A collectible postcard from 1970 presents an aerial panoramic view of Kalinin Square (currently Maidan Nezalezhnosti) in Kyiv.
What is shown on the postcard
In the foreground on the left, a portion of the Kyiv Conservatory building and the monumental facade of the Main Post Office are visible. The square is bisected by Khreshchatyk Street, featuring Soviet-era public transport including buses and trolleybuses. In the center of the square, circular and rectangular green lawns and flowerbeds are laid out. In the background on the far left, the bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral rises above the dense urban landscape of Kyiv’s central hills.
Historical note
Until 1977, the central square of Kyiv was named after the Soviet statesman Mikhail Kalinin, before being renamed October Revolution Square. The square’s landscape changed significantly in the late 1970s during a major reconstruction, which replaced the lawns with a large monument and saw the construction of the Trade Unions Building.
Present day
Today, this location is known as Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), the central square of Ukraine and the site of landmark historical and political events. Its appearance changed radically following a reconstruction in 2001, which introduced the underground Globus shopping mall and new overground monuments, including the Independence Monument.
Location (map)
Address: Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 50.450100, 30.523400
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the center of Maidan Nezalezhnosti (formerly Kalinin Square) in Kyiv.
Questions and answers
- What was the name of the square in 1970? In 1970, the square was named Kalinin Square.
- Which historical landmark is visible on the horizon? The bell tower of St. Sophia’s Cathedral is visible in the upper-left horizon of the shot.
- How has the layout of the square changed since the photo was taken? The green lawns and squares in the center were replaced during reconstructions in the late 1970s and 2001.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kyiv from 1970.
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