Kyiv's Golden Domes

Kyiv, set on green hills above the Dnieper, is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities of Eastern Europe, and its golden-domed churches are its glory. St Sophia Cathedral, founded in the eleventh century, shimmers with domes and cupolas above interiors of dazzling ancient mosaics and frescoes, while across the city the vast Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the Monastery of the Caves, spreads its gilded churches and bell tower above a labyrinth of underground passages and shrines. Together they are inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and stand at the very cradle of a thousand years of culture, art and faith.

What you actually see

• St Sophia Cathedral - the shimmering domes and ancient mosaics.
• The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra - the gilded Monastery of the Caves.
• The bell tower - the great tower with sweeping city views.
• The cave passages - the underground shrines of the monastery.

When to go

May to September brings warm weather and lush green hills above the Dnieper, ideal for exploring the churches and monastery grounds on foot; late spring and early autumn are especially lovely, while winter cloaks the golden domes in atmospheric snow. The domes gleam most brilliantly under clear summer skies.

Honest expectations

The Lavra is large and can involve a lot of walking across its hillside terraces, and its famous cave passages are low, dim and best visited quietly and respectfully as active shrines. As the golden-domed cradle of a thousand years of Eastern Slavic culture and a UNESCO World Heritage ensemble of shimmering beauty, though, Kyiv's churches are truly magnificent.

Nearby

The Golden Gate, Andriyivsky Descent and the Motherland Monument are in the city.