If you are looking for a meeting point in Kharkiv, nothing beats the spot under the giant thermometer that adorns Istorychny Muzey metro exit to pl Konstytutsiyi. Just west of the square, the gleaming domes of the Pokrovsky Monastery are visible from miles away. The predictably peaceful grounds (enter from pl Konstytutsiyi) have two attractive churches. The smaller and more important of the two is the blue, three-domed 1689 Pokrovska Church . As in all Orthodox churches, the altar is under the east-pointing dome, and there's another altar hidden in the basement, which the attendant may show you if you ask. The church is almost always open for services. The yellow church next to it is the Ozeyansky Church .
Back on the square, you can't miss the large granite sculptural ensemble commemorating Kharkiv's designation as the first capital of Soviet Ukraine on 24 December 1917. Tongue-in-cheek Kharkivites nicknamed it 'five men carrying a fridge' – the resemblance is far from passing. Nearby the Kharkiv History Museum was receiving a major facelift at the time of research – this involved hoisting a huge glass and steel facade onto the red-brick building. Staff were unclear as to how this would affect future exhibitions.
