Hostomel: Memorial Sites and Architecture

Hostomel offers two distinct historical perspectives for a trip: the official “Marshruty pam’iati” route includes the destroyed Antonov Airport; the Sviato-Pokrovska Church is an architectural monument dating from 1890. The thematic range therefore extends from remembering the events of 2022 to older architecture. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Hostomel, you can consider whether the town’s history or the 1890 building should be the focus of your trip.

An official route through several places

The official route passes through Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Borodianka and Moshchun. It comprises nine key sites in total, associated with war crimes, destruction, heroism and suffering. The five places named make clear that the route extends beyond Hostomel. In Hostomel, it includes the destroyed Antonov Airport. Check the current conditions for the route before your trip.

Antonov Airport: Events and aviation history

At the airport, a Russian airborne unit made several attempts to land in order to advance on Kyiv. Fighting for the Hostomel military town began on February 24, 2022, the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Another part of the airport’s history is connected with the aircraft “Mriya”: it was based there and was described as the world’s largest cargo aircraft and a source of technical pride for Ukraine. It is no longer based at the airport. These two memories emphasize different things: the landing attempts represent the events of 2022, while “Mriya” represents the airport’s earlier technical significance.

An architectural monument dating from 1890

The Sviato-Pokrovska Church is located in Hostomel. Its address is 235 Sviato-Pokrovska Street. As an architectural monument dating from 1890, it offers a contrast in time to the memorial sites associated with the events of 2022. Hostomel is thus home to both wartime and local history, as well as an older building, all of which can shape a trip. The exact street address provides a practical point of reference for this named site.

Moshchun and digital context

Outside Hostomel, in the surrounding area, lies the village of Moshchun. The “Yanhol Peremohy” Memorial, named on the route, is dedicated to the defenders who stopped the advance on the capital at the cost of their lives. The memorial includes information stele, touchscreen terminals and signposts. Moshchun adds a memorial site of its own to the picture of Hostomel; check current travel conditions before visiting.

The virtual museum “VR-Muzei pam’iati viiny” offers a different perspective, with 3D tours showing the impact of the war in Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, Horenka and other places. While the route covers several named places, the digital offering focuses on the consequences of the war across multiple locations. A route with specific stops and a virtual presentation spanning several locations therefore provide two different ways to explore the subject.

Choose the focus of your trip

If you are travelling with children, you can make a conscious distinction between the topics: an architectural monument dating from 1890 raises different questions from the events surrounding the airport. Consider in advance which historical context should take priority for your family and how much detail you want to explore. When looking for a holiday apartment in Hostomel, it may also help to consider whether you want to focus mainly on the town’s history or include the multi-location route in your travel plans. Moshchun and the other places mentioned form part of this broader thematic context.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Uzyn, Yosypivka, Vysoke, Sukholuchchya, Bila Tserkva, Protsiv, Hoholiw, Mysailivka.

For the broader travel overview: Kyiv Oblast.