Khreshchatyk is the main street of Kyiv — one of the shortest central avenues in the world (1.23 km), yet at the same time one of the widest, reaching up to 130 meters. Its name, according to one of the most widespread versions, comes from the intersecting ravines that crossed this valley in the times of Kyivan Rus. The formation of Khreshchatyk began at the end of the 18th century, when the first wooden houses appeared, and the City Theatre was built, which for a time gave the street the name Teatralna. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Khreshchatyk transformed into a modern urban axis: gas and electric lighting, water supply, and sewage systems were introduced here for the first time in Kyiv, and the first trams and trolleybuses appeared.
During the Second World War, Khreshchatyk was destroyed, and its postwar reconstruction became a symbol of the city’s rebirth. Based on the designs of architects Anatolii Dobrovolskyi, A. Vlasov, V. Yelizarov, A. Malynovskyi, and others, the street was widened to 100 meters and transformed into a unified architectural ensemble in the style of Ukrainian Cossack Baroque — a tribute to traditional culture. Despite the extensive destruction, a number of historic buildings on both sides of the street have survived. Among them are former hotels, bank buildings, tenement houses, and cultural institutions that endured the turbulent course of history and war.
Today, Khreshchatyk is a symbol of Kyiv and a major urban axis that connects four historic districts — the Old Town, Pechersk, New Development, and Podil — passing through European Square, Independence Square, and Bessarabsky Square. During the postwar reconstruction, a boulevard of chestnut trees was planted on the odd-numbered side — trees that have since become one of the most recognizable symbols not only of Khreshchatyk, but of the entire city of Kyiv. Today, the street combines historical memory, architectural style, and the status of the central public space of the capital.
The song “Khreshchatyk”, with lyrics by Yurii Rybchynskyi and performed by crooner Pavlo Zibrov, is dedicated to the people of Kyiv and to Khreshchatyk itself.