In the very center of the city, on the Chernigov shaft, a majestic snow-white temple rises. It is crowned with five domes and cone-shaped towers. This unique monument of the beginning of the eleventh century is the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov.
Interesting dates
For a long time, this Orthodox church was considered the oldest among similar structures since princely times. Of course, it was about those that have survived to this day. However, recent studies have shown that the oldest is St. Sophia Cathedral, whose employees back in 2010 said that the latter was founded in 1011. And as proof they brought numerous inscriptions on its walls. Although this version has not yet been conclusively proven, some researchers are confident that the year the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernihiv was founded was the 1036th.
History of creation
In 1024, the famous Chernigov prince Mstislav Vladimirovich the Brave triumphed in long internecine wars and began to significantly expand his possessions. Its lands extended from the Sivershchina to the North Caucasus. At this time, a very large princely court began to be built on the territory of the Day City, or Detinets, as it is now called. In this complex, the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernihiv became the central building, the history of which is inextricably linked with the history of Kievan Rus.
It is known that in the same year its founder died. At the time of his death, the walls of the temple, as the chroniclers testify, were already raised to a height equal to four meters.
Completed during the reign of Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, the amazingly beautiful Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov became the main shrine of this land. It is here that many rare miraculous icons are stored, the relics of saints rest.
After the death of Prince the Brave, its founder, all the masters were removed from the construction of the cathedral. They were transferred to the construction of the church of St. Sofia Novgorod. Therefore, the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernihiv was completed only in the middle of the eleventh century.
Value
For almost nine centuries, he was the cathedral for the local diocese. He was considered the center of state and public life. Under his arches many princes and spiritual masters are buried. Here lie the relics of Prince Mstislav the Brave, as well as Svyatoslav Yaroslavovich and his sons Gleb and Oleg. In 1246, the holy martyrs Michael and Fedor were buried here. However, in 1572, by decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the relics were transported to Moscow.
Some researchers believe that it was here that Prince Igor , the hero of “The Words about Igor's Regiment”, was buried. He ruled Chernihiv from 1198 to 1201. Hierarchs of the local diocese Lazar Baranovich and Ambrose Dubkevich are buried here. In the era of ancient Russia, the cathedral contained one of the most perhaps revered icons in Russia - the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, or Hodegetria. True, after a while Vladimir Monomakh moved the shrine to Smolensk.
General form
The Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, the plan of which demonstrates a sufficiently large by ancient Russian standards - 18.25x27 meters - three-nave structure with three apses and six pillars, was repeatedly rebuilt. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, for example, two towers were built on it. And only after that the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov got its present look.
The perimeter facade is composed of extremely elegant masonry made of brick hidden nearby. It is decorated with original pilasters, moreover, in the first tier - almost flat, while in the second - profiled.
The spatial layout that the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov has (a photo is brought home by every person who comes to the city) is truly unique. Such an original design does not have a single Old Russian temple.
As a result of excavations, it was revealed that small chapels were added to the main building in the eastern corners, which have not been preserved to this day. And today the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, whose photo is proof of that, stands without them.
The round tower adjacent to the narthex from the north was not preserved either. A staircase led to the choirs from her. And from the south, a three-apse church was originally attached, which was a baptismal church. In addition, when in 1239 the cathedral was almost destroyed during the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars, domes and arches fell.
Architectural solution
The Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, whose style is a combination of the scheme of the cross-domed Byzantine temple with some elements of the Romanesque basilica, is unusually beautiful. In the process of its construction, the craftsmen used mixed masonry technology. At the same time, along with a plinth - a thin burnt brick characteristic of ancient Russian architecture - a natural stone was used. Architects who have studied the principle and technologies of construction admire with admiration that the constructive solution of the cathedral is surprisingly clear, almost ideal.
The effect of time
Over its nearly thousand-year history, this ancient cultural monument has undergone numerous destruction and rebuilding. In the years when Chernigov was taken by the army of Khan Mengu in 1239, the cathedral was completely plundered. According to legend, it was here that the last defenders of the fallen city closed, defending themselves. The defense of Chernigov was led by Prince Mstislav. His wife, in order not to be in the hands of the enemy, jumped out of the windows of the red tower of the cathedral.
The episcopal department was moved from Chernigov to the city of Bryansk. And only in 1675 - under Archbishop Lazar Baranovich - restoration work began to be carried out. Then the apse were added.
