Подол: Исторический район Киева

Neighborhood in Kyiv
the administrative district of Kyiv

Podil or Podol (Поділ) or the Lower city is a historic neighborhood in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It is located on a floodplain terrace over the Dnieper between the Kyiv Hills and the lower stream of Pochaina River. Here the city administration (magistrate) and the main university were located, and later the city's port and shipyard were established here. Podil contains many architectural and historical landmarks, and new archaeological sites are still being revealed. It is a part of the city's larger administrative Podilskyi District.

The name “Podil” means something that is situated downwards. This area used to be the trading and crafting center of Kyiv. The names of some Podil neighborhoods reflect this fact: "Dehtyari" (those who work with tar), "Honchari" (potters), "Kozhemyaki" (craftsmen working with leather). On the territory of Podil ancient constructions were found. Some of them date back to the first half of the first millennium BC. The Pochaina River served the city's harbour. At the western end of the square was the Pyrohoshcha Church mentioned in the 12th century epic poem The Tale of Igor's Campaign.

Podil is connected to the city's metro system by the following three stations on the Obolonsko–Teremkivska line: Tarasa Shevchenka, Kontraktova Ploshcha (named after the Kontraktova Square) and Poshtova Ploshcha (named after the Poshtova Square). The Kyiv Funicular provides passenger traffic between Podil and the city's historic Uppertown neighborhood, today it is mostly used by tourists. Some time ago, the Kyiv River Port served passenger traffic on the Dnipro River, but only tourists' excursion boats are available there nowadays.