Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The complex is divided into the upper
lavra
(owned by the government and Kyiv Pat-
riarchy) and the lower
lavra
(which belongs to Moscow Patriarchy and contains the
caves).
As this is the city's single most fascinating and extensive tourist site, you will need at
least half a day to get a decent introduction. Try to avoid the Lavra on weekends, when it
gets extremely busy. If you must go, then visit early and head for the caves first.
Entrance to the upper
lavra
is free from 6am to 9am, and for a couple of hours after
closing (until sunset). Admission to the upper
lavra
allows access to the churches, but
several museums on-site charge additional fees.
past the main entrance to the upper
lavra,
sells two-hour guided tours in various lan-
guages (500uah per group of up to 10 people). Book in advance during peak periods. En-
trance to the lower
lavra
and the caves is free of charge for pilgrims. Foreign tourists are
likely to be asked to join one of the Russian-language tours (26uah, every 20 minutes)
located near the exit from the upper
lavra
.
To enter the caves, women must wear a headscarf and either a skirt that extends below
their knees or, at a pinch, trousers. Trousers are officially forbidden but nowadays a blind
eye is frequently turned. Men are obliged to remove their hats, and wearing shorts and T-
shirts is forbidden. Men and women will also feel more comfortable donning scarves and
doffing hats in the monastery's churches.
Upper Lavra
The main entrance to the upper
lavra
is through the striking
Trinity Gate Church
(Troit-
ska Nadbramna Tserkva), a well-preserved piece of early-12th-century Rus architecture.
Rebuilt in the 18th century, it once doubled as a watchtower and as part of the monastery
fortifications. It's well worth going inside to observe its rich frescoes and lavish gilded
altar. To access the church, turn left immediately after entering through the main gate.
Also in this northwest section of the grounds is the small, late-17th-century
St Nicholas'
Church
, its unique blue dome adorned with golden stars. It's now an administrative
building.
Back out on the main path, you can't miss the seven gleaming gold domes of the
replica of the famous and sacred original. It was blown up during WWII - most probably
by Soviet partisans, although pro-Russian historians still blame it on the Nazis. You can
enter the church only during services, typically held on Saturday afternoons at 5pm and
Sunday mornings at 7am. The big rock in the square between the cathedral and the bell
tower is a
fragment
of the original cathedral.