In Kyiv, a 300-year-old oak from Pymonenko's painting will receive protection status.

According to ТСН: In Kyiv, there is a discussion about the initiative to grant a new natural monument status to the oak depicted in the famous painting by Mykola Pymonenko, "Exit from the Church on Maundy Thursday." This oak, which grows in Pechersk, has survived despite the fact that the church and other buildings from the painting, created over a hundred years ago, no longer exist.

The Department of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Adaptation of the Kyiv City State Administration has submitted a draft decision to the Kyiv City Council proposing to grant the status of botanical monument "Oak of Mykola Pymonenko."

The tree is located at 12/7 Serhiy Husovsky Street, and according to scientists' estimates, it is already over 300 years old.

Initiators of the protection status

The idea of granting protection status was proposed by Kyiv resident Oleksandr Zahorovskyi. Back in August 2025, he submitted a petition to include this oak in the nature reserve fund of the capital. After that, specialists from the National Botanical Garden named after M.M. Grishko examined the tree and confirmed its natural, historical, and cultural value.

This oak is recognizable in the painting "Exit from the Church on Maundy Thursday," painted by Pymonenko in 1904 (later, in 1907, the artist created another version). In the painting, the oak is depicted next to the Church of St. Olga, which no longer exists. Among all the elements presented in the painting, this ancient oak remains the only true witness of the past.

As of today, the oak has become a symbol not only of natural heritage but also of Kyiv's cultural memory. The initiative to protect it emphasizes the importance of preserving historical elements in the urban environment. Recognizing such a tree as a monument can serve as an example for other cities, as restoring the connection with nature and history is an important aspect of contemporary life.