The Bald Hills of Kyiv Ukraine

Rising above Kyiv’s historic Podil neighborhood, an ancient and crumbling stone stairway leads to the top of Zamkova Hora—the name literally means “Castle Hill”, stemming from the fortress that stood on the site during the 14th century. Part of a group of similar hills situated near the old center of Kyiv, Zamkova Hora has been inhabited for nearly five-thousand years, passing through a variety of different roles over the millennia.

 

Deep in the area’s dim prehistory, during Ukraine’s pre-Christian past, Zamkova Hora was one of the infamous Lysi Hory, or “Bald Mountains”, which were mystical sites used for pagan ceremonies and rituals, eventually finding their way into folk mythology along with tales of witchcraft, black magic and countless paranormal occurrences. Today, with its dense forest of old and twisted trees, scattered grave stones, mausoleums and crypts, long abandoned and overgrown (in more recent history there was a monastery and cemetery on this site), and numerous crumbled stone structures, it still provides the visitor with an inescapable sense of this dark and varied past—And, in fact, this is still the preferred location for current-day pagan and satanist sects to hold occasional ceremonies, and an assortment of peculiar symbols and ritual structures can be found tucked back in the forest.

 

Emerging from the forest, the visitor is greeted by fresh breezes and a wide panorama, affording views of Kyiv’s Podil district, the Dnipro River, Andriyvs'ka Church, and a glimpse of the spires of Sofiyskyi Cathedral, as well as the numerous residential neighborhoods which surround the hill. Today, on a summer evening, this is a favored spot for young Kyivites to gather, enjoy the seclusion, a few beers or perhaps a picnic, and watch the sun set, while the history of this land, stretching back for thousands of years, slumbers beneath them.