The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra or Kyievo-Pecherska Lavra, also known as the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves, is a historic lavra or large monastery of Eastern Christianity that gave its name to the Pecherskyi District where it is located in Kyiv. Since its foundation as the cave monastery in 1051, the Lavra has been a preeminent center of Eastern Christianity in Eastern Europe.
Together with the Saint Sophia Cathedral, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra has been inscribed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site since 1990. The monastery complex is considered a separate national historic-cultural preserve (sanctuary), the national status to which was granted on 13 March 1996. The Lavra is not only located in another part of the city, but is part of a different national sanctuary than Saint Sophia Cathedral. While being a cultural attraction, the monastery is once again active, with over 100 monks in residence. It was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine on 21 August 2007.
On 24 January 2026, a Russian drone attack shattered windows and damaged two buildings of the complex, marking the first time it sustained war-related damage since World War II. On 14 June 2026, a Russian drone attack caused significant damage to the complex, as part of a targeted attack that also damaged other cultural elements in Kyiv. The damage, likely from Geran-2 drones (“the Russian version of the Iranian Shahed-type kamikaze drone”), included destruction of a significant portion of the roof, damage to the main dome and cupola, and significant fires within the structure. This was the first time the structure was targeted in an armed conflict since World War II. The Security Service of Ukraine published photos of debris from the Geran-2 drone. By 15 June, the remains of two Shahed-type drones had been found at the UNESCO World Heritage site by state security officials, suggesting at least two drones targeted the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex around 04:55 a.m. Kyiv time.
The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra contains numerous architectural monuments, ranging from bell towers to cathedrals to cave systems and to strong stone fortification walls. The main attractions of the Lavra include the Great Lavra Belltower, and the Dormition Cathedral, destroyed in fighting the Germans World War II, and fully reconstructed in the 1990s after the fall of Soviet Union by Ukraine.
Other churches and cathedrals of the Lavra include: the Refectory Church, the Church of All Saints, the Church of the Saviour at Berestove, the Church of the Exaltation of Cross, the Church of the Trinity, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, the Church of the Conception of St. Anne, and the Church of the Life-Giving Spring. The Lavra also contains many other constructions, including: the St. Nicholas Monastery, the Kyiv Theological Academy and Seminary, and the Debosquette Wall.
