Which Cathedrals are Worth Visiting in Kyiv, Ukraine?

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Kyiv

Kyiv (Kiev) is a city full of beautiful churches and cathedrals. It seems like at almost every turn, there’s a church or cathedral in the area. In fact, out of every city I’ve been to, I think Kyiv has the most stunning churches and cathedrals I’ve ever seen.

What’s amazing is that every cathedral is gorgeous and historical in its own right. With this in mind, you might be asking - should you visit every cathedral in Kyiv? Which ones should you visit?

Let me start off by saying that I think every cathedral on this list is worth visiting. Although Kyiv is a huge city, these cathedrals are all pretty much in walking distance from each other, so you can see all of them in one day if you wanted – like I did.

NOTE: At the time of writing, Ukraine was still safe to visit. The situation has obviously changed since then, with Russia officially invading Ukraine on the 24th of February, 2022. Kyiv has been one of the places targeted by Russia and is currently NOT safe to visit (along with any other place in Ukraine), so please listen to the advice of our local embassies before making any decisions in relation to travel.

We are obviously horrified at what is taking place in Ukraine, and do not condone violence of any sort, whatsoever. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ukraine and its people at this time. We absolutely loved visiting, and are very saddened by this news. We really hope the situation improves soon.

View of Kyiv City

You’re probably thinking “well that isn’t very helpful!” – but let me frame it another way. While I enjoyed visiting every cathedral in Kyiv, I did enjoy some more than others. So I decided to rank the cathedrals based on how much I loved visiting each one. 

I’ll only be ranking Kyiv’s most popular cathedrals, as these are the ones visitors seem to ask the most questions about. However, Kyiv literally has countless other fantastic cathedrals that aren’t on this list.

Also, I just wanted to note that these cathedrals have different rich histories and significances, but I’m mainly assessing them on a visual/enjoyment level. 

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5. St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral

St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral, Kyiv

This Cathedral is coloured a bright yellow, with blue dome roofs. Built in 1882, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral is an important symbol of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and is a great example of the Russian Neo-Byzantine style of architecture employed during that era.

I enjoyed this church as it felt more ‘local’ – the church was actually quite busy with locals coming in and out when I visited, and that was nice to see.

The Cathedral was beautiful, and I would recommend going, but I would rank it fifth because it didn’t give me that ‘wow’ factor that the other cathedrals did.

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4. St. Andrew’s Church

St. Andrew’s Church, Kyiv

Constructed in the mid-1700s, St. Andrew’s Church is elegantly perched on top of a hill called Andriyivskyy Descent, a historic route connecting Kyiv’s Upper Town and the more commercial Podil neighbourhood.

Because of this, St. Andrew’s Church enjoys sweeping views of Kyiv city and almost acts as a sort of observation platform as well. As for the gorgeous church itself, it looks a little different to the others on the list as it almost has more of a Western European feel to it – it’s more classic-looking. 

St. Andrew’s Church, Kyiv

This makes sense as it was designed by Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who employed the Elizabethan Baroque style which was popular during that era (see also: the Winter Palace, Catherine Palace and Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia). 

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3. St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery

St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, Kyiv

Can you believe St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery was first built around 1,000 years ago in the 11th century? 

St Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, Kyiv

Although the Monastery has been renovated and changed many times, it still manages to impress with its baby blue colours and gold accents.

I loved this Monastery! It was super peaceful, the inside was really beautiful, and I have a bit of a bias for buildings in this baby blue colour.

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2. Kyiv Pechersk Lavra

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Kyiv

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Kyiv

Okay, this one isn’t actually a cathedral, but a monastery – a collection of important religious buildings. Kyiv Pechersk Lavra encapsulates many stunning attractions that are definitely worth a visit, and none are more worthy than the white and gold Uspenski Cathedral. 

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Kyiv

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Kyiv

This place truly is something special and you should allocate about 1-2 hours just wondering around and checking out the jaw-dropping architecture. Definitely a must-visit.

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1. St Sophia’s Cathedral

St. Sophia’s Cathedral, Kyiv

This is one of Kyiv’s most famous attractions, and with good reason. What makes St Sophia’s Cathedral different to the rest is its unique green colour, paired with the beautiful golden domes. 

Bell Tower at St. Sophia’s Cathedral in Kyiv.

Hot tip – buy a ticket to the Bell Tower for an amazing view of St. Sophia’s Cathedral. I’d say this is definitely the best viewpoint for my favourite cathedral in Kyiv.

Ralph at St Sophia’s Cathedral.

Truthfully, I had trouble ranking my top 3 churches/cathedrals and constantly went back and forth between them (which goes to show how you really should visit every cathedral on this list) – but I visited St. Sophia’s Cathedral first, St. Michael’s second, and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra last. This may have affected how I felt about each place, as I just remember being blown away by the beauty of St. Sophia’s Cathedral.

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What else is there to visit in Kyiv, Ukraine?

Golden Gate, Kyiv

Independence Square, Kyiv

There’s plenty to see and do! Kyiv is honestly one of my favourite cities of all time. I’ll be writing a longer blog post about my stay in this magical, grand city, but you should also check out sights such as Rodina Mat (Motherland Monument), The Ukrainian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Golden Gate, Independence Square and Kontraktova Square.

Motherland Monument (Rodina Mat), Kyiv

Kontraktova Square, Kyiv

How long should I stay in Kyiv, Ukraine?

Due to some flight disruptions and cancellations, I actually only had one full day in Kyiv. This worked out in the end, as I got up really early at 5am and still managed to see everything I wanted to see. 

Ralph at The Ukrainian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

If I had the chance to visit again, I would definitely visit for at least 2 or 3 days to get an even better feel for the city.

How do I get around Kyiv, Ukraine?

Christmas in Kyiv.

You can use Kyiv’s highly efficient Metro System, but specifically with the cathedrals, most of them are in walking distance of each other or just a short taxi/Uber ride away.

Where should I stay in Kyiv?

I stayed at CITYHOTEL, which was a great, central business-like hotel that I can’t complain about. It ticked off all my boxes – helpful staff, good location, extremely comfortable – so I wouldn’t mind staying there again.

The one drawback was that it was still 1.4km away from Kyiv’s city center -  and in the winter when sidewalks are slippery, it can be quite a stretch to walk! 

Here are some other options for you that I’ve hand-picked.

Luxury

Premier Palace Hotel Kyiv – honestly looks like a palace.

Opera Hotel – Classic and stylish. Very luxurious hotel.

Intercontinental Hotel Kyiv – most Intercontinental Hotels are high quality, and this one is no different.

Mid-Range

Summit Apart Hotel – centrally located, spacious, clean and comfortable apartment hotel.

Budget

Maison Blanche Kyiv – short walk from Andriyivskyy Descent, basic but clean rooms.

Thinking of visiting Kyiv? Which cathedrals will you visit?

Do you agree with my list? Let me know in the comments below!

St. Sophia’s Cathedral, Kyiv (View from Bell Tower)

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