Archive for category Kiev Architecture
Kiev and Russian Christianity
Posted by in Kiev Architecture on July 15, 2011
In 988, contacts of ancient Kiev with Constantinople drought deep cultural influence and Kiev became the birth-place and centre of Russian Christianity, based on the Greek Orthodox Church. The first church appeared in Kiev in the mid-ninth century but it was Grand Prince Vladimir who declared Christianity as the state religion and in 988 the whole population of Kiev was baptized in the river’s waters. The city’s main street is still called Kreshchatik, meaning baptism. The historic event was commemorated by the monument to the “Baptizer of Russia”, designed by Konstantin Thon, the favourite architect of Tsar Nikolas I, and the bronze statue of Prince Vladimir by sculptor Pyotr Klodt, known for his horse-breaker sculptures of the Anichkov Bridge in St. Petersburg.
In the early eleventh century the chronicler Titmar Merzeburgski recorded that Kiev had more than 400 churches, eight markets and an uncalculated number of people.
The first Russian monastery was established in the mid-eleven century. Named the Pechersky Monastery (from old Russian word for cave “pechera”) it was founded by holy man, Antony of Liubech, who retired from the world to live a life of prayer and fasting in a cave on the Berestov Mount. Other zealots came to join him, living in the nearby caves, and when their numbers reached twelve, a monastery was formed. Antony moved closer to Berestovo, where more disciples arrived to join the network of caves and underground chapels.
As monastery grew in numbers and influence, the Kievan princes granted the monks the mount and money to build a stone church (Dormition Cathedral), which was begun in 1073. According to an early thirteenth century history of the monastery, the church was build as the result of the vision of Shimon, an outstanding Varangian warrior who lived in Kiev. Shimon’s most treasured possession was a belt made from pure gold. He had a vision that his life would be spared if a church in the name of the Virgin was built in the monastery, using his gold belt as the building’s measure. Shimon gave his belt to the monks, who shortly afterward were visited by master masons from Constantinople who told them that the Virgin Mary had appeared to them in a dream and told them to go to Kiev to build a church. Six years later, a graceful church with a single cupola and a small baptistery adjoined to the north wall was completed. It measured twenty times Shimon’s belt in width, thirty times in length and fifty times in height.
Shortly after the Church of the Dormition was consecrated, a strong wall was built around the cloister, partly to shelter the monks from outside world but also to protect from the raids of the barbaric nomads from the Dnieper and the Don. Stone gateways were set in the wooden wall, the main entrance on the west side, and the service gates on the north side. Each was topped by an exquisite little chapel, one of which was the Gate Church of the Trinity. Partially rebuilt, they still survive. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by in Kiev Architecture on July 15, 2011
When you travel to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, you are going to a city that is at least 1600 years old. It has known many conquerors during its turbulent history, and it has been home to numerous ethnic groups, each of whom has had their own ideas about how to build a city. This accounts for the diversity in Kiev’s architectural styles. When you step out of your Kiev hotel and take a tour of the city, you can’t help but notice the rich variety.
Like other former Soviet urban centers, Kiev is a city of apartment buildings. The Soviet obsession with building utilitarian concrete slabs devoid of character certainly left its mark on Kiev. There is also the fact that Kiev suffered heavily in the Second World War. Large parts of it were reduced to rubble by the German invaders, and the Red Army. But in spite of the carnage inflicted on the city during the war, a surprising amount of historic Kiev’s architecture is still there. Most of these landmarks will be within easy reach of your Kiev hotel.
Kiev’s most recognizable building is Saint Sophia Cathedral. The Cathedral Complex is part of the Sophia of Kiev National Sanctuary. Named for the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the cathedral, which dates back to the 11th century, is considered an outstanding example of Kievan Rus architecture. It was the first Ukrainian structure to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
St. David’s Golden-Domed Monastery dates back to the 12th century. It is an example of how early architectural styles were later modified. This structure was built in the Byzantine style, but in the 18th century it acquired a baroque exterior. The interior remains one of the finest examples of Kievan Rus lavish decor. Considerable restoration work was done on the church from 1976 to 1981.
St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral dates back only to the mid-19th century, when construction was started on it to mark the 900th anniversary of the conversion to Christianity of Prince Volodymyr the Great. This church was built in the neo-Byzantine style. The colorful interior is particularly striking. Read the rest of this entry »