After the opening of the university in 1834, there arose a need for its own academic buildings. The creation of the main structure was entrusted to the renowned architect Vincenzo Beretti, who had won a prestigious architectural competition in St. Petersburg. It was he who designed not only the university building, but also the General Development Plan for Kyiv at that time.
Thanks to his work, a new part of the city appeared — with straight streets, green boulevards, and a building that became the center of a new district. This area was named the Latin Quarter — following a European tradition in which districts surrounding universities, filled with student life, bore this name.
The architecture of the Red Building is executed in the Classicist style: symmetry, monumental columns, clean lines, and restrained grandeur. But the most striking feature, of course, is the red color of the walls. It is precisely because of this that the building came to be known as the “Red Building.”
This color gave rise to many legends. According to one of them, the shade of red was not chosen by accident — it symbolically reflected the colors of the ribbon of the Order of Saint Volodymyr, under whose name the university was founded. The black capitals of the columns harmonize with the red walls, creating a solemn yet calm image — one that is instantly recognizable from any point along Volodymyrska Street.
Today, the Red Building remains not just an academic facility — it is an architectural gem of Kyiv and an important part of the city’s history.