Khreshchatyk

Khreshchatyk is one of the main streets of Kyiv, where dense forests stood several hundred years ago, and nearby Prince Volodymyr the Great baptized his family. Today this street stands out for being the widest (130 m) and the shortest (1.23 km) among the main streets of countries.

The development of Khreshchatyk Street began in the late 18th century. Gradually, it was transformed from impassable thickets into a busy street surrounded by buildings. And if we talk about things that appeared in Kyiv for the first time, they can safely be attributed to Khreshchatyk Street. It was here that the city’s first Municipal Theater appeared (1804-1806). The building was built of wood, so in time it was demolished and the European Hotel was built in its place, designed by O. Beretti.

Also, gas lighting first appeared on Khreshchatyk, later replaced by electric lighting. The city’s first functioning water supply and sewerage systems were organized here. In 1891, the first trams in the city began running along Khreshchatyk Street, and in 1935 the first trolleybuses joined city transport.

By the end of the 19th century, Khreshchatyk had become the city’s main street, lined with various administrative buildings, restaurants, hotels, cinemas and shops. This is how the city’s business center gradually emerged here. During World War II, most of the buildings on Khreshchatyk were destroyed. As they retreated, the Germans deliberately planted explosives. Through numerous explosions and major fires, they almost completely destroyed the city’s main artery. However, rebuilding of the street began in 1944. It was turned into a wide thoroughfare and planted with chestnut trees, which later became a symbol of Kyiv.

The architects’ main goal was to create a street that harmoniously combines the natural landscape and the development. In place of the destroyed buildings, houses in the Stalinist Empire style were erected, and they still create the street’s unique appearance.

Modern Khreshchatyk stretches from the House of Officers, passes through Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and ends near Bessarabskyi Market. On weekdays, the life of office workers is in full swing here, thousands of cars pass through, and on weekends and public holidays the street becomes a place for walks for Kyiv residents and tourists.