Kiev City History

Year.	Kiev A Time Line History.
482	Archaeologists tell that there were people living in the Kiev area as far back as 20,000 years ago. According to the chronicles the city was founded in 482 by the brothers Kiy, Schchek, Khoriv and their sister Lybed. The city name came from the eldest brother Kiy. The successors of Kiy were in control of the city until the 9th century. Related links: Memorial to the legendary founders of Kiev. The Founders Statues in Independence Square.
860	Military campaign by Prince Askold of Kiev against Byzantium, Christening of Askold.
882	882-912. The Varangian Prince Oleg arrived from Novgorad to rule and turn the city into a large state connected with the lands of Novgorod, after killing the rulers of the city, Askold and Dir. Olegs words about Kiev became proverbial "Here will be the mother of Rus cities." This was the beginning of the Kievan Rus' state which lasted until the year 1240 when the Mongols (Tatars) invaded. Oleg also was entrusted by Rurik to look after his son Igor (Ingvar) who became Olegs successor.
912	Death of Prince Oleg. Chronicles tell of a legendary story that a profit told Oleg he would die from falling off his favourite horse. Oleg decided never to ride his prized horse again. When the horse died, Oleg laughed and stepped on the horses skull. A snake emerged from the skull and bit Oleg on the leg, killing him.
945	Igor Rurikovich gets killed by the Drevlianians a tribe that inhabited the forests north west of the city. After the death of Igor Rurikovich, his wife Princess Olga takes rule from 945 to 969 as regent for her son Sviatoslav 1. Princess Olga was the first ruler to convert to Christianity. She tried hard to spread Christianity, but failed to convert her son Sviatoslav 1. It was left to the illegitimate son named Vladimir Sviatoslavich to make Christianity the lasting state religion. Related links: Monument to Cyrill, Methodius, St. Andrew and Princess Olga.
972	972-980. Prince Yaropolk the son of Sviatoslav 1, ruled. However after the death of Sviatoslav 1, civil war broke out between the brothers.
980	980-1015. Prince Vladimir Sviatoslavich the illegitimate son of Sviatoslav 1, takes to the throne after defeating his brother, Yaropolk. This was a time of great change. Related links: Monument to Prince Vladimir Sviatoslavich.
1019	1019-1054. Yaroslav the wise came to rule. Related links: Monument To Yaroslav The Wise. (Andriyivsky Spusk.) Monument To Yaroslav The Wise. (The Golden Gate.)
1036	In the first half of the century, the nomadic Pecheneg tribe began to attack the Ukrainian populace living in the border regions of the Ukrainian state of Kievan Rus'. During the year 1036, the Pechenegs approached Kyiv itself, stopping just before the city ramparts. Yaroslav the Wise, was extremely distressed at seeing this enemy encampment just outside his great city. Knowing it would not be an easy task to rout the Pechenegs, it is said that he prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, promising her that he would build a church in her honour if he obtained victory in the difficult battle ahead. There was indeed a fierce battle for possession of the city of Kyiv but, though the military might of the Pechenegs was great, King Yaroslav inflicted a devastating blow upon the army of the Pechenegs and virtually drove them off Ukrainian soil.
1037	After the war of the previous year, Yaroslav The Wise ordered the construction of the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Sophia on the spot where the decisive battle took place. He also ordered the construction of the metropolitan church, the Monastery of Saint George and the Convent of Saint Irene. Related links: Saint Sofia Cathedral.
1051	Foundation of the Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery). Related links: Pechersk Lavra.
1113	1113-1125. Vladimir Monomakh comes to rule.
1125	1125-1132. Mstislav The Great comes to rule.
1155	1155-1157. Yuri Dolgoruky comes to rule.
1240	Capture of the city by Batu Khans horde, the Tatars (Mongols). The siege lasted for several weeks and finally their efforts destroyed the fortifications near the Lysadskiy Gate. (Situated at the present day Independence Square.) From inside the city Batu Khans horde also destroyed the heavily fortified entrance of The Golden Gate. Desiatinnaya Cathedral gets destroyed on December 6th.
1362	Annexation of Kiev to Lithuania.
1482	Khan Mengly-Gyrei sacks Kiev.
1569	Lublin Union, Kiev comes under Polish rule.
1614	1614-1622 Hetmanship of Piotr Konashevich-Sagaydachny.
1648	1648-1657 Hetmanship of Bohdan Khmel'nitsky. Related links: Monument to Bogdan Khmel'nitsky.
1651	Invaded by the Polish Lithuanian army.
1654	Kozak leader Bogdan Khmel'nitsky turns to Tsar Aleksei of Russia (Muscovy) for help to defeat the Polish army. Related links: Monument to Bogdan Khmel'nitsky.
1687	1687-1689 Hetmanship of Ivan Mazepa.
1695	First detailed plan of Kiev.
1731	Construction of the The Great Bell Tower in the Pechersk Lavra begins.
1745	Construction of the The Great Bell Tower in the Pechersk Lavra completed.
1781	1781-1788. Activity of the first bank in Kiev. Related links: Ukrainian currency.
1782	The image of the Archangel Michael is chosen as the coat of arms for the city.
1793	Transfer of the right bank Ukraine from Poland to the Russian Empire.
1814	March 9th, the birth of Taras Shevchenko. Related links: Statue Of Taras Shevchenko in the Taras Shevchenko Park. Taras Shevchenko Statue on Andriyivsky Spusk. The Taras Shevchenko Museum.
