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BABYN YAR

A memorial park reminds us about one of the most horrible tragedies of the 20-th century. The name, which is roughly translated as «Ravine of a Women», refers to the proprietress of that ground, the woman, who sold it to the Dominican monastery in 1401. But all that changed on September 29-30, 1941, when 33,771 Jews were executed and their bodies thrown into the ravine by occupying Nazi forces. For the next two years the Nazis continued using the site as a mass killing ground. A total of over 100,000 victims, including partisans and members of the underground but mostly Jews were mur­dered here. As Kyiv's liberation became inevitable, the Nazis tried to burn the evidence of their atrocities, but shortly after the Soviet war crimes commission heard eyewitness accounts from surviving POWs. A large bronze composition with numerous figures of people-Soviet victims in general but not Jews in particular, of A smaller Jewish monument in shape of Jewish symbol Menorah was erected in 1991, and another one remembers children who were killed here. Jewish groups are currently planning to build a museum and peace centre near the site.

ST. SOPHIA'S CATHEDRAL

Kyiv's oldest church was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, who incidentally was laid to rest inside, to commemorate the site of the victory of Kyivan Rus over the Pechenegs (Asian tribes) and glorify Christianity. It was named after the famous St. Sofia's Cathedral in Constantinople. «Sofia» also means 'wisdom' in Greek. This majestic 13-cupola sanctuary adjoined Yaroslav's Palace and became a holy place of workshop for Kyivlany as well as political and cultural centre. With its interior to rich frescoes and mosaics, many of which are still intact almost a millennium later, St. Sophia's made a huge impression on the ordinary worshippers of Kyiv. A similar impression is felt by current visitors, so strong is the sense of history. Here grand princes were crowned and buried, for­mal ceremonies and receptions of envoys were held, meetings with foreign diplomats and treaty negotiations were held here. The Cathedral was known as a seat of Kiev Metropolitan. The first known library in ancient Rus and the first school for boys and girls were founded by Yaroslav the Wise... The azure and white bell tower is 76m high and was finished in 1752, while the upper Ukrainian Baroque part and gilded cupola were added in 1852. Today the entire cathedral is protected by Ukraine as a national reserve and also receives support from UNESCO. Mosaics and frescos of the 11th century, executed with a unique technology, which depict Scriptural scenes, individual figures of Church Fathers, Apostles, warriors and maidens, are of a great value.

The 18-century refectory is now a museum and contains archaeological artefacts and architec­tural displays, such as model panoramas depict­ing Kyiv as it looked before being razed by Mongol invaders in 1240.