 Vasylkiv (Ukrainian: Василькiв, translit. Vasyl’kiv, Russian: Васильков; also referred to as Vasylkov) is a city located on the Stuhna River in the Kiev Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Vasylkivskyi Raion (district), the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast. A location with an over 1000 years history, it was incorporated as a city in 1796. The city has hosted Vasilkov air base during the Cold War years. Population 40,800 (census 1991). The exact date of the settlement's foundation is unknown but, according to the Primary Chronicle, it was the place where Vladimir the Great's numerous wives were living. After the Christianization of Kiev, Vladimir built there a fortress and named it Vasilev, after his patron saint - Saint Basil (Vasily). It was a birth place of Saint Theodosius, and there is a Ukrainian baroque church (1756-58) commemorating this saint.
At later times, an obscure place, almost forgotten in spite of the glorious history and connection to many earlier historic events, it was put back on the map by an anecdotal story related to Catherine II of Russia. As per legend, while passing through it during the night, the carriage lost one wheel. Catherine II woke up from the sudden jerk, and asked the name of the town. When she fell asleep again, her servants repaired the wheel and the carriage moved again. She woke up again and upon learning that it is still Vasilkov, she remarked : "A large town, indeed".
|
