The statement that Kiev for over one and a half thousand years is a myth formed in Soviet times for political reasons. Natalia Pinchuk, a researcher of the Museum of History of Kyiv, told this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine
According to her, the widespread idea of the founding of the capital of Ukraine in the 5th century was published thanks to the "state order", implemented by Academician Peter Tolochko in the 1980s. The reason was the discovery of archaeologists of the residues of settlement on Starokievskaya Mountain. They really found ceramics and craft products, however, as Pinchuk emphasizes, it is incorrect to call this settlement.
“A beautiful date was needed. A million rubles were allocated under it, and the age of Kiev was determined as 1500 years. This anniversary was celebrated at the UNESCO level, but the decision was political and not scientific, ”the researcher explained.
As part of the celebrations, the Soviet authorities carried out a number of large -scale reconstructions in the capital: they restored the Golden Gate, restored the Mariinsky Palace, opened the Museum of History of Kiev. It was then that the popular myth now became entrenched.
The scientist also emphasized: despite the legend of the story of the founders of Kiev - brothers Kyi, Shchek, Choryv and sister Libid - such stories do not occur in an empty place, but they should not be taken literally.
Separately, Pinchuk mentioned another well -known legend - about the apostle Andrew the First -Called, who allegedly spent the night on the Kiev hills and the prerich that a large city would appear at this place. Today is the St. Andrew's Church, which became one of the symbols of Kiev.
Kyiv was indeed the center of Kievan Rus, or "Mother of the Russian City", which confirms the story of the past years . But the city was formed only in the last quarter of the IX century - that is, much later than Paris or London.
“Kyiv is not older than European capitals. Paris existed even before our era, and London originated in the first century AD, ”Pinchuk summed up.
