The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

KIEV. 305which stands the church of St. Andrew, one o( the most noteworthy in the place.The cathedral of St. Sophia is situated on the same plateau, in the heart of the oldtown (Stariy Kiyev), and near the " Golden Gate," both of which are amongst theoldest monuments in Eussia, partly saved from destruction at the time of Batu-Khan's invasion. The handsome Kreshtalik thoroughfare occupies the ravinebetween the St. Sophia and Lipki terraces ; it leads to the southern bluff coveredFig. 157.Kiev, or Kiyev.Scale 1 : 260,000.E.o-'P.E.o'G.by the Lavra churches and convent, which is regarded as the most sacred spot inEussia, because it overlooks the place where the first Eussians were baptized.The rock is pierced by a number of galleries, possibly of the same origin as thosefarther north in which remains of the stone age have been found. Some, however,were certainly excavated by St. Hilarion and other anchorites, and these havesince been converted into shrines, underground chapels, and niches containingsarcophagi. Here the sandy layers between two argillaceous strata have theproperty of preserving bodies from decay, and these have consequently beenregarded in popular estimation as the miraculously preserved remains of saints.