A letter to a friend

5, Khreshchatyk Street,

Kyiv, Ukraine

Dear Carol,

It is the 5^th day that I’m staying in Kyiv. I’m sitting in my room in the hotel “Ukraine” now and writing this letter. The square, the main street Khreshchatyk, which I can see from my windows are becoming darker but still more beautiful as the evening lights are being switched on. There are a lot of people in the street. Some of them are going to the theatres or cinemas, others are going to do the shopping in the numerous fashionable boutiques.

One can see people sitting in cosy cafes or walking in the parks. Kyiv is really a European city. But it is a very ancient city as well. There are a lot of historical monuments and places in it. I have already seen many of them. You know that I’m very interested in history, so I tried to see as many historical places as possible. I have bought some postcards with the sights of Kyiv. I’m inclosing some of them for you to see what city is like.

In one of the cards you can see the Golden Gate, which is about a thousand years old. Once it served as the main entrance to Kyiv. At that time Kyiv was the capital of the feudal state of Kyiv Rus, a large and powerful state. Erected by the builders of Rus, this unique structure was a combination of defensive tower and church. It was at the Golden Gate that Kyivites welcomed Bogdan Khmelnytskyi, a hero of the Ukrainian people’s national-liberation struggle, who won the victory at the town of Zhovti Vody in 1648.

In another card you can see St. Sophia Cathedral. Prince Yaroslav the Wise laid the foundation of this cathedral in honour of the victory over the Pechenigy in 1037. Many events in the political and social life of Kyiv Rus were closely associated with St. Sophia. It was here that the ceremony crowning the prince was performed, here he mounted the Grand Throne of Kyiv to receive foreign ambassadors and to conclude trade agreements or peace treaties with other principalities. The first mention of the library collected by Yaroslav the Wise is also associated with St. Sophia Monastery. Kyiv Viche was held in the Sophia’s courtyard. It was here that in January 1654, Kyivites approved the historical decisions of the Pereyasliv Rada on the reunification of Ukraine with Russia.

An ancient city’s history can be traced through its ancient buildings, gates and walls as if they are still standing.

I’m going to visit the Kyiv Pecherska Lavra tomorrow. Lavra is an honorific title given to a monastery of extra-size and religious importance.

There are a lot of architectural masterpieces to see. One of them is the Mariyinskyi Palace. Being the state residence today, it is a pearl of Kyiv’s architecture. It is called the Presidential Palace. Official state events – awards, ceremonies, receptions, presentations of credentials by Ambassadors of foreign states, summits and meetings of official delegations of the highest level take place there.

I’m going to write you about my future impressions in my next letter.

Yours, Betty