1834	Liquidation of the Magdeberg Right in Kiev.
1839	Creation of the A.V. Fomin Botanical Gardens.
1845	1845-1847 Activity of the brotherhood of Cyril and Methodius. Related Links: Monument to Cyrill, Methodius, St. Andrew and Princess Olga.
1853	Opening of the first permanent bridge over the Dnipro. Also the unveiling of the Monument To Saint Vladimir. Related Links: Monument to Prince Vladimir Sviatoslavich.
1861	Death of Taras Shevchenko. Related links: Statue Of Taras Shevchenko in the Taras Shevchenko Park. Taras Shevchenko Statue on Andriyivsky Spusk. The Taras Shevchenko Museum.
1870	Beginning of railway communication in Kiev. Related links: Vokal, Main Railway Station.
1888	Celebration of the 900th anniversary of the christening of Rus. The unveiling of the Monument to Bogdan Khmel'nitsky. Related Links: Monument to Bogdan Khmel'nitsky.
1889	Opening of the Taras Shevchenko Park. in Kiev.
1892	The cities first tram system. Related links: Public transport.
1897	The cities first car. Related links: Public transport.
1908	Creation of the "Ukrainian Club" a union of national intellectuals headed by composer Nikolai Lysenko. Related links: Staute Of Nikolai Lysenko.
1910	First flight by aviator Sergey Utochkin over Kiev. Related links: Boryspil Airport.
1911	Murder of prime minister Piotr Stolypin in Kiev.
1913	All Russian industry exhibition and the first all Russian Olympiad in Kiev.
1917	Tsarist empire was overthrown and Mikhail Grushevsky is voted as the president of the Ukrainian Central Council (UCC) The UCC held power from 1917 to 1918. Related links: Monument to Mikhail Grushevsky.
1918	During January the first Ukrainian banknotes were issued. Related links: Ukrainian currency.
1919	During February soviet troops entered Kiev and in December Soviet power is established.
1920	During May to June, Kiev was temporarily under the occupation off Poland. Kiev became part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
1922	The inclusion of the Ukrainian Socialist Republic (UkSSR) into the USSR.
1927	The annexing of left bank territories to Kiev.
1932	The foundation of the Kiev region. During 1932-1933 over seven million Ukrainians perished in a forced famine by the Kremlin. This holocaust was meant to force collectivization and destroy any independent national consciousness. It turned Ukraine into a mass graveyard. Before Ukraine declared independence this crime against humanity was never officially recognized. The genocide was denied, its perpetrators never punished.
1934	The transfer of the UkSSR from Kharkov back to Kiev.
1941	1941-1943. Germany invades Kiev and take up occupation for 2 years, making 80 percent of the city folk homeless. November 3rd the Dormition Cathedral of the Pechersk Lavra gets blown up.
1943	November 6th, Red army moves into Kiev to liberate the city.
1960	Opening of the first Metro line. Related links: The Metro.
1961	Hotel Ukraina opens.
1964	Hotel Dnipro opens.
1965	Presentation of the Golden Star to the Hero City Kiev.
1980	Olympic football tournament in Kiev. Related Links: Dynamo Kiev Stadium (Olimpiyskiy Stadion).
1982	The 1500th anniversary celebration of Kiev, which was founded in year 482.
1986	April 26th, 1986. Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Many of the fire fighters that travelled from Kiev to the disaster site got killed from radiation exposure. The radiation level found today is minimal compared to 1986 and so there is nothing really to worry about. The reactor site is approximately 60 miles north of Kiev. Related links: The Chernobyl Museum.
1988	Celebration of the 1000th Anniversary of the christening of Rus.
1989	The fall of communism.
1990	On July 6th Ukraine gets proclamation of being a sovereign state. Raising of the national flag in front of the Kiev City Council building.
1991	On August 24th, Ukraine has independence and on December the 1st an all Ukrainian referendum expresses a 93 percent support for independence. First presidential elections lead to Leonid Makatovich Kravchuk being voted as the first president of Ukraine. Related links: Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti).
1992	The adoption of new state symbols.
1994	On July 10th, 1994, Leonid Kuchma, former director of the world's biggest rocket plant, defeated Leonid Makatovich Kravchuk to become the second President of independent Ukraine.
1995	Archangel Michael once again becomes the symbol of Kiev.
1996	Introduction of the Ukrainian national currency - Hryvnia (UAH). June 26th sees the introduction of the current constitution of Ukraine. Related links: Ukrainian currency.
1997	1997-2000 sees the reconstruction of Mikhaylovsky Gold Domed Monastery.
1998	During the period of 1998 to 2000 the Dormition Cathedral of the Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery) was rebuilt.
1999	During the month of May there was an election for the first Mayor of Kiev.
2000	The city is visited by Bill Clinton, President of the United States. On June 5th Bill Clinton lays a reef to honour those who lost their lives during the forced famine of 1932-1933. Reconstruction completion of the Dormition Cathedral of the Pechersk Lavra (Cave Monastery) and Mikhaylovsky Gold Domed Monastery.
2001	During 2001 Kiev was visited by Pope John Paul who met Kievans at the National Philharmonic Building. On August the 24th. Kiev celebrated 10 years of independence. Related links: Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti).
2004	Ruslana wins the Eurovision song contest for Ukraine and during Kiev City Days, she performs live on a stage in European Square. Elections of Viktor Yanukovich and Viktor Yuschenko.
2005	In May Ukraine allows visa free travel for countries of the European Union and United States for up to a 90 day stay. Also the Eurovision Song Contest is held in Kiev. On the 22nd November President Yuschenko Celebrates 1 year of The Orange Revolution.