Golden Gate (Kiev)

Golden Gates
View of the Golden Gates after recent major renovations
General information
Status	Used as a museum
Type	Fortifications
Address	Volodymyrska St, 40А
Town or city	Kyiv
Country	Ukraine
Current tenants	Golden Gates Museum
Construction started	1017
Completed	1024
Owner	National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv"
Dimensions
Other dimensions	10.5 m (34 ft) wide x 32 m (105 ft) high

Coordinates: 50°26′56″N 30°30′48″E / 50.44889°N 30.51333°E / 50.44889; 30.51333

The Golden Gates of Kiev (Ukrainian: Золоті ворота, Zoloti vorota) was the main gate in the 11th century fortifications of Kiev, the capital of Kievan Rus'. It was named in imitation of the Golden Gate of Constantinople. The structure was dismantled in the Middle Ages, leaving few vestiges of its existence. It was completely rebuilt by the Soviet authorities in 1982, though no images of the original gates have survived. The decision has been immensely controversial, for there were many competing reconstructions of what the original gate might have looked like.

The rebuilt structure on the corner of Volodymyr street and Yaroslaviv Val Street contains a branch of the National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv" museum. The name Zoloti Vorota is also used for a nearby theatre and a station of the Kiev Metro.

Modern history accepts this gateway as one of three constructed by Yaroslav the Wise. The golden gates were built in 1017-1024 (6545 by the Byzantine calendar) at about the same time the Saint Sophia Cathedral was erected. Despite the belief of an older construction such as the painting by Jan Matejko of hitting the Golden Gate during the iev succession crisis in 1018) it is now regarded a legend. Originally named simply the Southern Gate, it was one of the three main entrances to the walled city, along with the Lyadski and Zhydivski (Polish and Jewish) Gates. The latter two have not survived. The stone fortifications stretched for only 3.5 km. The fortification of the Upper City (Fortress) stretched from the Southern Gates down to what is now Independence Square and where the Lechitic Gate (Polish Gate, Lackie wrota) was located. From there the moat followed what is now Kostyol Street, skirting St. Michael's Monastery and continuing along today's Zhytomyr Street toward the Jewish Gates (at ). From there the fortification stretched what is now Yaroslaviv Val ("Yaroslav's Rampart") Street back to the Southern Gate.