Lybid River

Infobox River | river_name = Lybid


caption =
origin =
mouth = Dnieper
basin_countries = Ukraine
length = 16 km
elevation = ?
discharge =
watershed = 68 km²

Lybid ( _uk. Либідь) is a small river in Ukraine, a right tributary of Dnieper flowing within the Right-Bank part of Kiev city.

Lybid has played an important role in shaping Kiev's urban landscape and, later, in forming city's draining system. The river is now enclosed in tunnels at almost all of its flow.

There is a legend that the river was named after the "Lybid", sister of the legendary founders of Kiev, Kyi, Schek and Khoryv. The name literally means "swan" and is a common East Slavic epithet for elegant women, moving with grace: "she walks as a swan swims" (словно лебедем плывет).

In XIX century the river was widely used for grind business. In some places it was quite wide with a width of 50 meters. Three watermills were situated on one of such wide places where the river has created the water reservoir with small islands on it. The biggest watermill was Mikhaylivska. Before it's embouchure there were situated all in all 7 watermills. Due to the grind business the region began to grow: inns, taverns and small villages have appeared. In the end of XIX century there started the construction of the railway.