The Golden Gate of Kiev is a fortification that was part of the ancient city walls. It was built in the 11th century by Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kiev, but subsequently fell into disrepair and was buried underground.
Archaeological excavations of the Golden Gate began in the 1832. In 1970 a pavilion was built over the ruins to protect them and recreate the original look of the gate. The pavilion was rebuilt in 1982 to mark the 1500th anniversary of the city. It currently houses a tourist information centre, small museum and offers great views of the city.
A bronze monument to Yaroslav the Wise stands in front of the gate. There’s also a smaller and more curious statue of a bronze cat called Pantyusha. In 1997 a fire at the nearby Pantagruel restaurant resulted in the death of its popular cat. Staff and diners raised some money and erected the statue in its memory. It is now a popular photo opportunity for tourists.
There are lots of places to eat and drink nearby. An outdoor café next to the Golden Gate is very pleasant in the summer months. The Golden Gate Irish Pub is also nearby.
The Golden Gate of Kiev is situated in the centre of city right next to Zoloti Vorota Metro Station.
Nearby Attractions
Tourist attractions and things to do near Golden Gate include:
Nearby Restaurants
Restaurants and places to eat and drink near Golden Gate include:
-
Osteria Pantagruel (0 miles) - Legendary Italian restaurant. Traditional homely interior. Good service. Terrace open in the summer. Located right next to the Golden Gate.
-
Tolstiy and Tonkiy (0.2 miles) - Upmarket steakhouse. Impeccable service. Near the Golden Gate. Expensive by Kiev standards.
-
11 Mirrors Rooftop Restaurant and Bar (0.2 miles) - Rooftop restaurant at one of the city’s best hotels. Offers great panoramic views of the city. Close to the National Opera of Ukraine.
-
Avalon (0.2 miles) - Popular, multi-level entertainment complex. Includes a restaurant, bar, and nightclub. Highly recommended. Attracts a beautiful crowd.
-
Korchma Taras Bulba (0.3 miles) - Family-friendly Ukrainian restaurant. Traditional interior. Offers a huge selection of inexpensive varenyky (dumplings). Just a short walk from Khreshchatyk.
-
True Burger Bar (0.3 miles) - Cosy gourmet burger restaurant. Close to the National Opera of Ukraine and St Volodymyr’s Cathedral.
-
Whisky Corner (0.3 miles) - Upmarket whisky-themed restaurant. Offers a huge selection of whiskies. Very professional service. Located between Independence Square and St Sophia’s Cathedral.
-
Chang Bistronomia (0.4 miles) - Contemporary Vietnamese restaurant. Friendly staff. Modern décor. Near St Sophia’s Cathedral.
-
Shato Robert Doms (0.4 miles) - Pub with its own brewery. Enjoys a great location on Khreshchatyk, just across the road from Khreshchatyk Metro Station. Outdoor terrace, open in the summer, is great for watching the world go by.
-
Musafir (0.4 miles) - Crimean restaurant near Lesya Ukrainka Theatre and Teatralna Metro Station. Cosy. Great reputation.
-
Last Barricade (0.4 miles) - Restaurant themed around modern Ukrainian revolutions. Interesting interior and lively entertainment. The restaurant is hidden and difficult to find. Entrance is an unmarked door in a corridor at the upper end of the entrance to the Globus shopping centre on Independence Square, near the Billa supermarket.
-
Spotykach (0.4 miles) - Contemporary Ukrainian cuisine. Unique atmosphere and great service. Located near St Sophia’s Cathedral.
-
O'Panas (0.4 miles) - Tradtional Ukrainian restaurant in Taras Shevchenko Park. Fantastic wooden interior.
-
Kosatka (0.5 miles) - Cafe/bar close to St Sophia’s Cathedral. Attracts a youthful crowd.
