Bankova Street

Bankova Street (Ukrainian: вулиця Банкова, vulytsia Bankova) is a street in central Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, located in the Lypky neighborhood of the Pechersk District. Most of the street is pedestrianised and closed-off, as it houses the Presidential Administration of Ukraine and various official residences, notably the House with Chimaeras.

Vulytsia Bankova
The Presidential Administration (left) and the House with Chimaeras official residence (right).
Native nameВулиця Банкова (in Ukrainian)
Former name(s)Tsaredarska, Trepovska, Komunistychna, Ordzhonikidze
Length450 m (1,480 ft)
Addresses2 (Liebermann's mansion)
9-11 (President's Administration)
10 House with Chimaeras
LocationPechersk Raion, Kyiv (central part)


Bankova Street was first constructed during the 1870s on the estate of Governor-General F. Trepov. During its history, the street was named Tsaredarska, Trepovska (in honor of G.G. Trepov), Bankova, Komynistychna (from 1919-1938), and Ordzhonikidze (1938-1992). During the World War II was named as Bismark Strasse. The street was renamed once again to its historic name, "Bankova," in 1992. The present name comes from the 1840 building of the Kyiv Office of the State Bank, hence "Bank Street". Today the bank is located at 7 Instytutska Street.

The street runs between Instytutska Street and Kruhlouniversitetska Street passing Lyuteranska Street. At No.2 was the mansion of the sugar magnate Simkha Liebermann, now is the headquarters of the Ukrainian Writers' Union, originally built in 1879 and redesigned for Liebermann in 1898 by the architect Vladimir Nikolayev.[1] At No's 9 and 11 there is located the Presidential Administration of Ukraine and No.10 is the House with Chimaeras.

A segment between Luteranska and Kruhlouniversitetska streets has a one way towards Kruhlouniversitetska.


From 1905 to around 1946, a tram line (at various times No.7 and 18, respectively) ran through the street, connecting the Bessarabska Square near Khreshchatyk and Hrushevsky Street.

The southern portion close to the Lutheran Street has limited access and fenced off with checkpoints around the Presidential administration. There are a stairs that lead to a small park that is a backyard of House with Chimeraes. The park is at lower grade compared to the Bank street, but on the same grade with a park of the Franko Drama Theater. The area belongs to the Kyivenerho where is located a headquarters of the company in a building of the former 8th Kyiv Gymnasium.

There is information that underneath the Presidential administration building and buildings of the parliamentary committees exists a system of underground passages.[2]



See also

Further reading

  • Kudrytskyi, A. V. (1982). Kyiv, A historical overview (in Ukrainian). Kyiv: Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia.
  • Galina Savchuk, The Streets of Kiev, (Kiev, 1996).