The large-scale stone construction began in Kyiv in the 10th century in the reign of Prince Volodymyr Sviatoslavych: the ancient town was enlarged, the Princes' and boyars' palaces built, and powerful fortifications erected. The central part of the 'Volodymyr's city' was the Church of Our Lady built in 989-996 for the maintenance of which the Prince allotted the tenth part of his revenues, hence its name the Church of the Tithes. The first brick church in Rus was lavishly decorated with frescos, mosaics, colour glazed tiles, and marble. It influenced greatly the further development of Old Rus architecture. The foundations of these structures, ruined by the Mongol-Tatars in 1240, are on view on Starokyivska Hill. A new stage in the city's architecture began with the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in the first half of the 11th century.

In his time an ensemble of a new central part was erected, and 'the city of Yaroslav' was encircled by a new mighty rampart with Lvivska (Zhydivska), Liadska, and Golden Gates. Survived to our days are the St. Sophia Cathedral and remains of the main ceremonial entrance to ancient Kyiv, the Golden Gate, which in 1982 was enclosed in a pavilion restoring its original image.

In 1748-1749 the outstanding master of the Ukrainian Baroque, Hryhorovych-Barsky, built the rotunda-like Felicial Fountain crowned with a sculptural representation of St. Andrew the First-Called and sundials on the refined pediments. In the 19th century the fountain that became the centre of the city's first watermain was adorned with the sculptural composition of Samson tearing the lion's jaws` instead of the figure of an angel installed there previously and since that time has been called The Samson Fountain.

Since the late 18th century the tsar authorities prohibited to build in the Ukrainian style. Type designs were sent from the capital of the empire. Classicism with its tendencies of regulation and strict logic of the imagery system became the dominating style In the early 19th century the built-up area of Kyiv was expanded The development of new city areas was determined to a large extent by Melensky the chief architect of the city at that time.

The new style successors were architects Stanzani, Sparro and father and son Berettis. The latter erected in 1837-1843 the building of the Kyiv University of St. Volodymyr, a majestic square structure with a large inner courtyard and an expressive and monumental main entrance. In the second half of the 19th century Classicism was replaced by eclecticism to suit new historical conditions and artistic tastes.

This trend in architecture was also called historicism because architects used historically established styles in their designs. The new tendency was evident in such trends as Neo-Gothic, Neo-Baroque, Neo-Classical, and Neo-Russian. Historicism left in Kyiv quite a number of buildings of high artistic value, for instance Kyiv the Merchants Assembly (now the Philharmonic). Almost all central streets acquired features characteristic of this style.

Of great artistic taste is the building of the National Bank of Ukraine featuring the Venetian Gothic, that was built in the early 20th century to the design by Kobelev and Verbytsky with the participation of sculptors Sala and Sokolov. In 1934 the 2nd and 3rd storeys were added after the design by Kobelev with the participation of architect Rykov; they retained features characteristic of the historical style.

The Kyiv school of Art Nouveau left a rich architectural heritage in the city. One of its most vivid specimens is the architect Horodetsky's own house in 10 Bankova Street known as the House with Chimeras` (1901-1903). Erected on the hillside, the different-storeyed rent house is generously embellished with sculptures based on fantastic, mythological and hunting themes. The sculptures by E. Sala were made of cement, a new material for that time. The ornate interiors are in harmony with the exteriors.

The rationalist trend in Art Nouveau is represented in the Bessarabsky covered market (1912, architect H. Haj)

In 1853 the Volodymyrska Hill Park was laid out. It descends in terraces to Podil. Its compositional centre, the Monument to Prince Volodymyr, who baptised Rus, was unveiled in the same year. The monument was designed by sculptors Demut-Malynovsky and Klodt, architect K Ton. The bronze 45-metre statue of Prince Volodymyr is set up on the 16-metre cast-iron pedestal made in the form of a chapel in the pseudo-Byzantine style. Volodymyr the Great in his princely mantle, with a large cross in his right hand and the Grand-Prince's hat in his left hand faces the Dnipro where, at the place of flowing the Pochaina River into the Dnipro, the Kyivites were baptised by his order. The monument's silhouette on the steep hillside became an integral part of the Kyiv's right-bank view.

The unique engineering structure, the Volodymyrsky (Mykhailivsky) electric cable railway, appeared in Kyiv in 1905. In 1984 the funicular was reconstructed and its stations-pavilions renovated. The length of the railway mounted on piers that has rails for the movement of two passenger cars is 200 metres.

