# ST. SOPHIA CATHEDRAL 7 
Now being a museum, Kiev's beautiful 11th-century cathedral features well-preserved Byzantine-style mosaics and frescoes, elegant gold domes, and a 76 m-tall wedding-cake bell tower well worth climbing.
Cathedral | Viewpoint World Heritage Site: since 1990
by Francisco Anzola / CC BY-SA 3.0
# KYIV PECHERSK LAVRA 6 
This beautiful complex of various beautiful churches with gorgeous, golden domes, eerie underground labyrinths, and the Bell Tower of Dormition Catedral providing wonderful views, was built from 1073 to 1089.
Caves and Orthodox Christian Monastery | Viewpoint World Heritage Site: since 1990
by Віктор Полянко / CC BY-SA 4.0
# Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) 6
Steeped in history and culture, Kiev's huge and lively central square features the iconic Independence Column, beautiful fountains (with a popular nightly show), and an awesome underground mall.
by Maksym Kozlenko / CC BY-SA 4.0
# St. Michael's Cathedral 6
Located opposite St. Sophia’s Cathedral, this functioning golden-domed monastery on the banks of the Dnieper River is a faithful reconstruction (2000) of the original (1108), which was torn down by the Soviets in 1937 for having “no historical value.”
by Norbert Aepli / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Rodina Mat (Motherland Monument) 6
Sixty-two meters (203 ft) in height, this monumental stainless-steel statue of a woman with a shield and a sword stands proudly as a symbol of the victory of the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany. You can go up to the observation deck at the height of the shield to enjoy a breathtaking view of Kyiv.
Statue | Museum | Viewpoint Height: 62 m / 203 ft; Construction: 1979–1981
Pedro J Pacheco / CC BY-SA 4.0
# Andriyivskyy Descent and St. Andrew's Church 5.5 
Known as "the Montmartre of Kiev", the picturesque and steep cobblestone Andriyivskyy Descent connects the top of Andriyivska Hill with the gorgeous Baroque Saint Andrew’s Church and the Lower City.
Valerii Tkachenko / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Golden Gate 5.5
Despite its name not being golden at all, this unique legendary wood, stone, and brick structure was reconstructed in 1982 based on archaeological excavations. It is possible to climb to the observation deck as well as visit the Church of the Annunciation.
Gate | Museum | Church | Viewpoint Total Height: 10.5 m / 34 ft] | Width: 32 m / 105 ft
by George Chernilevsky / Public domain
# National Opera House of Ukraine 5.5
Established in the summer of 1867, this elegant Neo-Renaissance building is home to the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Opera Theatre.
by Andrew Bossi/ CC BY-SA 2.0
# Khreshchatyk Street 5.5
Stretching across 1.2 kilometers, this tree-lined boulevard is the main shopping street in Kiev. During the weekends and public holidays, the area is closed to traffic.
by Maksym Kozlenko / CC BY-SA 4.0
# National Museum of Ukrainian Architecture and Culture 5.5
Considered the largest open-air museum in Europe, the beautiful National Museum of Ukrainian Architecture and Culture features over two hundred traditional Ukrainian buildings.
Open-Air Museum Established: 1969 | Surface: 1.49 km2 / 370 acres | Buildings: 300
by Uk-Kamelot / CC BY-SA 3.0