Monument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv
The Monument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv is a representative monument of the Ukrainian capital. It was created in honor of the Cossack ataman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, an important military and political figure in Ukraine’s history. The monument was erected in 1888 and was designed by the sculptor Mikhail Mikeshin. It stands in Sofia Square, at the intersection of Volodymyr, Rylsk, and Sofia streets, opposite Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv’s Shevchenko district. Nearby, about 300 meters to the northeast, is Saint Michael’s Square, home to Saint Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and the monument to Princess Olga.
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Identification | |
| Title | Monument to Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv |
| Type | Equestrian monument |
| Subject | Bohdan Khmelnytsky |
| Original-language name | Пам'ятник Богданові Хмельницькому в Києві |
Historical context | |
| Commemorates | Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the first Hetman of the Zaporizhian Host and an important military and political figure in the history of Ukraine |
| Associated event | Created for the 900th anniversary celebration of the Baptism of Rus' |
| Origin of idea | The idea arose in the 1840s through historian and University of Kyiv professor Mykola Kostomarov |
Creator | |
| Designer | Mikhail Mikeshin |
| Committee chairman | Mykhailo Yuzefovych |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Permission granted | 1860 by the imperial government |
| Construction delays | Postponed due to the Crimean War and again in 1863 because of the January Uprising |
| Location renamed for project | Bessarabian Square was named Bohdan Khmelnytsky Square from 1869 to 1881 for the monument project |
| Funds collected | 37,000 rubles |
| Funding | Paid for by donations, including all-Russian subscription |
| Original planned location | Bessarabian Square, Kyiv |
Physical characteristics | |
| Height | 10.85 meters |
| Depiction | Khmelnytsky on horseback |
| Material | Bronze sculpture and granite pedestal |
| Pedestal form | Granite stones arranged in the form of a kurgan |
Technique | |
| Portrait basis | Khmelnytsky's facial features and clothing details were recreated with advice from Volodymyr Antonovych |
| Metalwork | The bronze was worked by P. Velionsky and A. Ober |
| Casting | Cast in 1879 at Bird's plant in St. Petersburg |
Location and ownership | |
| Current location | Sophia Square, Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Placement within square | Near the center of Sophia Square, on the axis connecting the bell towers of Saint Sophia Cathedral and St. Michael's Monastery |
| Nearby landmarks | Opposite Saint Sophia Cathedral, near Saint Michael's Square, Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, and the monument to Princess Olga |
| District | Shevchenko District, Kyiv |
History and restoration | |
| Orientation legend | A local legend says the horse was turned with its tail toward St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery and the pedestal was rotated, leaving the mace pointing toward Sweden; the monument never pointed toward Moscow |
| Inscriptions | The pedestal originally bore the inscriptions “We desire the eastern Orthodox Tsar” and “Bohdan Khmelnytsky, one and indivisible Russia”; they were replaced in 1919 and 1924 with “Bohdan Khmelnytsky. 1888” |
| Pedestal material source | Granite blocks donated by the Kyiv Fortress administration, left over from the Nicholas Chain Bridge |
| Pedestal funding | The city architect designed a cheaper pedestal and worked without pay |
| Pedestal designer | Volodymyr Nikolaiev |
| Interim storage | Kept for several years in the courtyard of the Kyiv Government Office Building while waiting for pedestal funding |
| Unveiling context | Grand opening and consecration during the 900th anniversary celebration of the Baptism of Rus' |
| Unveiling date | 23 June 1888 |
| Erection date | 1888 |
| Condition note | Protected from Russian shelling in July 2022 |
Significance | |
| Status | One of the oldest sculptural monuments in Kyiv |
| Urban significance | A dominant feature of Sophia Square and one of Kyiv's symbols |
| Recognition | Known throughout Ukraine and shown on Ukrainian coins and postage stamps |
| Heritage status | Since 2001, listed in the State Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine as a monument of national importance |