Botanical Gardens
In Kiev, there are several botanical gardens: the one named after academic Fomin, the State Botanical Garden, and the Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian Academy of Science. The last one is probably the most picturesque garden in Kiev: the garden not only contains various kinds of plants, but also neighbors with the beautiful Vidubitsky monastery.
The Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian Academy of Science is also called the Central Botanical Garden. It was founded in 1936. Its total area equals 130 hectares and contains over 13,000 kinds and sorts of trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants from all the world continents. The Botanical Garden boasts a great amount of coniferous trees, flowers, such as peonies, roses, magnolias, and bushes, like lilac, locust and many other plants. The garden contains a number of hothouses, conservatories, greenhouses and rosaries. It is the place where the guests can see exotic plants, attend the flowers exhibitions, take a walk along the beautiful lilac and rose alleys, enjoy the exquisite scents and aromas.
Close to the Botanical Garden of the Ukraine Academy of Science there is a majestic Vidubitsky monastery, which was founded by the son of Yaroslav Mudry, Vsevolod, between 1070 and 1077. The name of the monastery comes from old Slavic legend about the pagan god Perun, who swam out of the Dnepr River, but was defeated by Prince Vladimir, who was against pagan idols and made Russia an Orthodox country. "Vidubat" means "swimming out" in Old Slavic, thus the name of the monastery constructed on the legendary site of Perun and Vladimir battle. In the times of Old Rus near the monastery used to be the passage through the Dnepr River. Vidubitsky monastery got its modern look in the 18th century, when the five-domed Georgievsky Cathedral, the refectory and the belfry were put up. They are examples of the Ukrainian baroque architectural style.
The Central Botanical Garden and adjoining Vidubitsky monastery create a charming and unique corner of Kiev, which is perfect for family rest or spending some time alone with nature and surrounding beauty.
Botanical gardens have been around for many years. The earliest such gardens were created at the University of Pisa, which was established in 1543, and the garden at the University of Padua, established in 1545. These gardens are created for educational purposes and enable research to be done on the various conifers, flowers, trees and ferns that are generally found in a botanical garden. The city of Kiev, in Ukraine, has several of these beautiful gardens. The two most prominent ones are the State Botanical Garden and the Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian Academy of Science.
One of the bigger botanical gardens in Kiev is the Botanical Garden of the Ukrainian Academy of Science, also known as the Central Botanical Garden. It is amongst the more popular attractions in Kiev for local residents and visitors, as this impressive botanical garden covers an area of 130 hectares. The Kiev Botanical Gardens are known for their beauty and vast variety of tree and plant species. The Central Botanical Garden was established in the year 1936 and over the years it has grown to include a spectacular range of approximately 13,000 species which have been brought here from all over the world. Coniferous trees, roses, shrubs, lilacs and magnolias fill the garden with color and fragrance; it is almost like walking into a space that is far removed from the world. The grounds are scattered with greenhouses and hothouses, each containing their own plant and flower extravaganza and just waiting to be explored.
Another of the Kiev Botanical Gardens is the Kiev Shevchenko University botanical garden. It was founded in the year 1839 and is located on approximately 22.5 hectares of land. Though not as large as the Central Botanical Garden, it is still home to a spectacular variety of plants and trees. At present there are more than 8,000 different plant species, with 143 of those species being on the Ukraine Red Book of Rare Species listings. It also boasts the oldest palm trees in the whole of Ukraine, which visitors can view in the staggering 98-foot high greenhouse that was built in 1977.
Visitors and tourists are advised not to pass by these breathtaking botanical gardens in Kiev. They are all very beautiful and extremely interesting. Even if the plant and tree species do not stir any excitement in you, the gardens are tranquil and relaxing. They are small pieces of nature put aside to remind us of the beauty of nature and the importance of conserving it.