100 Key Events in Ukrainian History

THE FOUNDATION OF KYIV

THE FOUNDATION OF KYIV

It will not be an exaggeration to say that there are few cities with such rich history as the capital of our country, Kyiv. It is true not only for Ukraine, but also for the European Continent. Though not so long as the history of the cradle of the western civilization — Greek cities and Rome — the city on the Dnipro has deserved the status of one of the oldest settlements in Eastern Europe.

V. Vasnetsov. Nestor the Chronicler (Volodymyr Cathedral, Kyiv)

In fact, it is hard to imagine the time contained in the phrase "Kyiv is 1536." From the times immemorial it seems to us that history addresses us using the words of Nestor the Chronicler and other creators of the timeless "Tale of Bygone Years" He says that Kyi was sitting on the hill, which today is Borychiv descent while Shchek was sitting on the hill which today is called Shchekovytsia whereas Khoryv was sitting on the third hill, which was called after him Khoryvytsia. And they built a town in honour of their older brother and called it Kyiv.

Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and Lybid (miniature from Radziwill Chronicle)

That was the way the chronicle described the foundation of Kyiv. It is this chronicle that shows the historic events involving three leaders of the Slavic tribe of Polyany: Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv, as well as their sister Lybid. The name of the latter was not related in the chronicle to any hill the way it was done to the brothers' names. However, this name has been given to the right tributary of the Dnipro — the Lybid, which flows from the area of contemporary Radyshchev Street.

The arguments about the reliability of Nestor's information originate from the medieval epoch. For instance, Novgorod chronicler and Nestor's contem-porary expressed his opinion that Kyi was not a prince. From his point of view, the founder of the capital of Rus was an ordinary boatman, who transported people across the Dnipro. As the confirmation of his position,

Ruins of Church of the Tithes. Picture, 1826

Nestor provided interesting facts from Prince's life: Kyi once visited Byzantine Empire, where he was respectfully received by the Emperor. Having come back home, the prince built a town Kyivets on the Danube. However, that attempt to keep that position failed as Polyany prince was pushed back by the surrounding tribes.

It should be mentioned that the information on the foundation of Kyiv by three brothers was very similar to the history of other mythological founders of cities — for example, Romulus and Remus; or to the legend on the founders of all Slavs Rus, Czech and Lech. This fact long made researchers treat the version of Kyiv foundation laid out in the "Tale of Bygone Years" sceptically. Nevertheless, a large number of recently completed historical studies have proven that prince Kyi was a real historic figure.

The arguments as to the reliability or unreliability of the part of the "Tale of Bygone Years" related to the foundation of Kyiv could last for ever. However, archaeologists put an end to those debates. The research has shown that since the end of the fifth century on Starokyivska hill there was a settlement enclosed with a ditch, earth bank and wooden picket fence. That ancient town, the contemporary of the Rome fall, was to become the centre of a great feudal state, which in Nestor the Chronicler's times occupied a leading position in the life of the European civilization.

Over the time that passed from its foundation, Kyiv history has featured numerous ups and downs. Today it still proudly shows its status of a great European city. Thus, as of 01/05/2018 the population of Kyiv was officially 2,895 million people. To compare, the population of Paris is 2,197 million. The abovementioned Rome has the population of 2,875 million people.