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{{otheruses}} {{otheruses}}
] ]

'''Khreschatyk''' ({{lang-uk|'''Хрещатик'''}}) is the main and probably best-known street in ], the capital of ]. One of the shortest and widest among the main city streets of the world (1,225 metres long and 75 to 100 metres wide), Khreschatyk goes through the ] (Independence Square), the Kiev famous central square where most of the events of the Ukrainian ] took place. The square is integrated into the architectural complex of Khreschatyk. '''Khreschatyk''' ({{lang-uk|Хрещатик, ''Khreshchatyk''}}, {{lang-ru|Крещатик, ''Kreshchatik''}}) is the main and probably the best-known street in ], the capital of ]. One of the shortest and the widest among the main city streets in the world (1,225 ]s long and 75 to 100 metres wide), Khreschatyk goes through the very centre of Kiev.


The entire street was completely destroyed during World War II by the retreating ] and rebuilt anew in the neo-classical style of post-war ]. The street has been significantly renovated during the modern period of Ukraine's independence. The entire street was completely destroyed during World War II by the retreating ] and rebuilt anew in the neo-classical style of post-war ]. The street has been significantly renovated during the modern period of Ukraine's independence.

The famous ] (Independence square), where most of the events of the Ukrainian ] took place, is located on the street and is integrated into the architectural complex of Khreschatyk.


==History== ==History==
⚫ ] by ]]]
===Legendary accounts and early history=== ===Legendary accounts and early history===
⚫ ] by ]]]
⚫ The name of the street derives from the ] word ''khrest'' (']'). This may be explained by the fact that the surrounding valley used to be crossed by many ]s, hence its ancient name ''Khreshchata'', or 'crossed'.


⚫ The name of the street derives from the ] word ''krest'' or ''khrest'' (']'). This may be explained by the fact that the surrounding valley used to be crossed by many ]s, hence its ancient name ''Kreshchataya'', or ''Khreshchata'', 'crossed'.
⚫ According to another legend, the valley owes its name to the ] (''Khreshchennya'') that took place in 988. Legend has it that ], ruler of ancient ], led his subjects through the valley into the ] to have them baptized.

⚫ According to a popular though erroneous legend, the valley owes its name to the ] (''Kreshchenie'' or ''Khreshchennya'') that took place in 988. Legend has it that ], ruler of ], herded his subjects through the valley into the ] to have them baptized.


===Times of the Russian Empire=== ===Times of the Russian Empire===
Kreschatyk remained a mere ravine between the older neighborhoods of Kiev: ], the quarters of early trade and commerce, the ancient uptown, where most of administrative buildings were located, and the prosperous ] built around the ancient ] ('Monastery of the Caves') with the latter district being poorly connected to the other two by a shabby road that went through ravines, woods and swamps. Kreschatyk remained a mere ravine between the older neighborhoods of Kiev: ], the quarters of early trade and commerce, the ancient Upper City, where most of administrative buildings were located, and the prosperous ] built around the ancient ] ('Monastery of the Caves') with the latter district being poorly connected to the other two by a shabby road that went through the ravines, woods and swamps.


] lines in the ] were built in ].]] ] lines in the ] were built in ].]]
The development of the area only started in the ]. The ravine was filled and an accelerating construction quickly followed. By the mid-nineteenth century Khreschatyk was developed as Kiev's main thoroughfare, in the climate of rapid growth of the city during the ] in ]. The street soon became the centre of Kiev's commercial life, as the city itself developed into the main commercial centre in the Empire's south-west. The development of the area only started in the ]. The ravine was filled and an accelerating construction quickly followed. By the mid-nineteenth century Khreschatyk was developed as Kiev's main thoroughfare, in the climate of rapid growth of the city during the ] in ]. The street soon became the centre of Kiev's commercial life, as the city itself developed into the main commercial centre in the Empire's south-west.


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===Times of revolutionary unrest=== ===Times of revolutionary unrest===
During the period of chaos after the ] many Khreschatyk buildings were heavily damaged as the city changed hands many times among ], ], ], ], and ] forces. On ], ], the ] of General ] celebrated their ] by a ceremonial parade on Khreschatyk. It was, however, driven out by the ] within weeks. During the period of chaos after the ] many Khreschatyk buildings were heavily damaged as the city changed hands many times among ], ], and ] forces, as well as the forces of several ]. On ], ], the ] of General ] celebrated their ] by a ceremonial parade on Khreschatyk, only to be driven out by the ] within weeks.


