The Monastery of the Caves (Kyiv Pechersk Lavra) is a vast complex of churches, bell towers, and underground passages carved into the hillside above the Dnieper River. Founded in 1051, it is one of the most important religious sites in the Orthodox world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Dormition Cathedral at its centre was rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II. The monastery is famous for its underground labyrinths, where the mummified remains of monks are displayed in niches — a pilgrimage destination for Orthodox Christians from across Eastern Europe.
Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
UNESCO-listed monastery with underground catacombs and mummified monks
| Address | Lavrska 15, Kyiv |
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A story
Three patriarchs were buried in the monastery between 2003 and 2014 — and the catacombs still hold the mummified bodies of medieval monks, some preserved since the 11th and 12th centuries by the cool, dry conditions of the underground caves. Orthodox pilgrims still circulate past them, candle in hand, through low-ceilinged passages.