A 1970 collectible Soviet postcard depicting the park rotunda in the historical Askold’s Grave tract in Kyiv.
What is shown on the postcard
The foreground of the image features a blooming shrub with pink flowers (three-lobed almond) in close-up. Behind it, situated on an elevation, stands a classic two-tiered rotunda with a colonnade, surrounded by green trees.
Historical note
This structure was originally built in 1809, designed by architect Andrey Melensky as the stone St. Nicholas Church to replace an older wooden one. In 1936, during Soviet-era reconstruction, the church was closed, the bell tower demolished, and the building itself was redesigned by architect P. Yurchenko into a park pavilion-rotunda, with an open colonnade replacing the original dome.
Present day
In 1997–1998, the building was restored, returning it to its original historical appearance with a dome. Today, it serves as an active Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church), located within the Askold’s Grave park.
Location (map)
Address: Parkova Road, 1, Kyiv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 50.443916, 30.551694
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: St. Nicholas Church (Askold’s Grave), Kyiv.
Questions and answers
- What is depicted on the 1970 postcard? The postcard depicts the park rotunda at Askold’s Grave in Kyiv, which was converted from a historical church during the Soviet era.
- Who originally built this rotunda? The building was originally constructed in 1809 by architect Andrey Melensky as the stone St. Nicholas Church.
- What does this building look like today? In 1997-1998, the building’s historical dome was restored, and today it functions as an active Church of St. Nicholas.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kyiv from 1970.
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