Did you know anything about the water mainline laid on the territory of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra?

It appeared in summer and autumn, 1927, in accordance with the decision of the Kyiv District Department of Local Economy. Then that territory belonged to the State Historical and Cultural Preserve named “All-Ukrainian Museum Town”.

The water magistral was laid but soon afterwards there appeared problems with the project. Water mainlining having been completed, the roads and sidewalks were left partially dismantled, or not paved. Besides, filled soil underneath the new surface was uncompressed here and there. Because of this, within a year (in spring 1928), the new water mainline started being accompanied by holes, which were seen everywhere: along footpaths, driveways, in the Lavra gardens, etc. Their total length exceeded 200 meters. In particular, passage holes appeared near the Church of All Saints, Refectory, in the courtyard near buildings № 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 26, 27, etc.

Caption to the illustration:

1. Passage under the Economic Gate (Church of All Saints) of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Late 1920^s – early 1930^s [National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”, inv. № KPL-N-3664]

Anna Yanenko