-
Barman Dictat (0.5 miles) - Excellent bar on Khreshchatyk. Beautiful interior with huge sold wood bar. Shelves behind the bar house thousands of different drinks from all over the world. Staff need ladders to reach some of them. Live music most evenings. Smoking room. Difficult to find. Go into the courtyard at 44 Khreshchatyk and head to the building on the left. The bar is behind an unmarked doorway. Go down the stairs after entering.
-
Tres Francais (0.5 miles) - Cosy French bistro. Enjoys a great central location, just a short walk from Independence Square.
-
Mama Gochi (0.5 miles) - Georgian restaurant close to Independence Square. Summer terrace.
-
Restaurant Chachapuri (0.5 miles) - Cosy Georgian restaurant. Close to the Hilton Kyiv and St Volodymyr's Cathedral. Universytet Metro Station is just across the road.
-
Mr Grill Hotdogs and Burgers (0.6 miles) - Modern burger and hotdog restaurant on Kiev’s main street. Amazing interior. Great service. Outdoor seating in the summer months.
-
Loona Restaurant and Karaoke (0.6 miles) - Upmarket Asian restaurant and karaoke bar at Arena city. Attractive crowd. Parties most evenings.
-
100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered (100 Years Ago In The Future) (0.6 miles) - Modern Ukrainian cuisine. Excellent service.
-
Puzata Hata - Baseina Street (0.6 miles) - Budget restaurant offering Ukrainian cuisine at bargain prices. Self-service. This branch is located close to Besarabsky Market.
-
Khinkalnya Gogi (0.6 miles) - Offers reasonably priced Georgian cuisine. Friendly service. Situated near Taras Shevchenko Park and the Fomin Botanical Gardens.
-
The Burger (0.6 miles) - Offers a good selection of gourmet burgers. Impeccable service. Very reasonably priced given its location at Arena City.
-
Paravoz Speak Easy (0.7 miles) - Intimate cocktail bar. Located in the basement of the Kiev Cinema, close to Ploshcha Lva Tolstoho Metro Station.
-
Under Wonder (0.7 miles) - Intimate restaurant in the city centre. Great service and beautiful interior. Open 24 hours.
-
Pervak (0.7 miles) - Offers traditional Ukrainian cuisine. Interesting interior. Located in the centre, close to Arena City.
-
Piccolino (0.7 miles) - Italian restaurant offering a good variety of dishes and wines. Ambient interior with brick walls and wooden ceiling. Quite close to the National Circus of Ukraine.
-
Khinkali (0.7 miles) - Authentic Georgian cuisine. Traditional interior and reasonable prices. Near Arena City and the Gulliver shopping mall.
-
Alchemist Bar (0.7 miles) - Lively city centre basement bar. Live music and DJs.
-
Za Dvoma Zaytsyamy (Chasing Two Hares) (0.7 miles) - Named after a famous 1960s Soviet film. Transports guest into Kiev at the beginning of the 20th century. Wonderful atmosphere. Live music most evenings.
-
Beef (0.7 miles) - Upmarket steakhouse in the city centre. Quite expensive but offers a reasonably priced business lunch. Situated near the Gulliver shopping mall. Closest Metro is Palats Sportu.
-
Solomenskaya Brewery (0.8 miles) - Pub and restaurant on Andrew’s Descent. Offers excellent beer. Close to St Andrew’s Church.
-
Zhizn Zamechatelnykh Lyudeyn (Life of Wonderful People) (0.8 miles) - Bar/restaurant with amazing interior. Check out the height of the ceiling. Staff use a ladder to reach the highest bottles on the shelf. Highly recommended.
-
Kanapa (0.8 miles) - Offers traditional Ukrainian cuisine. Situated in a quaint wooden building on Andrew's Descent, one of the most popular streets for tourists in Kiev.
-
Mama Manana (0.8 miles) - Traditional Georgian restaurant in the city centre. It is extremely popular so booking is essential.
-
Italian Edition (0.9 miles) - Beautiful Italian restaurant with amazing high ceilings and wood panel walls. Great staff.