Reconstruction
The next thorough reconstruction of the temple was carried out in 1791-1798, after a fire, when the building was badly damaged. It was at this time that many old Russian frescoes were lost.
Chroniclers write that in 1783 Potemkin was a passage in Chernihiv, which was very interested in this cathedral. And as a result of his request for repair, sufficient funds were allocated. However, unfortunately, perestroika harmed the temple more. She caused such harm that even all previous destruction could not do.
Then two pointed towers were attached to the sides of the cathedral. This began to give the cathedral a certain resemblance to the church. In addition, they served as a sundial.
Interior
In the interior of the cathedral, a solemn and strict combination of verticals and horizontals is felt. Especially worth noting are very ancient relics, such as frescoes and reliefs on the parapets of the choirs, as well as the originally laid columns. Unfortunately, not all of the pre-Mongolian decoration of the temple has been preserved, but what has come down to us has been saved fragmentarily and does not look the best way. The main part of the interior murals was destroyed by a fire in the middle of the eighteenth century.
The famous fresco "Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla" was removed in the 30s by the Bolsheviks, then it was destroyed during the Second World War. The remaining few, but very ancient paintings are stained out from under the poorly distinguishable pattern of frescoes of the nineteenth century. It turns out that the interior of the cathedral was painted again in 1820, and after half a century was updated. It was then that the ancient drawings died.
As a result of research inside the cathedral, residual pieces of floor made at different times were found. The original coating consisted of slate slabs, on which there was an embedded pattern filled with mosaic. One of its main elements are concentric circles. Initially, the floor was lined with ceramic irrigation tiles inside the altar. However, already in the twelfth century it was replaced by smooth slate blocks. Of particular value in the cultural and historical aspect are slate reliefs on the parapets of choirs.
In the interior, the elongated room is perfectly combined with two-tier internal arcades that soar into the dome space. Throughout their entire length, wooden floorings for the northern and southern choirs were originally equipped. They reinforced the horizontal division of the interior. Similar arcades are more characteristic of the Byzantine architecture of that era. However, they were rare in the days of Kievan Rus. And this is one of the characteristic features that the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov is famous for, which, in the splendor of its decoration, was in no way inferior to the famous princely churches.
Features
There is an opinion that the builders of the temple repeated to some extent the scheme of the Church of the Tithes - the first stone church of the Old Russian state. In addition, it was suggested that the artisans who created the cathedral in Chernigov and Kiev Sofia were members of a Byzantine artel.
An ancient custom has long existed: the flags of the city’s defenders were hung out in the church. Since the beginning of the last century, Cossack flags have been exhibited here, as well as eighteen banners of the Chernihiv militia during the war with Napoleon and eleven times of the Crimean War.
Shrines
The sacristy still has many liturgical objects. Some of them were donated to the church by the townspeople and are of great value. Among them, the salary of the Gospel is a unique jewelry work that has relief images.
It is known that in the altar was a silver with gilding two-tier sarcophagus weighing sixteen kilograms. During a stay in Chernigov in 1787, Empress Catherine II presented the church with an old cross and a cathedral chair, as well as many old vestments.
The main shrines that were kept here until 1917 were the relics of Metropolitan Konstantin and Prince Igor Olgovich. They were buried under the walls of the temple. In addition, the relics of St. Theodosius of Uglitsky, the Chernigov archbishop, who were lying open in a silver crab weighing about two and a half centners, were also stored here.
It also housed one of the most revered icons in the Chernihiv region - Our Lady of Ripkinskaya. But the most famous is Hodegetria. During the time of Kievan Rus, this shrine was brought to the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov by the daughter of Emperor Constantine, who was married to Prince Vsevolod. Born in this marriage, Vladimir Monomakh from 1097 was the ruler of Smolensk, where he rebuilt the temple. Having finished it, he moved this icon from Chernigov. And since then she began to be called Smolenskaya. They say that thanks to her, Batu Khan in 1239 could not take the city.
Temple today
Throughout its existence, the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, the schedule of worship in which all parishioners know today, was a place that was revered not only by ordinary ordinary Christians, but also by aristocrats, members of the royal family that ruled the Russian Empire when included Ukraine. The temple belongs to the cultural and historical protected monuments. The study of its history and architectural features continued until recently. Currently, the Transfiguration Cathedral is active and protected by the state, it is part of a historical reserve called “Ancient Chernigov”.