For My Daddy

Since my Father found out that I was assigned to Kiev, he kept singing and talking about the, "Great Gates of Kiev," mostly because he had learned a song when he was younger. He said that was one thing that he really wanted to see in Ukraine if he ever came. My Mom and I thought there was no such thing until we googled it one day. It does exist. And today I saw the "Great Gates of Kiev" also known as the "Golden Gates of Kiev." However they are not and never were golden at any point in history. 

(Click to enlarge photos)

This is a monument to Yoroslav the Wise, who erected the Great Gates of Kiev. 

I am sorry, I really have NO idea what this says. 

 Here is most of our ILP Kiev 2 group and Natasha one 

of our native coordinators on the left end. 

 This shot is behind the big scary looking spiked door below.

So Here's a little history for the Great Gate of Kiev. 

There is no exact date as to when it was first built but they think it was around 1017-1024 at the same time the very famous Saint Sophia Cathedral was also built (which I also saw today.) When it was first built it was one of the three entrances into the gated city. It was the greatest fortress for the city and quickly became widely noticed. When the great cathedrals (with the golden onion looking tops) were built surrounding it, it became "The Golden Gates of Kiev." It was ruined a few times throughout history and since the 70's it went through a few reconstructions till it is what it is today. It's in independence square, which is pretty much the focal point of the city.