A collectible Soviet postcard from 1970 depicting a night view of the Kyiv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Taras Shevchenko.
What is shown on the postcard
The image captures the brightly illuminated night facade of the neo-Renaissance theater building. Clearly visible are the semicircular arched windows of the second tier, decorative stucco elements, the central dome topped with a sculptural composition, and the side projections. The bottom of the frame shows blurred light streaks from passing traffic, a result of long-exposure photography. A small evergreen tree stands near the wall on the left.
Historical note
The Kyiv City Theater building was constructed in 1899–1901 according to the design of architect Victor Shreter, replacing the former theater that burned down in 1896. The building was renowned for its excellent acoustics and stage equipment, which was highly advanced for its time. During the Soviet era, it was granted academic status and named in honor of Taras Shevchenko.
Present day
Today, the building houses the National Opera of Ukraine (officially the Taras Shevchenko National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine). It is a protected monument of national architectural heritage and one of the central landmarks of Kyiv.
Location (map)
Address: Volodymyrska St, 50, Kyiv, Ukraine
Coordinates: 50.446944, 30.512222
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates of the Kyiv Opera House building on Volodymyrska Street..
Questions and answers
- Which building is shown on the postcard? The postcard depicts the historic building of the Kyiv State Opera and Ballet Theater named after T. G. Shevchenko (currently the National Opera of Ukraine).
- Who designed this building? The neo-Renaissance building was designed by the prominent architect Victor Shreter.
- When was this building constructed? The construction was completed in 1901, replacing an earlier city theater building that had been destroyed by fire in 1896.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Kyiv from 1970.
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