Hero (2008)
Although there were already Slavic tribes in the area, it was the arrival of Vikings in the 8th and 9th centuries that saw the start of development of the city of Kyiv. Some had already settled in what is now Russia and came further south, others came from Norway, Germany and Sweden.
Norway - founders of Kyiv
EUROVISION COUNTRY: Norway
KYIV DESTINATION: Kievan Rus Park
Although there were already Slavic tribes in the area, it was the arrival of Vikings in the 8th and 9th centuries that saw the start of development of the city of Kyiv. Some had already settled in what is now Russia and came further south, others came from Norway, Germany and Sweden.
Kievan prince Volodymyr the Great was born as Valdamarr Sveinadlsson in the principality of the Viking city of Novgorod (now in Russia). His relative Ladejarl Håkon Sigurdsson was the rule of Norway and together they went into battle in the 970s and took Kyiv. By 980 he established Kiev as a major principality in the region, linking the river ways from Constantinople to the Baltic. His conversion to Christianity started the orthodox church in Ukraine, and subsequently Russia and Belarus.
You can experience what the very first Kyiv settlement would have looked like by visiting a life-sze replica of the 9th century city which is slowly being reconstructed outside Kyiv.
The Kievan Rus park http://parkkyivrus.com/en/ is a 30-40 minute drive out of the centre of the city. The easiest way to get there is by Taxi (€15-20) and then you can return by a coach every hour on the hour for about €1.50.
There is lots to see here, and they put on a show at 14.00. Even if you don't speak Ukrainian it's an emotional lesson in how history lives within us all.
For €0.80 you can pose with a Viking for your photo album, and there's a number of different places to eat. There is a medieval village fair selling historic crafts. It is easy to spend 2-3 hours here.
Norwegian embassy:
Address: Strieltska St, 15, Kyiv
Tel: (+380) 44 281 2200
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