Everyone knows the monument to the founders of Kiev. This is a sculptural group, built in 1982 in honor of the celebration of the 1500th anniversary of the capital of Ukraine. This is a composition of forged copper, which is a flat shuttle, on which are three figures of the founders of the city, whose names came to us from legends. But how was it really? Is this one monument in Kiev? What does it matter for the capital of the country? What is his role on Kiev Day? We learn about this and much more from the article below.
Legend
The Tale of Bygone Years tells us that the Slavic tribe of the glades lived on the banks of the Danube in the first centuries of our era. Then, cramped with Romans (Greeks or Romans), they moved to the east and settled on Borisfen (the Dnieper was called that in that era). And that supposedly three brothers - Horeb, Kiy, Shchek - and sister Lybed founded a city-state on the banks of this great river. It was named after the prince of the meadow. It was the eldest of the brothers, Kiy.
The chronicle does not convey the exact time of his reign, but it is believed that this could be after the empire of the Huns collapsed, which included Slavic lands. And since it was in four hundred and fifty-third year of our era, the age of Kiev began to be calculated from this symbolic date. Further, the chronicle complains that after the death of the brothers the meadow fell under the Khazars and began to pay tribute to them.
What do scientists say
Thus, the monument to the founders of Kiev was built taking into account historical facts. However, many scholars believe that this chronicle is nothing more than a legend. After all, this is the only mention of the three brothers and sister, and other data about them has not been preserved. There are versions that this legend entered the chronicle during the reign of the Varangian princes Askold and Dir so that they better understand what kind of people and lands they should govern. But on the resettlement of the Slavs to the Dnieper there are indeed indirect confirming facts. In the one hundred and sixth year, Emperor Trajan conquered the area near the Danube, and the surrounding tribes could be driven north. And finally, the Slavs settled on the Dnieper during the Hunnic conquest.
How to build a monument to the founders of Kiev
At first, they had to put it on the pylon of the Moscow bridge. But then it turned out that it could be ripped off or crushed by strong winds. Therefore, the place where the sculptural group was supposed to be, became the embankment of the Dnieper. This is Navodnitsky Park. The monument is located near the Dnipro metro station, in view of the famous Paton Bridge.
The authors of this composition were the architect Feschenko and the artist, the master of work on stone and iron Vasily Boroday. The latter was the author of the famous complex "Motherland", which is located opposite the sculptural group of the founders of the capital.
Reinforced concrete was chosen as the material for the statues themselves, and they covered it with copper. The fact is that then it was impossible to make sculptures from non-ferrous metals. The boat, on which the figures of brothers and sisters stand, is hoisted on a granite pedestal. It is surrounded by a pool. The length of the boat is about nine meters, and the height of the sculptures is about 4 m.
But time passed, and the metal gradually succumbed to corrosion. And in 2010, the sculptures of the brothers Schek and Horeb collapsed. I had to restore the monument to the founders of Kiev. Its reopening took place in May 2010, that is, a few months after the fall of the figures. The current sculptures are made of bronze.
Traces in the toponymy and geography of Kiev
Not only the Dnieper embankment has preserved the memory of the founders of the city. Indeed, according to the annals, the brothers and sister were struck by the beauty of the local hills. Therefore, they first founded three settlements, which subsequently merged into one. And in the modern city there are still two hills - Kiyanitsa and Schekavitsa, on which, according to legend, the initial fortifications were originally built. Within the capital there is also Khoriva Street, and a small river called Lybed. Another monument to the founders of Kiev was built on the main square of the country - Independence Square.
