Information
Landmark: St. Andrew’s ChurchCity: Kyiv
Country: Ukraine
Continent: Europe
St. Andrew’s Church, Kyiv, Ukraine, Europe
Overview
St. Andrew’s Church (Андріївська церква) stands as one of Kyiv’s most famous landmarks, perched high above the cobblestone curve of Andriyivskyy Descent in the city’s Upper Town.This Baroque masterpiece draws visitors with its ornate spires, serving as both a place of worship and a museum that embodies Kyiv’s deep cultural and spiritual roots.Designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli-famed for St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace-this landmark at 23 Andriyivskyy Descent in Kyiv was built between 1747 and 1762.Recognized as a monument of national importance and listed on UNESCO’s Tentative List, it’s been under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople since 2018.According to the *Primary Chronicle*, Apostle Andrew once stood on these hills, planted a wooden cross, and foretold a flourishing Christian city.Later, they built a church to mark the event, its bells strengthening Kyiv’s standing as the cradle of Christianity in Eastern Europe.Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, Peter the Great’s daughter, ordered the church built under imperial patronage, her seal pressed firmly into the wax of the decree.She’d planned it as a chapel for summer stays, yet the doors never once swung open to greet her.You can still see her initials etched into the church’s stone façade.Perched on a steep hillside, the Baroque-style church blends Ukrainian and Russian influences and rises on a 15‑meter stylobate.Its cross-shaped plan centers around a vivid green dome surrounded by five ornate spires, while cast-iron railings, balconies, and supports-nearly 100 tons in all-add both strength and intricate detail.Inside, Rastrelli’s lavish iconostasis gleams in red and gold, framed by 39 icons painted by Vyshnyakov and others; cherubs, flowers, and religious scenes adorn the walls, and the altar holds Platon Boryspilets’ “The Sermon of the Apostle Andrew.” Built atop unstable soils, the church has needed constant care: minor 19th- and 20th-century repairs, a major restoration from 2008 to 2020 reinforcing the foundation and art, and, in 2022, a European Heritage Award for its preservation.Today, it serves as both museum-managed by the National Sanctuary “Sophia of Kyiv”-and place of worship on Sundays and feast days, with a terrace offering sweeping views of the Dnipro River, Podil, and Kyiv’s old skyline.Visitors usually arrive between 10:00 and 18:00, though hours can shift for services or holidays; tickets run about 150–200 UAH, with reduced rates for students and pensioners, and free entry for young children and on cultural days.Guided tours in several languages share history, architecture, and access to special viewing spots.Reaching the church means climbing steep cast‑iron stairs, and the compact interior may challenge those with mobility issues.From the “Kontraktova Ploshcha” metro, it’s a 15‑minute uphill walk, or a stroll up Andriyivskyy Descent, lined with galleries and market stalls; nearby are the Bulgakov Museum, the neo‑Gothic Castle of Richard the Lionheart, and lively Podil.Construction began in 1747, finished in 1762 under architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, and it’s been on UNESCO’s tentative list since 2005.
