The Iconic Red Walls of Ukraine’s Most Famous University

This building in Central Kyiv is a landmark not only for Ukrainian education but for Ukraine’s capital as a whole. Scarlet in colour and grand in its scale it easily grabs attention and stays in the memory of anyone who has visited the area at least once. However, the original 1837 concept looked very different. And so, the Italian architect had to redesign the building. He turned its the back of the building into the grand main entrance that we see today. In part the effect was achieved by adding these 8 rather imposing columns.

There are many myths as to the colour of the building. According to one of them, it was a mix-up with ingredients that accidentally produced this hue. Historians, however, give a different account.

Near the Red building, there is the so-called Yellow building. It’s yet another one of Beretti’s creation.

In 1850, the building was constructed to house the First Kyiv Gymnasium. Among its graduates were writer Mykhailo Bulhakov and scientist Oleksandr Bohomolets. In 1919, the first president of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Volodymyr Vernadskyi, lived here. And in 1959 the building was given to the Shevchenko University.

The university’s library is almost 100 years younger than its neighboring buildings. However, it successfully complements the architectural ensemble. It’s the largest academic library in Ukraine, featuring three and a half million books.

The colorful buildings of Shevchenko University are, without doubt, among the brightest in Kyiv. However, they attract the public not only with their colors, but also with the history they keep.