Obolon Raion - Overview

Overview

During Soviet rule of Ukraine, Kiev had 14 administrative districts. In early 21st century, a new law was passed and the raions were reorganized into 10 raions with different borders and new names.

The Obolon district encompasses the territories of the former Minsk district and is still sometimes referred to by that name. It also includes the former town of Pushcha-Vodytsia that used to be part of the Podil Raion. The name Obolon comes from the Old-Ukrainian word оболонь → болонь → болоньє (obolon' → bolon' → bolon'ye), which roughly translates as "flood plain" or an area that is being engulfed by water. The district was built up in the 1970s as a microdistrict in Kiev on the Obolon sands to satisfy the growth of the city. Due to the composition of the soil at the time, the majority of the buildings were at most nine-stories tall, and few trees were planted when compared to other parts of the city. That and few other reasons originally made the district not prestigious.

With the second construction period (2000–2005), the district has seen new, comfortable apartment buildings constructed closer to the Dnieper river and has become an attractive residential area. The new apartments are also more expensive, although still cheaper than in the center of Kiev. The district was connected by metro in the 1980s, with a station Obolon opened on November 5, 1980.

A yachting club for both kids and adults was opened in around 1990, and recently many of the Obolon lakes were cleaned up in order to make the area more attractive. The area closer to the Dnieper river is a popular relaxation place for Kievliany (residents of Kiev). The area is also well known for the beer factory Obolon.