This 1965 Soviet color postcard captures a view of Sverdlova (now Prorizna) Street in Kyiv, ascending uphill from Khreshchatyk Street.
What is shown on the postcard
The foreground shows the regulated intersection of Sverdlova and Khreshchatyk streets. Passenger cars (GAZ-21 ‘Volga’) and buses move along the roadway, while numerous pedestrians walk along the wide sidewalks. The street perspective is framed by multi-story residential and administrative buildings of Stalinist post-war architecture, featuring signature elements like deep arched entryways, pilasters, and rusticated facades.
Historical note
Prorizna Street was laid out in the late 1840s. During the Soviet period, from 1919 to 1990, it was named after the Bolshevik official Yakov Sverdlov. During World War II, the historic buildings of the street were almost completely destroyed by explosions and fires in September 1941. In the late 1940s and 1950s, the lower part of the street was reconstructed as part of the new Khreshchatyk architectural ensemble designed by architects A. Vlasov, A. Dobrovolsky, and others.
Present day
In 1990, the street’s historical name, Prorizna, was restored. Today, the architectural appearance of the lower street shown on the postcard remains fully preserved. The building on the right (30/1 Khreshchatyk St.) houses one of the entrances to the Khreshchatyk metro station.
Location (map)
Address: Prorizna (former Sverdlova) Street, Kyiv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 50.448500, 30.521500
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the intersection of Prorizna (former Sverdlova) Street and Khreshchatyk.
Questions and answers
- What is the current name of Sverdlova Street in Kyiv? In 1990, the street was renamed back to its historical name, Prorizna.
- What vehicles can be seen on the postcard? The postcard depicts GAZ-21 ‘Volga’ passenger cars and passenger buses.
- When was this section of the street rebuilt? The lower section of the street was rebuilt in the late 1940s and 1950s following the destruction of World War II.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kyiv from 1965.
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