Kiev

Kiev or Kyyiv, city, north central Ukraine, capital of Ukraine, and of Kiev Oblast, on the Dnepr River. The largest city of Ukraine, it is a major industrial, transport, and cultural centre. Among its leading manufactured goods are machinery, machine tools, chemicals, motor vehicles, processed food, textiles, clothing, forest products, and printed materials. The city also serves as the market for an agricultural region producing grain, fruit, sugar beet, and other commodities.

A beautiful city with many parks and historical structures, Kiev is built mostly on hills overlooking the Dnepr. The old section of the city, on the right bank of the river, includes hills surmounted by churches and the remains of ancient castles and fortifications. The newer quarters, on the left bank, were mostly built after World War II. The city is served by an underground railway.

Kiev was one of the foremost religious centres of Russia, and several important old church buildings survive. The most famous of these is the cathedral of St Sophia (also known as the Hagia Sophia of Kiev; founded early 11th century, largely rebuilt 17th-18th century; now a museum); the oldest cathedral in Ukraine, it is noted for its frescoes and mosaics. The large Perchersky, or Cave, monastery (founded early 11th century), known for its catacombs, is one of the most sacred buildings of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery and the cathedral were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. Other landmarks in the city include the Baroque-style church of St Andrew and the cathedral of St Vladimir (late 19th century). Also of interest are the ruins of the Golden Gate (11th century), once the main entrance to the city. The city is the site of a large university, the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, several research institutes, a music conservatory, an opera house, the Gallery of Russian Art and other museums, and a large sports stadium.

Often called the “Mother of Russian Cities”, Kiev was probably settled by the 4th century ad and soon developed into an important commercial centre located on a major trade route. In 882 the city was captured by Varangians led by Oleg, who made it the capital of the first significant Russian state, called Kievan Rus. In 988, during the reign of Vladimir I, also known as St Vladimir, the inhabitants of Kiev adopted the Greek Orthodox faith, and the city became the initial centre of Christianity in Russia.

Its exposed position near the Russian frontier made Kiev a constant prey to attack. The armies of the Mongol leader Batu Khan sacked and destroyed it in 1240, and the city remained under Mongol domination until the 1360s, when it came under Lithuanian rule. In 1482 the city was invaded by Crimean Tatars, and in 1569 it was incorporated into Poland. In 1648 Bohdan Khmelnytsky led a Cossack revolt against Polish rule, and he made Kiev the capital of a short-lived independent Ukrainian state. In 1686 the city was annexed by Russia.

In the 18th century Kiev was heavily fortified, and in the 19th century it grew as a trade and industrial centre. Kiev was held by German troops during World War I, and it was the scene of much fighting (1917-1920) following the Russian Revolution. In 1934 the city replaced Kharkiv as the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. During World War II Kiev was occupied by German forces from 1941 to 1943 and suffered great damage; as many as 200,000 of its inhabitants were killed. After the war the city was rebuilt and resumed its place as one of the chief Soviet economic and cultural centres. Following the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1991, Kiev became the capital of independent Ukraine. Population 2,611,000 (2001).