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About the project

Kyiv is an open and inclusive city that welcomes everyone who comes here, regardless of origin, language or history. It is a big home where everyone can find their place: a native, a migrant, a guest from abroad or a tourist. There is no division here into “their own” and “strangers” – the city creates a space for equal opportunities, support and mutual respect.

The capital of Ukraine stands as the heart of the country and a symbol of unity, combining ancient history and modern meanings. It offers not only architecture and culture, but also a special atmosphere of mutual care, shelter and new beginnings. “The city of everyone” is Kyiv, where you can feel at home even when you come here for the first time, and which always remains a part of the life of those who have touched its rhythm at least once.

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Independence Square

Independence Square
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Independence Square is the main square of Kyiv and of all Ukraine, regarded as the symbolic heart of the state. In everyday speech, it is simply called Maidan, since the word “maidan” is synonymous with “square.” The space developed from the old Perevisyshche and the Lyad Gate to the 19th-century Khreshchatyk Square, which featured a market, performances, and the City Duma building. Today, Maidan is home to a significant landmark — the “Zero Kilometer” marker, which measures distances from Kyiv to major cities of Ukraine and the world. It is easy to find near the Main Post Office: a composition in the form of a globe with birds that has become a popular city symbol.

In the 20th century, Maidan underwent major transformations — from destruction, Soviet redevelopment, and multiple renaming to its evolution into a modern urban center with the Hotel Ukraine, a metro station, and the Globus shopping complex. At the same time, key political events of the late 20th century took place here — the Revolution on Granite in 1990, which effectively established the tradition of Maidan as a space of civic resistance. After the proclamation of independence in 1991, the square received its current name and became a stage for the formation of a new Ukrainian society.

In the 21st century, Maidan finally became the site of the struggle for the freedom and dignity of Ukrainians. Here unfolded the Orange Revolution of 2004, the Euromaidan, and the Revolution of Dignity of 2013–2014. Along Instytutska Street, the Avenue of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes was created, dedicated to those killed during the February days of 2014. The square also contains a grassroots Memorial to the Heroes of the ongoing war, as farewells to Ukraine’s defenders are often held here. In the Trade Unions Building, the Museum of Freedom operates, where visitors can learn more about the events of the Revolution of Dignity and its heroes.

Today, Maidan remains the symbol of Independence, Dignity, Truth, and Freedom — a place where the modern history of Ukraine continues to be written.