Yaroslaviv Val Street is one of the most atmospheric streets in the center of Kyiv, preserving in its name the memory of the princely era. It emerged in the mid-19th century, when the ancient earth ramparts — built in the 11th century during the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise — were dismantled. These fortifications, together with the Golden Gate, the Lyadski Gate on today’s Maidan, and the Zhydivska Gate on today’s Lviv Square, enclosed “Yaroslav’s City” — the fortified center of Kyiv with grand churches and urban development.
At first, the new street was named Velyka Pidvalna (Great Sub-Wall Street) because it lay directly “beneath the rampart.” However, the name was purely descriptive. In the 20th century, the street regained its historical association, and the name Yaroslaviv Val now directly refers to the era of Kyiv’s expansion under Yaroslav the Wise, when the city was transformed into the political and spiritual center of Eastern Europe.
The architectural appearance of the street was formed at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. It was here that tenement buildings with Neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau façades appeared, along with mansions of Kyiv’s nobility, diplomatic missions, and hotels. The street has always been prestigious, and today it is also a cultural artery, where elite establishments, theaters, embassies, and historical landmarks coexist.
Walking along Yaroslaviv Val allows one to literally follow the line of the ancient fortification and feel how the modern city grew upon the “spine” of Old Rus’. This is a place where the legends of Kyiv intertwine with the present. Don’t miss the opportunity to relax in cozy Kyiv cafés or coffee houses, where you can enjoy the flavors of both Ukrainian and international cuisine — adding a gastronomic accent to this captivating journey.