This 1964 postcard presents a panoramic view of Kyiv’s main street, Khreshchatyk, looking from the direction of Bessarabska Square toward Kalinin Square (now Maidan Nezalezhnosti).
What is shown on the postcard
The image captures the wide roadway of Khreshchatyk featuring active public transit, including yellow and blue-and-white trolleybuses, buses, and Soviet passenger cars like the GAZ-21 Volga. Both sides of the street are lined with lush chestnut trees, behind which stand multi-story Stalinist Empire style residential and administrative buildings constructed during the post-WWII reconstruction. On the left side, the semi-circular building of the Kyiv City Council is clearly visible.
Historical note
Khreshchatyk was almost completely destroyed in September 1941 by explosions and subsequent fires. The reconstruction of the main thoroughfare of the Ukrainian SSR’s capital began in the late 1940s under a unified master plan. By the early 1960s, the street had been transformed into a grand monumental ensemble combining apartment blocks, municipal offices, and extensive green public spaces.
Present day
Today, Khreshchatyk remains the primary street of Kyiv. Most of the buildings shown on the postcard, including the Kyiv City Council (No. 36) and the TsUM department store (No. 38/2), are protected architectural monuments. While the trolleybus lines have been removed from this section, Khreshchatyk remains a major central artery that is traditionally pedestrianized on weekends and holidays.
Location (map)
Address: Khreshchatyk St, Kyiv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 50.443500, 30.520500
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates determined by the position of the Kyiv City Council building and TsUM in the image..
Questions and answers
- Which section of the street is depicted on the postcard? The postcard shows a view of Khreshchatyk looking from Bessarabska Square towards the current Maidan Nezalezhnosti (known as Kalinin Square in 1964).
- What transport vehicles can be seen in the image? The street traffic includes classic Soviet trolleybuses (yellow and white-blue models), buses, and passenger cars, notably the GAZ-21 Volga.
- Which administrative building can be recognized on the left? The monumental semi-circular building on the left is the Kyiv City Council (Khreshchatyk, 36).
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kyiv from 1964.
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