-
Oxota NA Ovets (0.9 miles) - Upmarket Asian steakhouse. Situated in the Vozdvyzhenka, an luxury residential area of the city.
-
PR Bar (0.9 miles) - Fantastic cosy bar in Podil. Great cocktails.
-
Happy Grill Bar (0.9 miles) - American bar and restaurant in Podil. Offers steaks, burgers etc. Known for its good-looking waitresses. Close to the Funicular and Fairmont Grand.
-
Lyubimy Dyadya (0.9 miles) - Offers an eclectic menu of contemporary, international dishes. Fantastic interior and good atmosphere. The name means ‘Favourite Uncle’.
-
Musafir (0.9 miles) - Crimean restaurant relocated to Kiev after the Russian takeover in 2014. Traditional interior. Menu offers traditional Crimean Tatar cuisine.
-
Goodman (0.9 miles) - Upmarket steakhouse located on the ground floor of the Eurasia Business Centre. Fairly expensive. Close to Kiev Train Station.
-
Gorchitsa Cafe (0.9 miles) - Upmarket French restaurant in the Government quarter (Lypky). Well-presented food. Beautiful, classical interior.
Nearby Hotels
Hotels near Golden Gate include:
- Sunday Apart Hotel (0.1 miles)
- Best Season Apart Hotel (0.1 miles)
- Mini-Hotel Kievskiy (0.2 miles)
- 11 Mirrors Design Hotel (0.2 miles)
- Bontiak Hotel (0.2 miles)
- Royal Grand Hotel (0.3 miles)
- Radisson Blu Hotel, Kyiv City Centre (0.3 miles)
- Summit Apart Hotel (0.3 miles)
- CITYHOTEL (0.3 miles)
- Kozatskiy Hotel (0.4 miles)
- Golden Gate Inn (0.5 miles)
- KievInn (0.5 miles)
- Premier Palace Hotel (0.5 miles)
- InterContinental Kyiv (0.5 miles)
- Khreschatyk City Center Hotel (0.5 miles)
- Hotel Express Congress (0.6 miles)
- Gallery Hotel Gintama (0.6 miles)
- Opera Hotel (0.6 miles)
- Ukraine Hotel (0.6 miles)
- Gonchar Hotel (0.6 miles)
- Royal De Paris Hotel (0.6 miles)
- Fire Inn (0.7 miles)
- Dnipro Hotel (0.7 miles)
- City Park Hotel (0.7 miles)
- StanGret Hotel (0.7 miles)
- ibis Kiev City Center (0.7 miles)
- Idea Design Apart-Hotel (0.8 miles)
- Heart Kiev Apart-Hotel (0.8 miles)
- Suit Hotel (0.9 miles)
- Aloft Kiev (0.9 miles)
- Mini hotel Non-Stop (0.9 miles)
- Riviera House (0.9 miles)
- Hotel Classic (0.9 miles)
- Number 21 by DBI (0.9 miles)
- Premier Hotel Lybid (0.9 miles)
- irisHotels (0.9 miles)
- Tiso Hotel (0.9 miles)
- Royal City Hotel (1 miles)
- Diplomat ApartHotel (1 miles)
Nearby Metro Stations
Metro Stations near Golden Gate include:
It is an interesting monument and worth seeing. The area around it is very pleasant with lots of nice bars and restaurants. Bear in mind though it is a reconstruction so is artificial.
It isn’t all artificial. If you pay to go inside you can see remains of the original structure.
Golden Gate is a wonderful area with lots of things to see and do. Make sure you check out the statues of the cat and also Yaroslav the Wise, the prince that built St Sophia’s Cathedral. You can go inside the Golden Gate itself for a small fee. The view from the top is outstanding. Inside you can also see the remains of the original city wall (the structure there now is a reconstruction). In the summer there’s a very nice outdoor café by the fountains where you can have a nice beer or something to eat. The Golden Gate is really easy to find. Just get on the Metro and exit at Zoloti Vorota station. It’s right outside the station entrance. You can’t miss it.