Travel to Kiev and you will steep yourself in a period when art and the visualisation of religious events was at its height. The period of Byzantium saw icons as vital components of religious worship. These painted images on wooden panels are known to have dated back to the 6th and 7th century. Sadly few have survived the rigours of time, weather, war and vandalism, but only a walk away from most accommodations in Kiev are to be found a small group of beautiful icons in the cities Khanenko museum.

These are truly priceless pieces that survived mainly due to the medium that was used to illustrate the religious images. These are encaustic paintings, meaning they were done with a combination of paint and heated wax.

Orthodox Christianity has produced some exquisite expressions of the human spirit, and medieval Byzantium is the one that has made perhaps the biggest contribution to European civilisation. The key thing to remember when viewing an icon is that the artist was charged with making sure the image was seen to the faithful as an object of worship, although some wonderful images created by icon artists had a greater impact on people than those done with less decoration etc.

Today, reproductions of icons can be found hanging in many Kiev hotels and among the decorations in Kiev apartments, but they will be there as primarily decorative images. But for the orthodox believer, an icon has and always will be a vital element in their daily worship, and it’s something they consider worthy of veneration.

These images were historically invested with powerful and miraculous properties, and they were central to the life of the Byzantine Empire. It was during the 17th century that Kiev developed into a major cultural centre, with old churches restored, new ones being built and schools being founded, but this blossoming was curtailed only to a degree when Ukraine then found itself split in two with the west under Polish control and the east under Russian. These divisions didn’t halt the indomitable Ukrainian spirit and the Ukraine remained mentally undivided – and the icons painted by artists of that period bear witness to this spirit.

At the end of the 17th century, icon painters in Kiev developed a unique style called ‘Ukrainian Baroque’. In this style, famous donors, religious leaders, etc were portrayed in icon format, and this began a new movement whereby icons began to acquire properly defined, recognisable features.

Those interested in knowing more about the history of Ukrainian icons can track down a wonderfully illustrated book titled ‘Ukrainian icons of the 11th-18th’ centuries’- compiled by Academician and art historian Lyudmyla Milyayeva.

It’s thanks to her efforts that many icons and church items used in religious services were saved from destruction after the Second World War. She mentions in her book how while walking in the Ukrainian countryside she came across a bas relief with the image of St George lying in a villager’s back yard, which turned out to be 11th century.

You don’t have to wander the countryside in search of icons, though! Just leave your Kiev apartments and make for Desyatynna 12, in the centre of Kiev near St Andrews church. There you will be able to visit the only private museum of Ukrainian Icons. These have been collected by Igor Ponamarchuk, a businessman and patron of the arts. He has had restored many icons that would otherwise have been lost and forgotten. He is also a great fan of the primitive artist Maria Prymachenko, and in his museum you can also view around fifty of her wonderful paintings.

If you are planning to visit Ukraine this summer, it’s a lovely idea. There are infinite things to do in this incredible place as Ukraine has several things to offer. Ukraine has several attractive sceneries and traditional locations, hence alluring millions of visitors from all over the planet. From old memorials to the art and literature, there are numerous things worth exploring in this incredible nation will really make your holiday spot.

Whether you are with your family or mates, Ukraine is a home country for millions of visitors. No wonder, the tourism business in Ukraine is
flourishing in leaps and bounds. Here are some popular places that make your trip to this incredible nation:

- Historical Museums and Libraries: Ukraine preserves its age-old heritage in its wonderful museums and libraries. If you actually wish to
discover the historical city, you can walk into these 2 most well-known museums, Museum of Treasures and Museum of Ukrainian Art. It depicts a large range of ancient culture which reveals the history of Ukraine. You will be amazed to know that there are lot of libraries here. It is a store house of various subjects that consist of politics, fiction and religion. Ukraine is known for having the Ukrainian Academy of Science which is the largest library of the world. It is worth visiting the libraries out there since it is the biggest source of details for past, present as well as the future of this destination.

- Churches and Memorials: Ukraine is popular for well structured and lovely churches. The two highly popular churches in this nation are, the Church of Saint Andrew and Cathedral of Saint George. Apart from the historical monuments and libraries, the two well-known churches show the true beauty of this nation. Both the churches are built in Kyiv, the capital of this amazing country. Ukraine is popular for large monuments and ancient buildings that is a brilliant art form of artisans of olden period. Though the ancient monuments and buildings were destroyed in World War 2, but the country has maintained the history of this country by restructuring the memorials and buildings.

- Kyiv: Your trip to this country is not complete if you don’t visit the alluring tourist sites in Kyiv, the known capital city of Ukraine. The historic monuments and buildings and churches are seen in Kyiv. Kyiv is too developed and it provides all the facilities that are vital for living a trendy lifestyle.

- Waters, National conservation areas and wildlife: Ukraine forests offer protection to number of endangered species as well is a shelter to various plant species. You will enjoy the national conservation areas in Ukraine as the wildlife and plant life forms are the most incredible sites out there. The fresh lakes and several rivers will definitely give you an amazing experience. No matter what you do in water, the fun of being here is just inexpressible. It is truly worth spending a few additional days in Ukraine.

Therefore, Ukraine has several thrills and adventures to offer, that you will surely feel like spending your whole life in this magnificent location of Eastern Europe. Now that you are ready to enjoy the alluring attractiveness of Ukraine, then it’s an ideal thought as you will never find any other place as interesting as this one.