===Interbellum=== ===Interbellum===
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===Second World War: total demolition of the street=== ===Second World War: total demolition of the street===
] ]
During ], almost every building on the street was mined with explosives by the retreating ]. In September 1941, after ] troops occupied the city, explosions were set off by radio-controlled fuses from over 400 kilometres away. The demolition of over three hundred buildings on Khreschatyk became the first operation in history using long-distance radio-controlled explosives. Fires raged on the street for weeks following the first blasts, and much of the surviving historic center of Kiev was demolished. This unprecedented method of warfare caused panic and resulted in heavy casualties among both the occupiers and city's remaining civilian population. During ], almost every building on the street was mined with explosives by the retreating ]. In September 1941, after ] troops occupied the city, explosions were set off by radio-controlled fuses from over 400 kilometres away. The demolition of over three hundred buildings on Khreschatyk became the first operation in history using long-distance radio-controlled explosives. Fires raged on the street for weeks following the first blasts, and much of the surviving historic center of Kiev was demolished. This unprecedented method of warfare caused panic and brought heavy casualties among both the occupiers and city's remaining civilian population.


Under German occupation, the street was renamed Eichhornstrasse, after the German ] ] ], the "" during the previous German occupation, who had been assassinated in Kiev in 1918 . Under German occupation, the street was renamed Eichhornstrasse, after the German ] ] ], the "" during the previous German occupation, who had been assassinated in Kiev in 1918 .
⚫ ]


===Post-war Soviet times=== ===Post-war Soviet times===
⚫ ]
During the late 1950s to early 1960s, Khreschatyk was rebuilt anew (currently, there are just a few pre-war buildings standing on the street). The street was widened to 75 to 100 metres and new buildings were erected in the Neoclassical ]. Important buildings of the new ensemble include the City Council House ('']'') and the Central Post Office. During the late 1950s to early 1960s, Khreschatyk was rebuilt anew (currently, there are just a few pre-war buildings standing on the street). The street was widened to 75 to 100 metres and new buildings were erected in the Neoclassical ]. Important buildings of the new ensemble include the City Council House ('']'') and the Central Post Office.

]


The avenue was one of the Kiev's landmarks that was served by the ] in ], and was the system's first transfer point upon opening of the second line in ]. The avenue was one of the Kiev's landmarks that was served by the ] in ], and was the system's first transfer point upon opening of the second line in ].

] architectural style]]
⚫ ]
⚫ ]]]


On ] ], a few days after the ] about 110 km north of the city, Soviet authorities held a traditional ] on Khreschatyk, in order to "calm people" and "prevent panic" caused by the disaster. Thousands of Kievans, including many children, were exposed to dangerous doses of ]. On ] ], a few days after the ] about 110 km north of the city, Soviet authorities held a traditional ] on Khreschatyk, in order to "calm people" and "prevent panic" caused by the disaster. Thousands of Kievans, including many children, were exposed to dangerous doses of ].
]


In the late 1980s, the ] of the Central Post Office building partially collapsed, killing and injuring several people. In the late 1980s, the ] of the Central Post Office building partially collapsed, killing and injuring several people.


In ], the first official raising of Ukraine's national flag took place on Khreschatyk, on the large City Council flagstaff. The raising happened to become a major milestone in Ukraine's path to independence. The spontanious meeting gathered more than half a million Kievans. Due to its central location in nation's ] the street became the traditional place for political rallies. In ], the first official raising of Ukraine's national flag took place on Khreschatyk, on the large City Council flagstaff. The raising happened to become a major milestone in Ukraine's path to independence. The spontanious meeting gathered more than half a million Ukrainians. {{fact}} Due to its central location in nation's ] the street became the traditional place for political rallies.
⚫ ]


===Independent Ukraine=== ===Independent Ukraine===
In 2000–01, Khreschatyk and ], a main city square located on the street, became the centre of the mass protest campaign known as ] (''Ukrayina bez Kuchmy!'' - 'Ukraine without ]!'). Allegedly to keep the protesters out, the city Mayor ] ordered a major reconstruction of the street, which led to significant rebuilding of Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and construction of two large underground ]s. In 2000–01, Khreschatyk and ], a main city square located on the street, became the centre of the mass protest campaign known as ] (''Ukrayina bez Kuchmy!'' - 'Ukraine without ]!'). Allegedly to keep the protesters out, the city Mayor ] ordered a major reconstruction of the street, which led to significant rebuilding of Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and construction of two large underground ]s.


