Разом нас богато (2005) The City Centre KYIV DESTINATION: Around Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) This square, cut into two parts by Khreschatik street, symbolises Kyiv for many tourists, but in ancient times this low-lying boggy area was outside the city walls and protected the city from attack. However in the 21st century this area has become the epicentre of living history. Almost all of the key moments of Ukrainian history since independence have happened here. Most recently Euromaidan. In the 19thC Maidan Nezalezhnosti was an elegant shopping area and park, but it was almost totally destroyed by the retreating Soviet army during WWII. Therefore the architecture today is almost uniformly 1950's "Stalinist baroque". Now it has a metro station and shopping centre. Let's explore it a bit further. Emerging from the metro you come first of all into a large underpass below the street packed with souvenir shops. The underpass is covered in wacky m...