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THE FOUNDERS OF KYIV MONUMENT
The founders of Kyiv monument is a landmark and a symbol of an ancient history of the city. It was built in 1982 for 1500-year anniversary. Actually, Kyiv was founded long before that. And even though Soviet historians cooked up this date, people accepted it and fell in love with the monument. Newlyweds usually come here in order to try their luck and throw the wedding bouquet into the boat for happiness.
The sculptural composition stands for a craft that brought three legendary brothers and a sister – Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and Lybid, the founders of the city, to the riverbank.
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The official name Letiucha (eng. Flying) Lybid remained as a memory of a little boat given as a gift for a Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. After getting an approval, Vasyl Borodai, a sculptor and creator of the monument, suggested to put in on the pylon of the Pivnichnyi (“Northern”) Bridge. However, the composition ended up on the riverbank.
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Several researchers believe that only Kyi was a real person. The names of Shchek and Khoryv can be found in chronicles and legends in order to make the founding of the capital sound more majestic. Just like with another legend about three brothers – Lech, Czech and Rus, founders of three Slavic peoples etc.
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The composition was made from concrete with copper. It is placed on a granite pedestal. There is a fountain around it.
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In 2001, yet another monument for founders with a similar story was placed on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (eng. An Independence Square) in Kyiv.
- Go find a fragment of the monument on UAH. Are you familiar with the image? There is a prize for a decent story.
