Join a great journey through the relics of the communist regime. The Free Soviet Kyiv Tour traces the history of Ukraine’s capital from the turbulent times following the Russian Revolution, the horror of Stalinization, the Cold War era, to finally achieving independence after the fall of the Soviet Union. On this tour, guests will have the chance to see some of the main monuments that have borne witness to the city’s most impactful historical events. One of these emblematic landmarks is the impressive Founders of Kyiv Monument, which sits in Independence Square. During the Soviet era, this important meeting esplanade was known as Soviet Square, but its name was changed in 1991 to Independence Square in celebration of its newfound freedom. Today it’s one of the cultural and social gathering points of the city.

The Soviet Kyiv Free Tour will take guests to some of the most emblematic landmarks of the city, including the stunning National Bank of Ukraine. Here, guests will learn why the institution was shut down during the policy of War Communism imposed just after the First World War. A stop at Mariinsky Palace will reveal the role it played during the Kyiv Bolshevik Uprising. As guests wander the streets of Kyiv, they will come across many examples of Soviet buildings and they will begin to understand the impact that the waves of Russification had on the population when the use of Ukrainian was quietly discouraged in favor of Russian. Included on the route is Dynamo Stadium, home of Football Club Dynamo Kyiv, whose history is closely connected with the Soviet era.

On the Soviet Kyiv Tour, guests will also get a deeper understanding of how difficult life could be in the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. From the terror of the 1930's when many Ukrainian citizens suffered from the Holodomor (a man-made famine), purges, and suppression of freedoms. Guests will learn of the struggles for creative freedom that many faced during the hardest days of Soviet rule at the Ivan Franko National Theater. Finally, depending on the time and dynamic of the group, the tour might visit the Motherland Monument, a huge monument created to celebrate the people’s efforts during the Second World War. Since the fall of communism, its existence has caused some controversy and continuous dispute about how to think about the country nowadays. Come join your local guide for this awesome tour!