Although Kyiv celebrated its 1500th anniversary in 1982, historians and archaeologists are divided on the exact date when the old village became an urban settlement.
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| [History of Kyiv] |
In Europe, Kyiv is one of the most ancient towns, and it is the center of the Slavic world's history, which began here. According to historians, the "mother of Russian towns" has been in existence for 1200-1500 years; nonetheless, there have been communities on this location since the Bronze Age, according to archaeological evidence.
It is said in the Tale of Bygone Years that Kyiv was formed as the center of the Polyan people by the three brothers Kiy, Shchek, and Khoriv and their sister Lybid, who lived at the time. He was given this name in honor of his elder brother. Others claim that the city was a fortification of the Khazar Khanate, which was simply taken by local Slavic tribes headed by Kiy when the Khazars were defeated.
In the 9th century, Kyiv rose to prominence as the capital of Kievan Rus and the seat of the governing dynasty of Rurik, who reigned over a number of other monarchs at the time. Even though Kyiv was rapidly losing its strategic importance by the 12th century, the city remained the most prominent principality, and as a result, it became a source of rivalry amongst other rulers, resulting in the city being often invaded and ravaged.
Kyiv was initially beaten and burnt by Prince Rurik Rostislavovich and the Polovtsy in the 13th century, and then it was completely devastated during the onslaught of the Mongol-Tatars and passed from hand to hand for the rest of the century. Following such occurrences, the destroyed city lost all of its might as well as its position as the state's administrative hub. Consequently, the crown was shifted to Vladimir, but Kyiv was retained as the spiritual center of the Western Russian provinces, which it continues to be today.
As time passed, the city was included into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was destroyed by the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, and was eventually transferred to the Polish crown territories. Nevertheless, as a consequence of the Russian-Polish conflict in the 17th century, Kyiv was restored to the Russian state and established as the administrative headquarters of the Kiev province.
Once again, the city was tormented by the 20th century: it was continually in the hands of different governments, belonging to either the Russian or Ukrainian state, and finding itself at the mercy of German interventionists and Polish forces, as well as engulfed in civil and global wars.
During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1943), the Ukrainian capital was occupied by fascist soldiers for three years, resulting in significant material and human losses. As a consequence, Kyiv managed to maintain its independence while also receiving the honor of being designated as a Hero City for its bravery throughout the defense.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kyiv was designated as the capital of the newly independent state of Ukraine. Although the city has through a long and difficult past, it continues to exist today, serves as the state's administrative hub, and serves as the cultural heart of the Slavic peoples.
It is still referred to as the "mother of Russian cities," and many of our compatriots believe it is their responsibility to pay a visit to this incredible city at least once in their lives. It is our historical and cultural homeland, and it has managed to maintain its wealth despite the adversity of history.