⚫ ]]]
In the winter of 2004, Khreschatyk, especially its parts adjacent to Maidan Nezalezhnosti, became the center of the main public protests of the ]. The protesters' main tent encampment was situated in the street, and many Khreschatyk buildings served as makeshift feeding and warming sites for the protesters, including the City Council House. In total, over a million people from all around Ukraine attended the rally. In the winter of 2004, Khreschatyk, especially its parts adjacent to Maidan Nezalezhnosti, became the center of the main public protests of the ]. The protesters' main tent encampment was situated in the street, and many Khreschatyk buildings served as makeshift feeding and warming sites for the protesters, including the City Council House. In total, over a million people from all around Ukraine attended the rally.


Revision as of 02:04, 28 January 2006

For other uses, see Khreshchatyk (disambiguation).
File:Kiev 8.jpg
Khreschatyk

Khreschatyk (Template:Lang-uk, Template:Lang-ru) is the main and probably the best-known street in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. One of the shortest and the widest among the main city streets in the world (1,225 metres long and 75 to 100 metres wide), Khreschatyk goes through the very centre of Kiev.

The entire street was completely destroyed during World War II by the retreating Red Army and rebuilt anew in the neo-classical style of post-war Stalinist architecture. The street has been significantly renovated during the modern period of Ukraine's independence.

The famous Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence square), where most of the events of the Ukrainian Orange Revolution took place, is located on the street and is integrated into the architectural complex of Khreschatyk.

History

File:Kreschenie rusi ikona.jpg
Iconic depiction of the Baptism of Kiev by St. Vladimir

Legendary accounts and early history

The name of the street derives from the Slavic word krest or khrest ('cross'). This may be explained by the fact that the surrounding valley used to be crossed by many ravines, hence its ancient name Kreshchataya, or Khreshchata, 'crossed'.

According to a popular though erroneous legend, the valley owes its name to the Baptism of Kiev (Kreshchenie or Khreshchennya) that took place in 988. Legend has it that Vladimir the Great, ruler of Kiev, herded his subjects through the valley into the Dnieper River to have them baptized.

Times of the Russian Empire

Kreschatyk remained a mere ravine between the older neighborhoods of Kiev: Podil, the quarters of early trade and commerce, the ancient Upper City, where most of administrative buildings were located, and the prosperous Pechersk built around the ancient Pechersk Lavra ('Monastery of the Caves') with the latter district being poorly connected to the other two by a shabby road that went through the ravines, woods and swamps.

File:Khresch XIXcent.jpg
Khreschatyk at the end of the nineteenth century. The first tram lines in the Russian Empire were built in Kiev.

The development of the area only started in the nineteenth century. The ravine was filled and an accelerating construction quickly followed. By the mid-nineteenth century Khreschatyk was developed as Kiev's main thoroughfare, in the climate of rapid growth of the city during the Industrial Revolution in Imperial Russia. The street soon became the centre of Kiev's commercial life, as the city itself developed into the main commercial centre in the Empire's south-west.

In 1892 the first electric tram line in the Russian Empire was running in Kiev and by 1894 the line was extended to Khreschatyk. The street was served by the tram for about forty years.

Times of revolutionary unrest

During the period of chaos after the Russian Revolution of 1917 many Khreschatyk buildings were heavily damaged as the city changed hands many times among Bolshevik, German, and Polish forces, as well as the forces of several short-lived Ukrainian states. On May 9, 1920, the Polish army of General Rydz-Śmigły celebrated their capture of Kiev by a ceremonial parade on Khreschatyk, only to be driven out by the Bolshevik counter-offensive within weeks.

Interbellum

During the inter-war period, Khreschatyk underwent major development and reconstruction in the booming city. Between 1923 and 1937 the street carried the name of Vaclav Vorovsky — an early Bolshevik diplomat assassinated in Switzerland. In the mid-1930s the electric tram lines were dismantled, and the trams replaced by electric trolleybuses.

Second World War: total demolition of the street

Destroyed Khreschatyk (1943).

