St. Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv

St. Sophia Cathedral is a cathedral located in the center of the capital of Ukraine - on Sophia Square, one of the most important historical and architectural monuments of Ukraine, an integral part of the National Reserve "Sofia Kyivska".

 

The cathedral begins its history in the year 1037, founded by the Prince of Kiev Yaroslav, and named after Sophia - the Holy Wisdom of God. The place of foundation was the battlefield where the Pechenegs were defeated by Russian troops. The cathedral complex has a rich history, many times it was damaged and rebuilt, and in the territory of the cathedral were buried such famous personalities as: Metropolitan Hilarion of Kiev, prince Yaroslav the Wise, prince Vsevolod I, prince Vladimir II Monomakh, prince Vyacheslav and others.

 

In addition to the important historical, the cathedral also has a large artistic and architectural heritage: the Cathedral has preserved more than 260 square meters of mosaic and 3,000 square meters of murals of the XI century, new mosaics and murals are still found today. Also, more than 7,000 graffiti have been found in Sofia Kyiv - inscriptions and drawings on the walls left by visitors and staff. The complex of the cathedral consists of a number of buildings, such as: bell tower, refectory, bakery, south tower, metropolitan's house, Zaborovsky's Gate, fraternal building, bursa and wall cells, which were built in different centuries, representing different architectural styles and it conveys unusual and unique history.

 

Today, St. Sophia Cathedral is part of the National Reserve “Sofia Kyivska”, founded in 1934, is a contemporary representative of Byzantine and Baroque styles in the architectural ensemble of the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990. Nowadays, the cathedral functions as a historical and museum complex that offers a wide range of visitors, excursions, exhibits and more.