Kyiv chestnuts are the blooming symbol of the capital. Kyiv is beautiful in every season, but it is most enchanting in spring, when white and pink “candles” of chestnut blossoms light up Khreshchatyk and the entire central part of the city. That is why Kyiv is often called the city of chestnuts. During Soviet times, the blooming chestnut was the official symbol of the city and even appeared on its coat of arms. The true musical anthem of the capital became the song “Kyiv Waltz” by Andriy Malyshko and Platon Maiboroda, in which the image of chestnut blossoms is associated with youth and happiness.
Although the homeland of chestnut trees is Greece, they appeared in Kyiv long ago. There are several versions of how they arrived. The most popular says that in 1842, Governor-General Bibikov brought grafted chestnut trees from the Balkans in anticipation of the visit of Tsar Nicholas I. But due to the monarch’s whim, the trees were uprooted, and Kyiv residents saved them by transplanting them into their own courtyards. Another version claims that chestnuts adorned monastic estates as early as the 17th–18th centuries. Some link their arrival to retired officers of the War of 1812 who returned to the city and brought saplings from Europe.
Today, the blooming chestnut remains one of the most poetic symbols of Kyiv. When in spring Khreshchatyk is illuminated by chestnut “candles,” the city acquires a special charm that captivates both locals and visitors.
The song “Kyiv Waltz” performed by Karelia “Dumka” will bring you the movement and rhythm of Khreshchatyk in waltz time and help you imagine the atmosphere of springtime Kyiv.