Podil
Podil or Podol
Podil contains many architectural and historical landmarks, and new archaeological sites are still being revealed. It is a part of the city's larger administrative Podilskyi District.
History
The name “Podil” means something that is situated downwards. This area used to be the trading and crafting center of Kyiv. The names of some Podil neighborhoods reflect this fact: "Dehtyari" (those who work with tar), "Honchari" (potters), "Kozhemyaki" (craftsmen working with leather). On the territory of Podil ancient constructions were found. Some of them date back to the first half of the first millennium
Podil has accumulated a cultural layer built up of 6–12 metres (20–39 feet) saturated with a great abundance of artefacts of 9–18th centuries.[2] Its uniqueness consists of the fact that in its lower strata due to high soil moisture are well-preserved objects of organic matter such as wooden structures.[2] There were researched residential and commercial buildings (predominantly above-ground blockhouses), craftsman shops, port warehouses, burial grounds, segments of streets.[2] There were discovered remnants of five masonry temples of the 12th century.[2] It was established that Podil had built-up manors with consistent courtyard limits.[2] Each resident's manor that had area of 300–400 m2 (3,200–4,300 sq ft) consisted of 2-3 buildings.[2]
After the
Upon obtaining its
In 1667 under the
Before the Great Podil fire of 1811 it was the most populous neighborhood of the city with 2,068 houses out of 3,672 dwellings in all of Kyiv. The fire damaged the neighborhood extensively and changed the appearance of Podil dramatically. After the fire, Podil was newly planned and a large number of new streets appeared on the project of Scottish architect William Heste[3] and Russian architect Andrey Melensky, which still exist today. At this time such buildings as the Contract's House (1817), Hostynnyi Dvir the shopping arcade and other buildings were constructed. The Contracts House was built in 1817 where at its ground level were signed contracts and treaties, while the second floor hall hosting concerts.[3]
In 1835 the Kyiv magistrate was disassembled on bricks which were used for finishing the building of
The
Until World War II, the section just north of Nyzhniy Val street was called Ploska chast or Ploskaya sloboda. It was home to many poor Jews who lived there in wretched conditions.[6][7][8]
Landmarks (attractions)
Numerous tourist attractions (also officially designated as landmarks) of Podil particularly include:
- Frolivsky Convent
- National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
- House of Ivan Mazepa
- House of Peter the Great
- Fountain of Samson
- Zamkova Hora hill (Castle Hill)
- Hostynnyi Dvir(Hosting courtyard)
- Pyrohoshcha Church
Lost landmarks
- House of the Kyiv magistrate (the Kyiv Rathaus)
- Kyiv Brotherhood Monastery Epiphany Cathedral
- Church of Nicholas the Good
- Church of the Resurrection
- Church of the Saint Boris and Gleb (Borys and Hlib)
- Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul
- Church of the Saint Constantine and Yelena (Kostiantyn and Olena)
- Greek Church of the Saint Catherine
Transport
Podil is connected to the city's
The
Streets and squares
- Andriyivskyy Descent
- Borychiv Descent
- Poshtova Square
- Kontraktova Square
See also
- Monument to the Magdeburg Rights (Kyiv)
Further reading
- Malikenaite, Ruta (2003). Touring Kyiv. Baltia Druk. pp. 146–147. ISBN 966-96041-3-3.
References
- ^ (Podol) Kiev, Ukraine
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Ivankin, H., Vortman, D. Podil (ПОДІЛ). Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Old Podil (Старий Поділ). Seven Wonders of Ukraine.
- ^ Praying House (БОЖНИ́ЦЯ). Ukrainian language dictionary.
- ^ a b c d Old new Podil (Старий новий Поділ). Hmarochos Kyiv.
- ^ Instituta Yudaiki Ukrainy, Yehupets, Vol. 4 (1998), p. 265: "Плоская часть — один из полицейских участков Киева (между ул. Нижний Вал и Куренёвкой, теперь Подольский район), в котором допускалось проживание евреев, временно находившихся в Киеве."
- ^ Vladimir Meshchersky, Очерки нынѣшней общественной жизни в Россіи, Vol. 2 (Тип. Министерства внутренних дѣл, 1870), p. 38.
- ^ A. Anatoli, Babi Yar (New York: Pocket Book, 1971), p. 70: "What a place that Podol was! It was the most poverty-stricken part of Kyiv... Here from time immemorial had lived the poor of the Jewish community, the poorest of the poor..."
External links
- podilr.gov.ua - Administration website of the Podilskyi District (in Ukrainian)
- Поділ in Wiki-Encyclopedia Kyiv (in Ukrainian)
- klymenko.data-tec.net - Photo gallery and information about Podil and its attractions (in Ukrainian)
- Historical photos of Podil (in Russian)