty of Rurik o The Rurikids. At the beginning of the 10th century the head of the state was Ihor, Prince of Kyiv the son of the founder of the Rurik dynasty.

After the death of Ihor in 945, his wife Olga ruled the country till 962 when her son Sviatoslav came of age. Princess Olga was a wise, strong and charismatic person. She is the first woman to become a leader of a state. Olga carried out a tax reform, having established locations for tax collection, strengthened the borders, made a trade agreement with the Byzantine Emperor, and took control of the trade route "from the Varangians to Greeks", that stretched along the Dnieper and further to Constantinople.

Building of St. Sophia Cathedral started in Kyiv  in 1011 by the Prince Volodymyr the Great. His son Yaroslav finished building the cathedral. St.Sofia Cathedral reflects previous times even now. It is possible to visit the Cathedral when you want.