▁the ▁ 9 – 1 0 th ▁centuries ▁it ▁covered ▁only ▁ ▁mostly ▁at ▁the ▁western ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁Old ▁K iev ▁Hill . ▁Today ▁at ▁that ▁location ▁stands ▁the ▁National ▁Historical ▁Museum ▁of ▁Ukraine . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁fort ifications ▁supposed ly ▁were ▁built ▁during ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁Vol od ym yr ▁the ▁Great , ▁creating ▁what ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Vol od ym yr ▁that ▁covered ▁already ▁. ▁However ▁already ▁at ▁times ▁of ▁Y ar oslav ▁the ▁W ise ▁in ▁ 1 0 3 7 ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Upper ▁City ▁consisted ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁city ▁of ▁Y ar oslav ▁included ▁monaster ies ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Soph ia ▁monaster y , ▁monaster ies ▁of ▁Saint ▁George ▁and ▁Saint ▁Ir ina . ▁It ▁also ▁included ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁I zy as lav ▁around ▁the ▁Saint ▁Michael ' s ▁Golden ▁D ome ▁Mon aster y ▁and ▁the ▁K opy rev ▁End . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Mong ol ▁dev ast ation ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁the ▁Upper ▁City ▁lost ▁its ▁significance ▁and ▁the ▁K iev ▁city ▁center ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Pod il . ▁During ▁the ▁Polish - Russ ian ▁War ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁secured ▁by ▁Russia ▁through ▁financial ▁compens ation . ▁During ▁that ▁time ▁the ▁Upper ▁city ▁was ▁rein for ced ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁fort ifications ▁when ▁K iev ▁started ▁to ▁quarter ▁a ▁Russian ▁g arrison . ▁However ▁soon ▁the ▁g arrison ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁Pe ch ers k ▁( C aves )