Monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky

On Sofia Square, one of the unspoken symbols of Kiev is installed - a monument to Bogdan Khmelnytsky. The choice of place for its installation was discussed for several years, and as a result it was installed in the city center on the day of the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the baptism of Russia. Hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky went down in history as an outstanding commander and statesman who led a national uprising against the Commonwealth.

The place to install the monument to the national hero was chosen for a very long time and was disputed many times. When the decision on Sophia Square was made, a refusal came from St. Petersburg. The ban was explained by the fact that the monument would stand between the altar wall of the Kiev Sophia Cathedral and the Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Cathedral. At the same time, the mace in the hands of Bogdan was directed towards Poland, and the tail of the horse - towards the St. Sophia Cathedral, which could offend the feelings of numerous believers and pilgrims. Kiev clergy expressed their dissatisfaction with such a composition and for some time the monument was located on Bessarabskaya Square. In the end, the monument was still installed in the center, I will unfold it in a respectful manner, although the hetman’s mace began to point more towards Sweden.

Contrary to the popular story, Bogdan, restraining the horse by a volitional movement and imperatively throwing his hand forward with a mace, does not point towards Moscow.