The first time you become acquainted with Kiev city, and greet it from the car window as an old friend, you see its beauty, grandeur. You can observe its business Today, catch a hint of a prosperous Tomorrow, but also this ancient city talks a lot about his heroic and tragic, interesting and exciting Yesterday. This tale sounds low voice and softly, it comes from the ancient times.

Take a walk through the city, look close at the details, let your heart hear stories of the magnificent history.

Walking through the embankment of the Dnieper River, you should pay attention to the beautiful and unusual sculptural composition, which has become one of the symbols of Kiev. The monument depicts four people in the boat on a crest of a wave. There is a young girl dressed in ancient slavic dress at the stern, she looks forward for something new, unknown and beautiful. Three men are at the center of the composition .They seem to represent the strength, stability and commitment. These people are the brothers Kyi, Scheck and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid. According to the legend, recorded by the chronicler Nestor in “The Tale of Bygone Years”, it is believed that these representatives of the tribe of the Eastern Polans sailed to this place by boats and founded the city in the 5th century.

The place for the city has been chosen successfully. The high slopes on the banks of the Dnieper River were good protection from the raids of nomadic tribes. The brothers were wise rulers, there were no quarrels, envy, or a lie between them. Scheck founded the settlement on one of the mountains. Today it is called Shchekavitsa. According to the legends, Oleg the Wise was buried on this hill. Therefore, the mountain’s second name is Oleg Mountain (Olegivka). Khoryv also founded his settlement on the hill, which was later named after him – Horevitsa. The city grew and developed quickly. And it was named in honor of the eldest brother Kyi. The city was destined to have a grand history.

The city had a very favorable geographical position. It was located on the wide water trade route by the Dnieper “from Varangians to Greeks”. The route “from Varangians to Greeks” was originated in the early IX century and its greatest development was in X-XI centuries. It became an important trade route between the Scandinavian countries, North Europe, Byzantium and the East. From Scandinavia merchants exported raw iron, amber, ivory, products from the whale skin (ship ropes); weapons, works of art and objects looted by the Vikings in Western Europe (French wine,

jewelry, silk and batiste fabrics, silverware); from Byzantium – wine, spices, jewelry and glassware, expensive fabrics, icons, books; from the Baltic states – amber; from Northern Russia – “soft gold” (sable fur, martens, otters, beavers, etc.), linen, wood, honey, wax, forged and ceramic utensils, weapons, leather, tar; from Kiev – bread, a variety of craft and art products, silver coins, etc. It also contributed to the rapid development of the city.
In the IX century and first half of X century, Kiev was considered as the largest commercial, cultural and handicraft center of Eastern Europe, competing with the capital of the Byzantine Empire, the great city Constantinople. Founded in the 5th century, Kiev quickly became the capital of the Tribes of eastern Polans, later it had been the capital Kievan Rus, the Kiev principality, the Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Ukrainian state. It saw the victories and defeats, courage and recklessness. But it always was glorious and grand.