{"product_id":"representing-kyiv-in-russian-and-western-travel-literature-1760s-1914","title":"Representing Kyiv in Russian and Western Travel Literature, 1760s–1914","description":"This study explores how Kyiv was represented in travel literature from the late 18th to the early 20th century through the eyes of Russian and Western travellers. It argues that early Russian travelogues evolved from limited curiosity about Kyiv to high expectations regarding its religious and historical sites, which were often unmet. Early Western travellers, by contrast, frequently portrayed Kyiv as exotic and “Oriental,” emphasizing its perceived superstitious religiosity as characteristic of the Other, while only a minority engaged with other aspects of the city. From the 1840s onwards, Russian travel writing declined and was replaced by guidebooks that presented Kyiv as both a sacred and modern city. Meanwhile, Western travelogues expanded and developed more nuanced perspectives shaped by Romanticism and modernity, gradually converging with Russian interpretations, particularly in their emphasis on Kyiv’s historical significance.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57536516260213,"sku":"9781805969853","price":80.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/representing-kyiv-in-russian-and-western-travel-literature-1760s-1914","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}