The Lyadsky Gate is one of the oldest monuments of Kyiv, dating back to the time of Yaroslav the Wise. In the 1130s, it was part of the city’s defensive fortifications and served as the southeastern exit from the princely part – from here lay the path to the Pechersk Monastery. It was through this gate that at the end of 1240, the troops of Khan Batu broke through the defenses and stormed Kyiv. The foundations of the original building have been preserved and are housed in a museum next to the modern reconstruction. The remains of the foundations can be seen in the restaurant “The Last Barricade”.
In 2001, the gate was recreated not far from the place where archaeologists found the remains of the ancient building. The modern reconstruction since 2002 has been crowned with a bronze sculpture of Archangel Michael – the heavenly patron of Kyiv, by Anatoly Kushch. The mighty warrior with a fiery sword, a gilded shield, and spread wings immediately sparked controversy: the church criticized him for his “uncanonical” courage, critics criticized him for his black color, because in iconography, not angels, but demons are depicted as dark, and Kyiv residents nicknamed the sculpture Batman. Kushch simply replied: “He is an arch-strategist – a field marshal, he cannot be snotty.” Despite the controversy, the sculpture became an integral part of the face of the Maidan.