Maidan Nezalezhnosti

Forged in a kingdom wrought with history, Maidan Nezalezhnost went from being an undeveloped marshland to a striking modern-day square. Also known as Independence Square, the maidan was originally framed by wooden Lach Gates that were torn down during the start of the 18th Century. As the scars of the city's Medieval past dissolved, a troupe of stone buildings arose around the square. After the Soviet Union fell in the late 20th Century, a free Ukraine christened this capital city maidan as Independence Square. A decade later, the square underwent a dramatic transformation that focused on beautification. Fountains were built, the sculpture of Archangel Mikhail captured the heart of the square, and an array of cafes and restaurants appeared rapidly at its fringes. Today, the Khreshchatyk, Kiev's main thoroughfare cuts through the square and the entire maidan comes alive with a riot of events and celebrations around the year.