The architectural history of Kyiv is concentrated, as in focus, in Andriivsky Descent, one of the oldest city's streets, known from the Old Rus times. The winding descent running from Starokyivska and Andriivska Hills to Podil with its architectural dominants - St. Andrew's Church (18th c.) and the so-called ' Castle of Richard, Coeur-de-Lion' (early 20th c.), the cosy houses of the turn of the 20th century, and the famous ' The Turbins' House' where the writer M. Bulgakov lived - have won fame of the informal centre of arts. It is lined with museums, galleries, exhibition halls, theatres, and art salons that attract lots of people.

Especially crowded is Andriivsky Descent on the Day of Kyiv when it turns into an open-air museum, sparkling with inexhaustible fantasy and skills.

City district Lypky is a historical locality, there appeared the administration offices, banks, mansions of nobles, merchants and manufacturers. Gradually Lypki became an administrative centre of the city. It was built up in the fashionable regular style, but the austerity inherent in regularity is not felt in this part. The wonderful landscape of the place bounded with the hills steeply coming down towards the Dnipro in a long train of parks on their slopes blends harmoniously with the refined architecture of palaces, public buildings and apartment houses from the 18th - early 20th centuries.

In the 1930s, when the capital was transferred from Kharkiv to Kyiv, Lypki turned into the governmental centre of the country. The country's Parliament - the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine - sits in the building erected in 1936-1939 to a competition design by Academician Zabolotny, a semicircular annex being attached to it by Zabolotny from the side of the City Garden in 1947. Due to the harmony of its exterior and interior it is considered one of the best architectural structures of the Soviet era.

Nearby stands Mariinsky (Tsar's) Palace, built in 1748-1752, to the design of Bartolomeo Frances-co Rastrelli, famous for his structures in St Petersburg, Winter Palace among them The tsar's residence was meant for official ceremonies.

In the early 19th century the building was badly damaged by fire. Renovated by architect K. Mayevsky in 1868-1870 on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Alexander II and Empress Maria Alexandrovna (hence the name of the building) to Kyiv, it retained the general Baroque aspect. In 1946-1949 repair works were conducted under the guidance of the architect P. Alioshyn to eliminate the aftermath of a bomb explosion that hit the Palace in 1943. The latest scientific renovation was held under supervision of the architect Ivanenko in 1979-1981. Nowadays, the Palace is the official residence of the President of Ukraine used for state functions. Twice a week it is open to the public.

In small Bankova Street is the Administration of the President of Ukraine. It occupies the building erected by architect Hryhoryev in 1936-1940 for Kyiv Military District Headquarters. Its restrained and solemn appearance is enriched with a six-column portico of the Corinthian order in the central volume. After World War II till 1991 the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine was housed in this building.

Located in Lypky are also the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Supreme Court, the National Bank of Ukraine, many other government establishments and embassies of foreign states Members of the government and diplomats live there. A lot of parks and gardens, famous museums and theatres, exquisite architecture, clean air - all this makes Lypky the most prestigious part of Kyiv.

Khreschatyk, the main thoroughfare of contemporary Kyiv, its business, trade, cultural and festive centre, appeared on the city map only in the 1830s. In ancient times the place was a wooded valley where Kyivan princes liked to hunt. The valley's name was Khreschata (crossed) because of the many ravines that crossed it. Hence, when it began to be built up, the street that was formed here got the name of Khreschatyk. Its convenient position between historical parts of Kyiv - the Old City, Pechersk and Podil - quickly turned Khreschatyk into the city's main street. It was lined with the best shops and restaurants, rent houses, hotels, banks, offices, agencies, cinemas, a post-office, the City Duma, the Nobles and Merchants Assemblies, the stock exchange, and a theatre. The greater part of the late 19th - early 20th century buildings was heavily damaged in 1941 and 1943, during World War II.

The contemporary appearance of the street is determined by the architectural ensemble of the 1950s, notable for profuse architectural decor with some Ukrainian Baroque features The multi-storey apartment and administrative buildings are faced with light ceramics, red and grey granite, and enhanced with refined pediments, moulded arabesques, turrets, columns, pylons, and sculptural compositions. Numerous ministries and departments, diverse stores, restaurants, cafes and art galleries are also located in Khreschatyk. Kyiv's main square, Nezalezhnosti (Independence) Square, acquired its present appearance after the reconstruction in 2002. The square is also the venue of city and state festivities. On weekends, when Khreschatyk is closed for traffic, it turns into the kingdom of pedestrians who enjoy recreating here, listening to various concerts in the open air, or sitting in a cosy café.

The main street of the Ukrainian capital is not long, about 1,200 m, but its attraction is immense. In 1998-1999 Khreschatyk was substantially restored, new pavements made, and the renewed street became even more beautiful. Everyone, being in Kyiv for the first time, longs to see Khreschatyk, where roads running to the city's historical parts in tersect as before. Here the breath of severe trials and romanticism of the olden times seem to intertwine with the actively pulsating life of the city centre.