Explore Soviet-era architectural legacy in Kyiv
Kyiv is renowned for its historical buildings from the 11th to the 18th century and for its remarkable constructions from the Soviet era. As the third most important city of the USSR after Moscow and Leningrad and the capital of Soviet Ukraine for 70 years, Kyiv has inherited an architectural legacy from the Soviets.
Monsters of Soviet Brutalism architecture in Kyiv
Brutalism, a style of architecture that emerged in Great Britain, spread to various world regions, such as Europe, America, Canada, Brazil, Japan, and the Soviet Union. However, each region, especially the USSR, had its own distinctive features of brutalism.
Brutalism suited the ideology of developed socialism in the Soviet Union. Still, it differed from the British style in using mixed materials rather than raw concrete as a sign of “honesty”. On this private guided city tour, you will discover the iconic examples of Kyiv’s brutalist architecture and learn more about its history and significance.
Some of the interesting facts about Soviet Kyiv that you will discover:
- Is it possible that Soviet architectural buildings and sculptures may soon disappear from Kyiv’s landscape?
- Incredible project of Soviet engineering of the 1960s – the deepest metro station in the world, “Arsenalna”;
- Circles of hell of the Soviet bureaucracy in the design process of major buildings of Ukrainian capital;
- A captivating story about the futuristic Soviet hotel “Salut” that locals call ‘grenade’, and how dramatically the Soviet architects had changed the original project;