Lybid River

Lybid (Ukrainian: Либідь) is a small river in Kiev, Ukraine, a right tributary of the Dnieper, flowing within the "Right Bank" (original) part of the city, just to the west of the historic center. The Lybid has played an important role in shaping Kiev's urban landscape and, later, in aiding the city's drainage system.

Course

The Lybid runs east, then south east, then roughly parallel to the Dnieper for part of its city presence, and is now culverted for much of its flow, but can be seen along the railway lines south east from the main station of Kiev. It takes a sharp eastward turn and enters the Dnieper several kilometres south of Kiev's centre.

The Lybid has a number of small tributaries, the most notable being the Khreschatyk River, running parallel to modern Kiev's main street, Khreschatyk, and entering the Lybid from the left. Another notable tributary, with small lakes on its course, joins just as the Lybid turns to the east in the Montajnik area south of central Kiev.

Name

The name literally means "swan" and is a common East Slavic epithet for elegant women, moving with grace: "she walks as a swan swims" (словно лебедем плывет). Some believe that the river was named after the possibly mythical Lybid, sister of the legendary founders of Kiev, Kyi, Schek and Khoryv. Others state that Lybid was a former ruler of the Kyiv prior to times of Kievan Rus'.

History

In the 19th century the river was widely used for milling. In some places it was quite wide - up to 50 meters. Three watermills were situated on one of these wide places where the river formed a reservoir with small islands on it. The biggest watermill was Mikhaylivska. Before its embouchure there were in total 7 watermills. Due to the milling business the surrounding area began to develop, with inns and small villages. Late in the 19th century, construction of the railway alongside began.

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