Top 10 parks in Kiev

1. The Shevchenko Park – the most romantic and beloved park of citizens, laid in the 1860’s in front of the university building and was named University Park. In 1869 a monument to Nicholas I was erected in the center of the park, and the park itself was renamed Nikolayevsky. In 1939 on the site of the monument to Nicholas I in the center of the park a monument to Taras Shevchenko was erected. The park began to bear the name of T.Shevchenko. In 1972, the park was given an environmental status. Street musicians perform here, and in the summer they dance. There is a restaurant on the territory of the park. Although the park is small, it is a favorite place for Kyivans and guests of the capital.

2. Park of Eternal Glory – was founded as a garden in 1894 on the initiative of the commandant of the Kyiv fortress Lieutenant-General of Artillery Anosov and was called Anosovsky (Commandant’s) garden. In 1919, on the site of the garden, it was ordered to make a cemetery of “victims of the counter-revolution.” In 1956 it was decided at this point to recreate the park. The Eternal Glory Memorial was built at a height of 27 m, the Alley of Heroes was laid, on which 35 soldiers were buried. The Eternal Flame burns at the foot of the obelisk. Every year on May 9 thousands of people come here to honor the memory of the heroes of the war. From the territory of the park, which is located on a hill, offers a magnificent view of the Dnipro and the left bank of the capital. Newlyweds like to come here to make a wedding photo session, and artists and photographers – to capture the beauty of the Dnipro.

3. The Park of KPI – a monument of landscape art of local importance (with an area of 13.5 hectares), laid in 1903 in front of the KPI housings and serves as a decoration of its architectural ensemble. The park is dominated by deciduous tree species, however there are also exotic ones: sugar maple, Caucasian lapin. There are a lot of squirrels in the park. After the reconstruction in 2008 the park has become a favorite place not only for students, but also for citizens. There are a number of monuments dedicated to outstanding personalities on the park’s territory.

4. O.Pushkin park – a park located along the Peremogy Avenue, between the metro stations “Shulyavska” and “Polytechnic Institute”, was founded in 1898 on the territory of the Kyiv Horticulture Society of the orchard and named Pushkinskiy – on the poet’s 100th birthday (1899). The special feature of the park has become its arrangement not only for hiking, but also for horseback riding and automobile driving. By 1907, more than 30,000 seedlings had been planted in the park, forming groves of different types of trees. In 1962 the monument to Oleksandr Pushkin was installed near the entrance to the park. There is a house of culture “Bilshovik” in the park, an exhibition center “Akko-International” (the former concert-dance hall “Lira”), a restaurant and a small temple. There are children’s playgrounds, thus the park has become a favorite with children.

5. The Feofania (Theophany) park – one of the most beautiful parks in Kyiv. This historic area of the Golosiivsky district of the capital was first mentioned in 1471 as Lazarevshchyna, named after the monk-beekeeper Lazar. The modern name of the area exists from 1803 in honour of the abbot of the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery of the vicar Bishop Feofan, who received land in this area for a country cottage. In 1806 Mykhailovska Church and a country residence were built here. Since the 1860’s Feofaniya belonged to the St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, there were built cells for monks, a metropolitan house, a refectory, hotels for pilgrims, a Temple of All Saints. In the period of 1905-1912 the Panteleimon Cathedral was built on the Feofania territory, which today is an architectural monument. In 1919 the monastery lands were nationalized, later – medical institutions, the main astronomical observatory and the field experimental laboratory. Since 2006 the Feofania became the gardening and park complex of NAS of Ukraine “Theophany”. In the park there is a pilgrimage path, on which there are springs, one of them is curative and called “Tears of Our Lady”. The park is rich not only in a natural landscape with unique plants, but also decorated with fountains, cascade of lakes, observation decks, etc.

6. Mariinsky Park – was earlier called “Tsarsky”, where parades were held. The founder of the park is considered to be the Empress Maria Alexandrivna, wife of Alexander II. Arriving after the coronation to Kyiv and following the European and Petersburg’s fashion of laying out parks. Empress Maria ordered at the place of the palace square and the military parade-ground to lay out the park in English style. Also, the name of the park is associated with the name of another tsar’s lady, Maria Fedorivna, the wife of Emperor Alexander III, who lived in Kyiv for 2 years, organizing hospitals and sanatoria for the wounded during World War I. Here Maria Fedorivna learned about the abdication of the emperor and was sent into exile. So far, the opinions of historians differ about the person who named the park and the palace of the same name. Next to the palace is located a specific platform from which you can admire the Dnipro River and the left bank of the capital.

7. Khreshchaty Park – located near the European Square, is one of the most popular parks. In tsarist times it was called the Merchant Garden. Initially, this territory was the part of the Tsarsky (City) Park, until the Kyiv merchants rented a corner of the garden, which is adjacent to the building of the Merchant Assembly. In 1872 in the park was built the first water tower of the Kyiv water pipe. Now here locates the Kyiv Water Museum. In the period of 1899-1901 in the park was built the Summer Theatre in the form of seashell. In 1923 next to the park in the building of the Merchant Assembly was opened a philharmonic society, which exists to this very day. In 1982, a monument appeared in the park – a steel archway, beneath which there are bronze sculptures of workers – Russian and Ukrainian, holding the Order of Friendship of Peoples. Now it is called the Arch of Friendship of Peoples. Also in the park there is a fairy-tale castle – it’s a puppet theatre(2005). On the territory of the park there are observation decks, from which opens a picturesque panorama of the Dnipro. One of the most romantic places in the park is the bridge of lovers.

8. Navodnitsky Park – a monument of landscape art of local importance, it is located on Pechersk near the Dnieper embankment. It is one of the most beautiful and romantic parks with a view of the Dnieper. It was founded in 1960 during the construction of the Dnieper embankment and it has an area of 10.2 hectares. There is a symbol of the capital in the center of the park – a monument to the founders of Ancient Kiev in the form of a boat with figures of the founding brothers of Kiev Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv and their sister Lybid. This place has become a favorite among newlyweds. Traditionally, the newlyweds, standing with their back to the monument, throw a bouquet of flowers in the boat to make their family life happy. There is also a commemorative sign in the form of a stone stela dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the formation of the international organization of the United Nations in the park.

9. Park Kyoto – laid in 1972 as a sign of friendly relations between cities – Kyiv and Kyoto, is located on the left bank of the capital. By the opening of the park from Kyoto, a multi-level granite column with a height of up to 5 m was given as a gift. According to the Japanese culture, such a structure favourably imfluences the surrounding area. Among the citizens, the park is more known for the Sakura alley, which in 2012 was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest alley in the world. Its length is 987 m, along which are planted 360 seedlings. Every spring the park attracts to the citizens to admire the Sakura blossom. In 2017, during the reconstruction of the park, a garden of stones appeared on a project developed by Japanese designer Shiro Nakane. It includes a dry lake, stone bridges, decorative lighting, rare ornamental plants adapted to the climate of Kyiv. Kyoto Park is a Japanese oasis in the European capital.

10. Pechersk Landscape Park – a park of 30 hectares, known more as the Song Festival Field (the Ukrainian Spivoche Pole), is located on the Pechersk Hills above the Dnipro, near the complex of the National Museum of Ukrainian History in World War II. The park was created in 1981 during the construction of the memorial complex. The central part of the park is occupied by Singing (Ukr. Spivoche) field – this is an open area where festivals, concerts and various cultural events are held. In the park every spring there is an exhibition of tulips, and every autumn – an exhibition of chrysanthemums. Near the park lies a cascade of stairs leading to the Dnipro embankment, from where a beautiful view of the city opens.