Kiev Mountains or Kiev Hills is a term used in journalism and literature for hills and highlands around the city of Kiev that range from approximately 150 to almost 200 meters. The city of Kiev is located within borders of three orographic regions: Dnieper Upland and Polesian and Dnieper lowlands. The hills are located in northern part of the Kiev plateau where the Dnieper Upland slopes down towards the Dnieper river valley and the Kiev Polesia. The highest marks recorded in central and southwestern parts of the city. Hilly landscape is the reason for the unusual depths and two-fold escalators of underground Kiev Metro stations in the city center.
Kiev plateau
The Kiev plateau as a geologic creation presents itself as a rolling meadow plain dissected with ravines and gulches. According to the physiographic categorization the given territory is part of the Obukhiv-Vasylkiv section of forest steppe. The plateau stretches along the right bank of Dnieper from Kiev to Kaniv where a complex of other hills compose a landscape feature known as Kaniv Mountains. At the heart of the upland lay Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene and Quaternary deposits that are covered with a thick layer of loess on which formed gray and lightly gray limed silt of light loam. Creation of the loess hills of Dnieper region is connected with withdrawal of the last Great Sea basin, the Kharkiv Sea.
The highest elevation of the Kiev Mountains is an upland that corresponds to historic city neighborhood Pechersk. Sometimes it is referred to as Pechersk Hills or Pechersk Elevation. The highest elevated location of the upland is situated at Lypky and known as Levashov Hill. Its maximum height is. The same height is also recorded at a small area near the Kiev Metro station Arsenalna. Somewhat lower marks are in front of the Verkhovna Rada building -. Considering that the absolute water level in Dnieper is recorded at, the upland rises over the river some 100 meters. To the south and down of the Dnieper stream flow is located the Bous Hill or Bousovytsia. Today there is the Hryshko National Botanic Garden. The highest point of the hill is southeast of the botanic garden entrance. Beside the Bous Field, at the north of the hill lays Zvirynets neighborhood that is more famous therefore the whole area sometimes is called "Zvirynets". To the Pechersk Hills is adjacent the Cherepanov Hill, the height of which is. On the hill were erected Hospital fortifications of the Kiev Fortress and the Military Hospital, while at the northwestern foot of the hill is located the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex.
Old Kyiv and vicinity
Practically of the same height is the Old Kyiv Hill and its northeastern portion, the St.Michael's Hill. Before they were separated by a ravine that stretched across the St.Michael's Square and Kiev Funicular. On the eastern rise of the St.Michael's Hill is located a park, Volodymyr Hill, the name of which derived from the monument to St.Volodymyr located in it. A little bit lower is the northern side of the Old Kyiv Hill, Dytynets,. There in place of the Kyi Fort is located the National Museum of History of Ukraine. Beyond the Andrew's Descent is the Old Kyiv's spur, St. Andrew's Hill which is in height. Before, the St.Andrew's Hill was connected with the Castle Hill, but the Andrew's Descent divided them. The hill's name was left after it when in 1749-54 here was erected the St Andrew's Church. Somewhat down the descent from the "Richard's Castle", one may notice another hill, Uzdykhalnytsia. Some consider it a separate hill, others - a part of the St.Andrew's Hill. To the west of Dytynets, there is a smaller hill, Dytynka, that is located between old neighborhoods of Dehtyari, Honchari, and Kozhumyaki. High is also an area adjacent to the Old Kyiv Hill from the south where is located Sofia Square. Its height reaches there. To the northwest of Old Kyiv is located the Castle Hill, the highest point of which reaches. The hill is little bit elongated with depression. Relatively close to the Castle Hill is located the Oleh Hill or Shchekavytsia, the height of which is. About to the northwest from Shchekavytsia is located Khorevytsia with height of.