During World War II, almost every building on the street was mined with explosives by the retreating Red Army. In September 1941, after German troops occupied the city, explosions were set off by radio-controlled fuses from over 400 kilometres away. The demolition of over three hundred buildings on Khreschatyk became the first operation in history using long-distance radio-controlled explosives. Fires raged on the street for weeks following the first blasts, and much of the surviving historic center of Kiev was demolished. This unprecedented method of warfare caused panic and brought heavy casualties among both the occupiers and city's remaining civilian population.

Under German occupation, the street was renamed Eichhornstrasse, after the German World War I Field Marshal Hermann von Eichhorn, the "Military dictator of Ukraine" during the previous German occupation, who had been assassinated in Kiev in 1918 .

Kievans cleanup the Khreschatyk following the destruction in the war.

Post-war Soviet times

During the late 1950s to early 1960s, Khreschatyk was rebuilt anew (currently, there are just a few pre-war buildings standing on the street). The street was widened to 75 to 100 metres and new buildings were erected in the Neoclassical Stalinist architectural style. Important buildings of the new ensemble include the City Council House (Kyivrada) and the Central Post Office.

File:Kreshchatik vestibule.jpg
Vestibule of the Metro in 1962

The avenue was one of the Kiev's landmarks that was served by the Kiev Metro in 1960, and was the system's first transfer point upon opening of the second line in 1976.

On May 1 1986, a few days after the nuclear accident in Chornobyl about 110 km north of the city, Soviet authorities held a traditional parade on Khreschatyk, in order to "calm people" and "prevent panic" caused by the disaster. Thousands of Kievans, including many children, were exposed to dangerous doses of radiation.

Kreschatyk in the early 1980s

In the late 1980s, the porch of the Central Post Office building partially collapsed, killing and injuring several people.

In 1990, the first official raising of Ukraine's national flag took place on Khreschatyk, on the large City Council flagstaff. The raising happened to become a major milestone in Ukraine's path to independence. The spontanious meeting gathered more than half a million Ukrainians. Due to its central location in nation's capital city the street became the traditional place for political rallies.

File:Khresch 1998.jpg
Khreschatyk at the turn of the millennium.

Independent Ukraine

In 2000–01, Khreschatyk and Maidan Nezalezhnosti, a main city square located on the street, became the centre of the mass protest campaign known as UBK (Ukrayina bez Kuchmy! - 'Ukraine without Kuchma!'). Allegedly to keep the protesters out, the city Mayor Oleksandr Omelchenko ordered a major reconstruction of the street, which led to significant rebuilding of Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and construction of two large underground shopping malls.

Tent city on Khreschatyk during the Orange Revolution

In the winter of 2004, Khreschatyk, especially its parts adjacent to Maidan Nezalezhnosti, became the center of the main public protests of the Orange Revolution. The protesters' main tent encampment was situated in the street, and many Khreschatyk buildings served as makeshift feeding and warming sites for the protesters, including the City Council House. In total, over a million people from all around Ukraine attended the rally.

Attractions

Khreschatyk is a popular destination for tourists and Kievans. During weekends, the street is closed to road traffic and reserved for pedestrians. Khreschatyk contains many upscale stores, cafes, and restaurants.

Points of interest situated along Khreschatyk are the following (south-west to north-east):

  • Besarabska Square, including:
    • Besarabsky indoor Market (nineteenth century)
    • "Besarabsky Quarter" (shops and offices complex, partly nineteenth century)
    • Metrohrad, underground shopping centre
  • Central Department Store (TsUM)
  • City Council Building (Kyivrada)
  • Maidan Nezalezhnosti, including:
    • Central Post Office (Poshtamt)
    • National Musical Academy Concert Hall
    • Globus underground shopping centre, and the preserved ruins of Medieval Liadski Gate beneath the square
    • Hotel Ukrayina (previously called Moskva)
  • Yevropeyska Square ("European Square"), including:
    • Hotel Dnipro
    • UNIAN news agency building
    • Ukrayinskyi Dim ("Ukrainian House") conference and exhibitions hall
    • Kiev Philarhmony building (nineteenth century)

Khreschatyk is a traditional setting for outdoor concerts and festivals, and is frequented by street musicians. Major parades and celebrations are held on Kiev Day (the last Sunday of May) and Ukrainian Independence Day (August 24).

References

Category: