Vyshhorod: Dnipro floodplain, hillfort and pottery

Vyshhorod combines striking traces of its history with a riverside landscape along the Dnipro floodplain. The slopes of Vyshhorod Hill and adjacent preserved sections of the floodplain are part of this landscape, which is considered to have natural and historical value. On the «Chaika» waterfront, a seagull sculpture from 1968 adds a distinctive feature: it points towards the hydroelectric power station and pumped-storage power station.

Hillfort and archaeological traces

The hillfort site of Vyshhorod, recorded in chronicles, is dated to the 9th to 13th centuries. Its preserved cultural layers contain remains of pottery kilns, metalworking workshops, and residential and utility buildings. In this same area, different aspects of everyday life in the past sit side by side: the production of ceramics and metal, as well as traces of living and working.

The Museum of Old Rus Pottery also brings the long history of ceramics to life. Remains of a pottery kiln, excavated as a museum exhibit, have been preserved on the museum grounds at 11 Mezhyhirskogo-Spas Street. The collection includes products from the Mezhyhiria Porcelain and Faience Factory, where printing was first applied to tableware. Examples of Trypillia ceramics and ceramics from the Early Iron Age broaden the historical perspective. They were found in Vyshhorod and the surrounding district.

Outdoors, the museum displays works by folk artisans, as well as examples of traditional beekeeping and boatbuilding. There is also a collection of traditional clothing and embroidered towels from the Kyiv Polissia region. Those interested in pottery itself can find practical workshops on the potter’s wheel, clay modelling, and making objects from wax. Check with the museum for current availability.

Museum objects and religious history

The Vyshhorod Historical Museum presents a fragment of a Scandinavian fibula from the first half of the 10th century and the seal of Prince Iziaslav Yaroslavich from the 11th to 12th centuries. The collection also includes an 11th-century spindle whorl, a 10th-century reliquary cross, a deer-antler egg from the 11th to 12th centuries, and Scythian arrowheads from the 1st millennium BCE. The different dates illustrate the wide historical range of the objects on display. Visitor arrangements and presentations may change; check current visiting options with the museum in advance.

The Vyshhorod Historical and Cultural Reserve displays a preserved 11th-century pottery kiln, described as the only surviving example in Eastern Europe, and presents the history of pottery-making. It also provides information about where Boris and Hlib were buried. The two are considered the first Orthodox saints and the heavenly patrons of Vyshhorod. Other visitor offerings at the reserve include a copy of the wonder-working Vyshhorod Icon of the Mother of God and an exhibition of dugout boats.

Traditional crafts and everyday culture are also part of the reserve’s character. Its beekeeping combines traditional hollow log hives with modern beehives. An ethnographic collection displays household objects and work tools from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The listed historical tour of Vyshhorod leads to the Church of Saints Boris and Hlib at 11a Kalnyshevskoho Street.

Landscape, culture or a winter experience?

When choosing a holiday apartment, the focus of your trip may be decisive: would you mainly like to explore archaeological sites and museum collections, or are you also interested in seasonal winter activities? The «Vyshhora» ski resort in Vyshhorod has a conveyor-belt lift and a snow tubing run. As operations are seasonal, check before travelling whether the activities are currently available.

Discover more destinations: Yosypivka, Ordzhonikidze, Boryspil, Ukrainka, Khodosivka, Mytnytsia, Olyva, Kyiv.

Back to the main travel overview: Kyiv Oblast.