Khreschatyk
Khreshchatyk is the main street of Kyiv, its administrative and business center popular among residents and tourists. The name of the street is derived from the Slavyc word “khrest” (“a cross”). The street lies in a valley that is crossed by several ravines. When looked at from above, the valley resembles a cross.
For a long time Khreshchatyk itself remained an undeveloped ravine between several neighborhoods of Kyiv: Podil, the Upper City and Pechersk neighbourhood built around the Pechersk Lavra ("Monastery of the Caves").
The development of the area started in the 19th century. The architectural look of the Kreschatik Street changed gradually. For a long time beautiful stone buildings adjoined haulm-roofed houses and clay-walled huts. The situation changed after canalization system had been installed. The street was paved with granite cubes and became fashionable. By the end of the 19th century Khreshchatyk became Kyiv's main thoroughfare and the centre of commercial life, as the city itself developed into the main commercial centre in the Empire's south-west.
After the Russian Revolution of 1917 many buildings on Khreshchatyk were heavily damaged. The street, named at the period after early Bolshevik diplomat Vaclav Vorovsky, was essentially reconstructed and finally got its final modern shape in 1937. Just like today Khreshchatyk stretched from European Square till Bessarabia Square and contained many important trade buildings, bank departments, luxurious restaurants, stores, hotels and exchange house.
During World War II Khreshchatyk was fully destroyed by the retreating Red Army and then rebuilt in the neo-classical style of post-war Stalinist architecture.
The main Ukrainian street has been significantly renovated during the modern period of Ukraine's independence. The avenue gained a wider context as the central street of the country. During the late 1990s a complex reconstruction took place, and most of the buildings were cleaned up from elements, structurally upgraded and enhanced with illumination. Modern electronic billboards and screens were installed. Today the buildings of Kyiv City Council, Central Department Store, National Philharmonic, as well as other administrative constructions, stores, hotels and subway stations, situated in the area, attract attention of tourists.
In 2004 Kreshchatyk and Maidan Nezalezhnosti became the centre of the so called Orange Revolution. The public protesters' main tent encampment was situated there and many Khreshchatyk buildings served as makeshift feeding and warming sites for the protesters, including the City Council House. At the peak of the events over a million people from all around Ukraine attended the the rally.