Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - An ce sunan garin ya samo asali ne daga sunan Kyi, ɗaya daga cikin waɗanda suka kafa shi huɗu. A cikin tarihinta, Kyiv, ɗaya daga cikin birane mafi tsufa a Gabashin Turai, ta wuce matakai da yawa na shahara da rashin sani. Wataƙila garin ya wanzu a matsayin cibiyar kasuwanci tun farkon ƙarni na 5. Wani mazaunin Slavic a kan babbar hanyar kasuwanci tsakanin Scandinavia da Constantinople, Kyiv ya kasance mataimaki ne na Khazars, har zuwa lokacin da Varangians (Vikings) suka kama shi a tsakiyar karni na 9. A karkashin mulkin Varangian, garin ya zama babban birnin Kievan Rus', jihar Slavic ta farko ta Gabas. An lalata shi gaba daya a lokacin mamayewar Mongol
a cikin 1240, birnin ya rasa yawancin tasirinsa na ƙarni masu zuwa. Babban birni ne na lardin da ba shi da mahimmanci a gefen yankunan da maƙwabta masu iko suka mallaka, da farko Lithuania, sannan Poland da ƙarshe Rasha.