Parks
Mariinsky Park
Address: M. Hrushevskogo st. (M. Arsenalnaya)
The park is located in the center of the city. Its story has about a half of century. The park is one of the most picturesque parks of Kiev, and is designed in the so called English style. The park contains more than 80 trees; a lot of roses grow here. There are Peoples’ Friendship Arch, the Puppet Theatre, and the Museum of the water in the park. It is very famous due to the fact that the Mariinsky Palace, one of the greatest monuments of Kiev, and at the same time the principal residence of the Ukrainian President is situated on its territory.
The Tsarsky Garden
Address: European area
The Tsarsky Garden is located between the Mariinsky and Khreschaty parks. It was founded by Peter I on the basis of the Regular garden. In 1763 fruit trees were planted in the park, and greenhouses were built here. At the place of the present stadium «Dinamo» the Valley of roses was situated. There was the theatre Chateau de Fleur here. In the 60-70 years between the Mariinsky Park and the stadium «Dinamo» the garden sculptures to Lesya Ukrainka and Mary Zankovetskaya were established.
Fomin Botanical Garden
Address: Comintern, 1
Phone: 8(044) 224-60-56
Fomin Botanical Garden is one of the oldest gardens in Ukraine. Currently it is a research institution of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University and at the same time fulfilling the educational and scientific functions. Several generations of botanists created in the Botanical Garden a unique collection of plants of different geographical origin, which has about 10 thousand units. On the territory of the garden a wide range of natural fauna samples is presented. The garden is considered one of the most unique natural sites of Kiev.
M.M. Grishko National Botanic Garden
Address: Tymiryazyevska, 1
Phone: (044) 2854105, 2852649
M.M. Grishko National Botanic Garden is one of the twelve largest botanical gardens of the world. It is situated in Kiev on the right bank of the Dnieper River, and contains a unique collection of flower decorative, medicinal, fruit, vegetable, fodder and technical plants from all over the world. Here is one of the best collections in Europe, tropical and subtropical plants, which is a national treasure of Ukraine. As a result of many years of working here have been established floristic complexes «Forest plains of Ukraine», «Ukrainian Carpathians», «The steppes of Ukraine», «Crimea» and many others. Here, scientists not only to display the plant life of each part of the country, but also the shape and features of the landscape.
The Botanical Garden of the National Agrarian University
Address: Frunze, 134
Phone: (044) 267-81-00
The Botanical Garden of the National Agrarian University was founded in 1928, when on the territory of the Holosiivskyi Forest dendrological garden was based. Six research laboratories are operating now in the botanical garden, including dendrological laboratories and forest breeding, fruit and vegetable crops, flower cultivation, plant ecology, zoology and green building. The collection of trees in the Botanical Garden has more than eight hundred species. Here the territories for conifers of the Far East, the Caucasus, ornamental plants, roses, and violets were established. The collection of tropical and subtropical plants includes citrus plants, cypresses, etc.
The Merchants’ Garden
Address: European area
In 1882 the House of Merchants assembly was constructed at the beginning of Vladimir descent. The park around it was called Merchants’ garden. The Chronicle tells that it was a very beautiful place, from which there was a wonderful view of the Dnieper and the entire city. However, in 1982 the garden was destroyed, and the People’s Friendship Arch and a sculpture symbolizing a brotherhood of Russian and Ukrainian peoples appeared here.
The Vladimirskaya Heel
Address: Kostelnaya, Independence Square
The Vladimirskaya Heel, from the slopes of which you can admire the picturesque view of the city, became the visiting card of Kiev. Due to the well-known attractions the Heel fascinates here citizens and visitors of the capital. Openwork arbours that appeared here in the 19th century thanks to Basil Kokorev, the Moscow merchant, became a favourite dating place for Kiev youth; and in the early 20th century Michalovsky electric lift or funicular was built there. At the same time panorama called «Calvary», showing the scene of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ was created at the Vladimirskaya Heel. It was later transferred for the Kiev Art Institute.
