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Kiev travel guide
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SIGHTS: Monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky Saint Sofia cathedral
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Address: Vladimirskaya street, 24 How to get: go to the metro station Golden Gate, go downwards Vladimirskaya st. to St. Sofia square; or go to the metro station Maydan Nezalezhnosti, go two blocks along Sofia street till Sofia square
St. Sofia cathedral is located in the centre of Kiev. It is the main cult building of Kievan Russia of Yaroslav the Wise rule (years 1019—1054), exactly near its walls Kiev popular assembly gathered. St. Sofia cathedral became the first Ukrainian monument of architecture entered in the list of World heritage of UNESCO. History of this church origin is very confused and not clear. In Russian the temple is called Sofiysky cathedral and Sofievsky cathedral. There is also no common opinion about its building date. Some people believe that building of Sofievsky cathedral began under Vladimir I Svyatoslavich, others that the church was constructed by his son, Yaroslav the Wise, approximately in 1020-1037. " Novgorod first annals" say that St. Sofia cathedral was laid by Yaroslav the Wise in 1017. At the same time, "Story of time years" tells that Yaroslav laid the church in 1037. Probably, the cathedral building was conducted in two stages, but we know for sure that in 1051 there was the first metropolitan Illarion in the church. Appraising the techniques used when building Sofievsky cathedral, and also some architectural features, it is possible to conjecture that the Greeks, who have arrived from Constantinople, were engaged in building. Byzantian architecture tradition, of course with some nuances, are well visible in the cathedral building. Byzantian architectural school is also specified by two stair towers, leading to gallery and gul’bishe (plane temple roof). During divine services, Great Prince with family and suite settled at the gallery. Probably, when there was no divine services in the temple, prince received ambassadors, resolved various government issues. Cathedral’s book collection was also stored there. At first the temple had 13 cupolas, now there are 19. Throughout its existence, St. Sofia cathedral was exposed to numerous destructive attacks and plunders. In 1169 St. Sofia cathedral was damaged by Andrey Bogolyubsky, Suzdal prince, during the attack on Kiev. In 1180, during the fire the temple was completely burnt down. When the khan Batiy soldiers raged in Kiev in 1240, Sofievsky cathedral was plundered. In 1497 Sofievsky cathedral was plundered too, by Crimean Tatars now. Within 16 century the temple fell into decay, and just in 17 century it began to be restored. Particularly, a major contribution to St. Sofia cathedral restoration was made by hetman Ivan Mazepa in 1688.
Foreign travelers’ memoirs about the cathedral, dated 16 and 17 century, reached our days, but the greatest value have drawings of Dutch artist Abragam van Vesterfeld made in 1651 during his visit to Kiev. St. Sofia cathedral inside was less damaged by time and vandalism than outside. The earliest mosaics and painting executed by Byzantian painters still remained. At the walls of Sofievsky cathedral, as well as at St. Michel’s cathedral walls, the graffiti were found out – the scratched inscriptions telling about statesmen and political events. There is about 300 such graffiti in the cathedral. Thanks to the earliest inscriptions, scientists could specify the period of the temple internal furnish execution. Originally there were 640 sq.m. of mosaic in the cathedral. Today visitors of St. Sofia cathedral can see 260 sq.m. of mosaic and 3 000 sq.m. of frescos. Most known mosaics of the cathedral are Mother of God-Oratna (the Indestructible wall) and dome mosaic Christ-Pantokrator. Mosaic works were carried out mainly by smalt (an alloy of glass, salts and oxides of metals), but sometimes there were also the fragments executed by a natural stone. Slices of smalt, measuring approximately 1õ1 sm, were pressed directly into fresh plaster. Palette of mosaics of the cathedral is very rich, more than 170 shades. Cathedral frescos remained not so well, as mosaic ornaments. Iron plates, St. Sofia floor is laid with, contain image of Muslim symbolic - a half moon. Initially the floors were mosaic in the temple centre, and in side naves, and in tomb and at gallery – ceramic. Fragments of mosaic and ceramic floors remained partially till now. In 17 century there was the first known renovation of St. Sofia frescos. Renovation works were made by glutinous paints. In the beginning of 18 century all walls in the cathedral were plastered, whitewashed, and painted by oil over a plaster coat. In 19 century ancient frescos were revealed again and renovated by oil, trying to save their original appearance. At the most damaged areas of the frescos, plaster was put and the paintings added. St. Sofia cathedral was also a burial place of legendary Kiev princes. Here there is a carved sarcophagus with Yaroslav the Wise remains, buried in 1054. Yaroslav the Wise son Vsevolod, Vsevolod sons Rostislav Vsevolodovich and Vladimir Monomah are also buried here. Most important temple values and relics were the crucifix, which Tsarina Olga brought from Constantinople, and "Monomah Cap" - the regal crown, presented to Vladimir Monomah by Byzantian emperor. Hands of St. Great Martyr Varvara and the jaw of Prince Vladimir – the Baptist of Russia, were also stored here. In 20 century the threat of destruction impended over St. Sofia cathedral, as well as over many other monuments of Christian culture. The decision on temple destruction was made in the early thirties, and a sad fate of St. Michael’s cathedral could overtake it. The temple was saved by France intervention. Matter is that Queen Anna, the wife of the king of France Henry I, was the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, who founded the cathedral, and France remembered it. Being afraid of the international scandal, Soviet leaders decided to create Sofia museum reserve in 1934. After St. Sofia cathedral and adjoining structures became a museum reserve, the grandiose research and restoration works were started here. Mosaics were cleared, and late layers of oil paints were removed from frescos, plaster and paintings were straightened. At the places, where the 11 century frescos were lost, it is possible to see painting of 17, 18 and 19 centuries. Now length of St. Sofia cathedral without galleries is 29,5 m., width — 29,3 m., its size with galleries is 41,7 m. and 54,6 m. Height of the main dome is 28,6 m., size of under dome square is 7,6 m.
Legends and myths:Most known mosaics of St. Sofia cathedral is Mother of God – Oranta that is also called the Indestructible wall. There is a superstition in Kiev, saying that Kiev stands till Oranta existing.
| The historical reference: 1017-1037 – building of Sofia cathedral 1169- Suzdal prince Andrey Bogolyubsky attacks Kiev and damages the temple 1180 – St. Sofia temple hardly escaped during a heavy fire 1240 –Sofia cathedral was plundered by soldiers of khan Batiy 1497 - the cathedral is plundered by the Crimean Tatars 16 century – the cathedral exposed to destructions and attacks repeatedly, during this period the divine services stopped at the cathedral 16 century – the cathedral exposed to destructions and attacks repeatedly, during this period the divine services stopped at the cathedral 17 century – on the initiative of metropolitan Peter Mogila the temple is restored 1633-1640 – an Italian Oktaviano Manchini conducts big restoration works in Sofia cathedral 17-19 centuries –restoration works are still conducted 1934 –St. Sofia cathedral gets the status of museum reserve
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