Birthday
HydrangeasOver the past decade Kyiv has become one of Europe's mural capitals: huge paintings on the ends of apartment blocks, bright graffiti in art spaces and small patriotic drawings in side streets. We've gathered ten patriotic murals and graffiti in Kyiv with locations, background and tips for turning them into a walk. Note that street art has a life of its own — some works get restored, others painted over — so check before you go.
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From St Sophia's inscriptions to murals
Graffiti in Kyiv has a history of more than a thousand years: the walls of St Sophia's Cathedral preserve thousands of ancient inscriptions scratched by worshippers as far back as the princely era — prayers, names and notes about events. For historians they are a valuable source.
Modern muralism arrived in Kyiv after the Revolution of Dignity. In 2014–2015 dozens of patriotic works appeared on the city's walls, and the Art United Us festival brought well-known muralists from around the world. After the full-scale invasion in 2022, street art became a way of speaking about war, resilience and memory: Banksy left works in the Kyiv region, and Ukrainian artists paint murals honouring the country's defenders.
10 patriotic murals and graffiti in Kyiv
1. Woman with a child, Andriivskyi Descent
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This 15-metre mural of a girl in a flower wreath holding a child in her palm was created by Ukrainian artist Oleksiy Kyslov and French muralist Julien Malland (Seth) during the French Spring festival. The artists intended it as a symbol of Ukraine and the nation's revival after the Revolution of Dignity.
2. Seth mural, Olhynska Street
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Another work by Julien Malland decorates a substation building near Hotel Ukraine. Seth is known for his child characters "peeking" into other worlds, and his Kyiv piece is no exception.
3. Sunflower field, Zhylianska Street
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Bright yellow sunflowers against a blue sky make this one of the city's most cheerful murals. The sunflower is a folk symbol of Ukraine: just as the flower always turns to the sun, we are always drawn back home. Read more about floral symbols in our guide to Ukraine's national flowers.
4. "I love Ukraine", Vynohradnyi Lane
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In the Lypky district, on Vynohradnyi Lane, you'll find a heart formed by fingers against the blue-and-yellow flag with the words "I love Ukraine". Small but very photogenic.
5. Heart tree, Obolon
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The UFL team painted this blue-and-yellow tree with a heart-shaped crown on the wall of our flower shop in Obolon. It quickly became a popular selfie spot with a patriotic backdrop.
6. Art space under Havanskyi Bridge
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For Kyiv Day 2012 the area under Havanskyi Bridge was turned into an open-air art gallery of about 1,500 m². Its highlight is graffiti full of Ukrainian symbols: the coat of arms, the flag, viburnum and legendary Cossacks.
7. 3D flag on an apartment block, Obolon
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The end wall of a high-rise in Obolon has become a giant blue-and-yellow flag with painted windows. Residents welcomed the idea: a painted wall looks far better than bare brick.
8. Three Shevchenkos, Shevchenko Lane
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This triptych for the poet's 200th anniversary (2014) shows Taras Shevchenko in three guises: the historical figure in a sheepskin coat and fur hat, and a modern protester on the Maidan with a car tyre on his shoulder and a mask over his face.
9. "Love Ukraine", near Shuliavska metro
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A long wall featuring lines from Volodymyr Sosiura's poem "Love Ukraine", a Cossack couple, a soldier protecting a child and other scenes. It was painted in 2014, during a wave of patriotic feeling.
10. "Cossacks", riverside by the footbridge
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On the riverside, the heroes of the beloved Soviet-era Ukrainian cartoon series "How the Cossacks…" by the Kyivnaukfilm studio look down from the wall — cheerful, but ready to defend their land.
How to plan a mural walk
- Central Kyiv on foot: Andriivskyi Descent → Lypky (Vynohradnyi Lane, Olhynska Street) → Shevchenko Lane — easy to combine with a walk through historic Kyiv.
- Left Bank and Obolon: the Obolon murals, the riverside and Havanskyi Bridge make a good cycling route.
- Best light for photos is early morning or before sunset, when the walls are softly lit without harsh shadows.
- Check before you go: street art is a living art form, and some works may have changed or disappeared.
Looking for more places to stroll with a loved one? See our list of romantic places in Kyiv, and order flowers with delivery in Kyiv for your date.
FAQ
Where are the most murals in Kyiv?
Most are in the centre — Lypky, Shevchenkivskyi district and Podil — as well as in Obolon and on the Left Bank.
Is there Banksy in Kyiv?
Yes. In November 2022 Banksy confirmed seven works in Ukraine, most in towns of the Kyiv region (Irpin, Borodianka, Hostomel, Horenka) and one in Kyiv itself: children on a seesaw balanced on an anti-tank "hedgehog".
When is the best time to photograph murals?
Early morning or before sunset — the light is softer and there are fewer people.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
