Monument to the founders of Kiev

The capital of Ukraine Kiev for more than a thousand years. According to legend, ancient Kiev was founded by the brothers Kiy, Shchek, Horeb and their sister Lybid. In the Russian chronicles of 11-12 centuries it is said that they stopped at the banks of the Dnieper River, enchanted by the beauty of the local nature.

The brothers decided to settle in this place. On the Boricheva mountain Ki settled, his brother Shchek - on Mount Shchekovitsa, and Horeb founded his village on Mount Horivitsa. A river flowing through the city, the people of Kiev named after Lybid's sister. On these three mountains the brothers built the city of Kiev.

To the 1500 anniversary of Kiev on the embankment of the Dnieper in Navodnitsky Park a monument to the founders of the city was erected. In 1982, sculptor Vasily Boroday and architect Nikolai Feshchenko designed a monument at Paton Bridge. His composition is represented in the form of a boat, on which the sculptures of the three brothers Kiy, Shchek, Khoryv and their sister Lybid are installed. In the hands of Kia, a strained bow, and Schick and Horace are held in a spear. Lybid stands on the nose of the boat and looks into the distance. The boat and figures of the monument are made of thin, sheet copper. Under it is a granite pedestal, around which there is a swimming pool. Near the monument you will see a stone with a quote from the chronicle of the history of the foundation of Kiev.

The sculptor Vasily Borodai calls his creation "The Hovering Lybid". All because using light copper instead of heavy bronze, he wanted to achieve the airiness of the whole composition. Now his work is considered a symbol of the city.

A beautiful tradition is associated with this monument. On the day of the wedding, the newlyweds come to this place and literally throw the monument with flowers for a long happy family life. There is a belief that if young people turn their backs on the monument, they will be able to throw a bouquet of flowers in the boat, then their marriage will develop successfully.

It is easy to reach the monument if you go to the Dnepr metro station and pass through the park to the embankment of the Dnieper.