Description of the attraction
This monument, standing over the Dnieper on Vladimirskaya Gorka, is one of the hallmarks of Kiev.
The idea to erect a monument to the baptist of Russia arose back in the 40s of the 19th century during the reconstruction of the mountain. After strengthening the slope and arranging the intermediate terrace, the sculptor Demut-Malinvsky voiced the idea of erecting a monument to the prince exactly in the place where the Kievites were once baptized. The idea was supported at the highest level - the project of the monument was personally selected by Emperor Nicholas I.
The grand opening of the monument made in St. Petersburg took place in 1853. The statue was placed on an octagonal brick pedestal, which was faced with cast-iron slabs with scenes of baptism depicted on them. Gas burners were installed on the cross (later replaced by electric bulbs), so that at night it could be seen from afar. For the convenience of the people of Kiev, walking paths were laid next to the monument, benches, a tea pavilion and a fountain were installed.
In Soviet times, the monument to Prince Vladimir became one of the few surviving monuments of the past, although they tried to knock off bas-reliefs with religious content from it. These attempts were the reason for the restoration work carried out in 1953. Today, this monument is considered one of the most recognizable not only within Kiev, which was largely facilitated by the fact that it was he who was depicted on Ukrainian coupon-karbovanets in the early 90s of the twentieth century.
