Before you are the foundations of the Church of the Tithes — the first stone church of Kyivan Rus’. It was founded by Vladimir the Great in 989, after the Christianization of Rus’ in 988. Construction lasted seven years, and the prince dedicated one tenth of his income to maintaining the church — which is why it became known as the “Church of the Tithes.”
The church was built by Byzantine craftsmen. Its floors were covered with mosaics, its walls decorated with frescoes, and marble was brought from Constantinople. For its time, it was a structure of unprecedented scale and luxury.
In 1240, during the Mongol invasion of Kyiv, the church became the last refuge for the people of Kyiv. Overcrowded with those seeking shelter, the building eventually collapsed. During excavations carried out between 1936 and 1939, archaeologist Mikhail Karger discovered a secret hiding place more than 4.5 meters deep — the final shelter of people attempting to escape the invading horde. These findings became some of the most tragic testimonies to the Mongol assault on Kyiv.
Notice the information stand beside the foundations — it is dedicated to the history of the Church of the Tithes. The stand contains a QR code: scan it, and the church will appear on your smartphone in augmented reality exactly as it looked a thousand years ago.
It is perhaps the best way to imagine what once stood on this very spot.