The Siretsky Dendrological Park
Address: Tiraspol, 43
The Siretsky dendrological park is located in the forest area on the right bank of the Dnieper. The decorative plants park of the flower farm became the basis for it. The farm was established in the 19th century by German Mayer. The park contains more than five hundred species and varieties of trees, shrubs and herbage, among which there are collections of such rare plants as Far East yew, meidenhair tree, cypress, cannoewood, hard pine.
Hydropark
Address: Hydropark, 1
Hydropark lays on Venice and Dolobetsky Islands on the Dnieper. In 1965 a water-entertainment centre with beaches, park amusements, boating stations, restaurants and casinos was created here. On this territory there is the Park «Kyiv in Miniature», where you can see models of architectural monuments of Kiev, such as the Independence Square and Khreshchatyk, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Golden Gates, St. Sophia Cathedral, a monument «Motherland», Railway Station, Airport, etc.
Trukhanovsky Island is situated in the central part of Kiev on the Dnieper. After World War the Second the Island became a place of rest of the Kiev citizens, a lot of beaches, water stations, sports facilities, restaurants, holiday houses constructed here. The Island is connected with the right bank of the Dnieper.
Pushkin Park
Address: Pobeda avenue, 40
Pushkin Park was founded in 1899 and named in honour of the poet in connection with the centenary of the birth of Pushkin. In the early 20th century spruces and larches, oaks and limes were planted in the park. In order to do it scientists prepared two thousand saplings and invited children to the celebration of planting the park. At the end of the Great Patriotic war, Marshal George Zhukov opened exhibition of German engineering machines in the Park. In 1962 a monument to Alexander Pushkin by sculptor A.A. Kovalev was created here.
The Central Park of Culture and Leisure
Address: Vladimirsky Spusk, 2
Phone: (044) 228-30-92
The Central Park of Culture and Leisure lays in the centre of Kiev on the right bank of the Dnieper River, near the People’s Friendship Arch. This is a big park, basically a natural, where you can relax and enjoy the view of the river and Trukhanov Island, and have a great time. Park pleases with its beauty; there are historical sites, openworked bridges are thrown across the streams.
The Pirogovo Museum
Address: Krasnoznamenaya, 1
Phone: 8 (044) 526 57 65
The National Museum «Pirogovo» is a set of folk architecture and everyday life in the open air. The museum was founded in 1976. There are over three hundred monuments of 16-19 centuries from all over Ukraine: Prydniprovje, Poltava land, Slobozhanschyna, Polesje, Podolie, the Carpathians and the Crimea. These are the estates with rural homes, and old wattle and daub houses, and wooden churches, and windmills, and many other exhibits illustrating special features of Ukrainian life during the past centuries.
Glory Park
Address: Russian, 28 / 1
Phone: (044) 566-36-10
In 1967 in the city centre at a natural lime park the Park of Glory in honour of the victors in World War the Second was opened. The Alley with the names of the Heroes of the Soviet Union and the defenders of the homeland leads to the high monument of Glory, created by the architect Tyurin. Neat the monument there is the Eternal Flame, which symbolizes the memory of the Unknown Soldier. In June 1970 a five meters high sculpture called «The Soldiers» by architect Yuri Ushakov was created here.
The Zoo
Address: Pobeda avenue, 32
Phone: 8(044)236-6054 Help, 238-0724
The Kiev Zoo in existing for already one hundred years, and during this period it turned from public menageries into one of the biggest zoological parks of Europe. The Zoo collection contains more than seven thousand three hundred animals of 414 species. The territory of the Zoo has expanded, new facilities appeared there: «The Island of Animals», enclosures «The Aviary» for rare birds – black griffins, «The Bears Continent». The Zoo contains such species as the Przewalski’s horse, Grant’s zebra, Southern white rhinoceros, tapir flat, hamadryas baboon, Japanese macaque, and many others.