Kyiv · Historic Centre
Velyka Zhytomyrska
History
Velyka Zhytomyrska is one of Kyiv's oldest streets, originating in the 11th century as part of the road from the old city to Zhytomyr, running from the gates near St Sophia to the Lviv Gate. Part of a long street called Lvivska through the 15th-18th centuries, it took the name Zhytomyrska at the start of the 19th century; the current Mala/Velyka split appeared in the 1870s. Reclassified as a “1st-class” street requiring masonry buildings of at least two storeys, it became a prestigious address for doctors, scientists, lawyers and clergy rather than hotels or boarding houses. By the early 20th century it had 6- and 7-storey income houses in historicist and early Art Nouveau styles, giving it a narrow “corridor” feel that persists today. Landmarks include the former Real School at No. 2 (1861, architect Oleksandr Beretti, now the Diplomatic Academy), the proto-constructivist “House of the Doctor” at 17/2 (1930, Pavlo Aleshyn), the “House with Lions” at No. 23 (1911, Martyn Klug), and the Art Nouveau “House with Snakes” at No. 32, its facade wrapped in serpents and chestnut leaves. The Old Kyiv Pharmacy at 6/11 has operated continuously since 1871.
Character
Velyka Zhytomyrska is a narrow, gently curving street of mid-rise 19th- and early-20th-century buildings, running from Mykhailivska Square past St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery down to Lviv Square, tying together several key nodes of the historic centre. The upper end, anchored by the InterContinental at 2A, is animated by hotel guests and business travellers a short walk from St Sophia, the Golden Gate and Andriyivskyi Descent; residential mid-street sections around the teens and 20s stay quieter outside rush hour. Historically home to doctors, scientists and clergy, the street still carries commemorative plaques to writers, artists and scientists on buildings 6, 8/14, 17, 28 and 40. Recent listings show large renovated apartments — 150-300+ sqm with fireplaces and views over Landscape Alley — pointing to an affluent professional and expat resident base. Compared to Reitarska one block over, with its bohemian courtyards and indie cafes, Velyka Zhytomyrska feels more formal and axial — the historic backbone you walk along to reach those hangout streets rather than a destination alley itself.
Landmarks
No. 2
Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine (former Real School)
An 1861 institutional building by architect Oleksandr Beretti, anchoring the Mykhailivska Square end of the street. Now home to Ukraine's Diplomatic Academy.
No. 17/2
House of the Doctor (Budynok likaria)
A 1930 proto-constructivist apartment building by architect Pavlo Aleshyn, introducing an interwar modernist layer to an otherwise pre-revolutionary street.
No. 23
House with Lions
An income house from 1911 by architect Martyn Klug, its facade decorated with sculpted lions.
No. 32
House with Snakes
A 1911 Art Nouveau landmark whose facade is wrapped in ornamental serpents and chestnut leaves — one of the street's most photographed buildings.
No. 6/11
Old Kyiv Pharmacy
Operating continuously since 1871, often cited as the city's oldest continuously functioning pharmacy.
Sights & Places
Cafes
- Panna Pasticceria
- City-Zen Café & Bar
- Espressoholic
Restaurants
- Comme Il Faut
- Balu – Indian Food and Drinks
Bars
- Tsypa Craft Pub
- Buena Vista Social Bar
Theaters
- Lira Cinema
Parks
- Landscape Alley
Why invest here
Velyka Zhytomyrska's appeal blends institutional gravity with genuine architectural pedigree. The Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at No. 2 and the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure at No. 9 bring a daily flow of civil servants and diplomats, while the InterContinental and nearby Hyatt make the upper street one of the more business-and-diplomatic corners of the historic centre. Genuinely rare buildings — the House with Snakes, the House with Lions, the proto-constructivist House of the Doctor — give the street landmark-grade character that few central Kyiv addresses can match. Typical tenants are affluent professionals, entrepreneurs and expat renters drawn to large multi-room apartments with high ceilings and panoramic views over Landscape Alley and Podil. Walking distance to St Sophia Cathedral, the Golden Gate, Andriyivskyi Descent and Landscape Alley itself means residents are steps from the city's core tourist and cultural landmarks without living inside a tourist strip. The mix of formal institutions, historic housing stock and a food-and-bar scene along the lower street supports demand across both long-term residential and shorter-stay premium rentals.
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