On the quiet streets of old Podil stands a remarkable shrine - St. Nicholas Prytyska Church, a place where legend, hardship, and devotion intertwine.

The first wooden church on this site was mentioned in the 16th century. The exact construction date of the stone church is debated: some claim 1631, others 1695. Documents from 1647 refer to a bishop of Prytyska Church, though it remains unclear whether the church was then wooden or already stone. Most historians agree that the stone church was erected between 1695 and 1707, funded by the wealthy townsman Petro Zaliznyi Hrosh.

The original church featured two tiers and a single dome, its plan shaped like a Latin cross. Side altars were dedicated to the Protection of the Virgin and to Saints Cosmas and Damian. The great fire of 1718 caused severe damage, and restoration was not completed until 1752. In 1789, a bell tower with a warm chapel was added.

Another catastrophe struck in 1811, when much of Podil was destroyed by fire. Under the direction of architect Andriy Melenskyi, the church was restored by 1834, with additions including the Stritenska chapel. Further modifications continued throughout the 19th century.

In Soviet times, the church briefly served as the cathedral of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, before being closed in 1935. During World War II, it suffered heavy destruction and lay in ruins until emergency repairs in the 1950s. In the 1980s, part of the building collapsed, but careful restoration brought it back to life before the decade’s end.

In 1990, the church was returned to the faithful, and since 2019 it has belonged to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Today, St. Nicholas Prytyska is more than just an architectural monument - it is a living testament to the resilience and enduring faith of Kyiv.