Podilskyi district
The Lower Town
The name “Podil” comes from the Old Slavonic “podol” i.e.something situated downwards. Thus, Podil area is located at the foot of the Kiev hills on the banks of the Dnieper river. Together with the Upper Town and Pechersk, Podil is the oldest part of the city. Podolsky district as an administrative unit was established in 1921 on the territory of one of the oldest and the biggest areas of Kiev – Podil.
Cities, as well as trees, have their roots. The roots of old Kiev are in Podil. If you want to understand the soul of the ancient city, to feel the atmosphere of Kiev – go down to Podil. Despite the fact that in the last centuries it had become larger and changed, eternity emerges here at every step and the air is permeated with millennial history.
By the way, the first settlements of the Stone Age era (25 – 15 thousand years ago) were excavated here, on the territory of modern Cyril Str. № 59 – 61. Podil was a business district of Kiev, here crossed the trade routes of medieval Europe.
In the middle of the 13th century due to with the destruction of the upper part of the city during the Mongol invasion, Podil actually became a major district of Kiev. At the end of the 17th century started an intensive construction of the district. After the Great Fire in 1811, when the biggest part of the buildings was burnt, new streets were laid here and today, we can walk along these streets.
Podil was not only a commercial and religious center of ancient Rusyches but also a cultural core of the Kiev life. There is an outstanding cultural and educational center – University “Kyiv Mohyla Academy”, which was the first higher school in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Speaking about Podil, we can say that it is not only the most ancient, but also the “very first” one. The first pharmacy, post office, electric tram, funicular, the first high school and the very first water reservoir – fountain “Samson”.
There are several descents which lead to Podil from the Upper Town, the most famous of them is Andriyivskyi Descent, a cobbled street where artists sell their work.
The most famous attractions of Podil are – Kiev-Mohyla Academy, established by Metropolitan Petro Mogyla in 1615, the Kiev River Port, Florivsky monastery, funicular, Fountain of Samson, Zamkova Gora ( Hill).
Metro Stations:
- Line 2« Tarasa Shevchenka»
- Line 2« Kontraktova Ploshcha»
- Line 2« Poshtova Ploshcha»