Hagia Sophia of Kiev is a unique cultural monument that has several names. It is called the Hagia Sophia, the Sofia Museum or the National Reserve. But no matter how its name sounds, this place remains a unique architectural monument of Ancient Russia and Byzantium.
The museum is famous for its frescoes and mosaics. The murals of Sofia Kievskaya adorn 3000 sq.m. An impressive mosaic of 260 square meters. Sophia of Kiev for the Old Russian State was not only a church building, but also a public building.
History of creation
Almost nothing is known about the time of the construction of the monument. However, the “Tale of Bygone Years” mentions 1037 as the year of the construction of Hagia Sophia. At this time, Yaroslav the Wise ruled. Some sources claim that the foundation of the temple was laid back in 1017 during the reign of Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich. Most scholars are still inclined to believe that it was in 1037 that the construction of the monument began. Surprisingly, the frescoes of Sophia of Kiev preserved their original value to our time.
Chronicles say that 1036 was connected with the presence of Yaroslav the Wise in Novgorod Volynsky. At this time, the news reached him that the Pechenegs were preparing to attack Kiev. Yaroslav gathered allies from the inhabitants of Novgorod. Soon, a battle took place in which the king won and forced the Pechenegs to flee. In the name of this victory, a temple was laid on the site of the battle.
From Greek, Sofia is translated as “wise”. Therefore, the church of Hagia Sophia was considered a symbol of Christian wisdom and marked the victory of the Orthodox people over paganism. Sofia Kiev as a monument of spiritual culture and today is of particular value.
Cathedral building
Experts say that about 40 craftsmen with numerous assistants were involved in the construction of Sofia Kievskaya. The monument was built for about 3 years, and a couple of years it took to complete the interior decoration. The construction of the temple was done by masters from Constantinople, who were specially invited by Yaroslav the Wise. Initially, the cathedral was rectangular and surrounded by twelve pillars of a cross-shaped shape. It was decorated with thirteen domes (today there are already 19), which symbolized the 12 apostles and Jesus Christ. The main dome was erected in the center of the temple, four were above the altar, the rest were located in the western corners of the building.
At that time, the cathedral had only two rows of galleries in the form of an open balcony surrounding the building from three sides. The second floor was occupied by the so-called chambers for the princely family and noble residents of the city.
For the construction of the cathedral used granite blocks and a solution of limestone with the addition of crushed brick. The facades of the building were not plastered. The roof was made of lead sheets that covered domes and vaults. The walls, pillars and arches of St. Sophia Cathedral were decorated with magnificent paintings covering 5,000 square meters. Today, only 2,000 square meters of frescoes have been preserved in their original form.
Timeline
Throughout its history, St. Sophia Cathedral has undergone many trials. It was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, almost completely rebuilding. In 1240, the temple underwent major changes for the first time, it was then that the Mongol-Tatars attacked Kiev. Sofia Kievskaya (photos of the cathedral are presented in the article) was looted and almost completely destroyed. The splendor and riot of colors went out for a while.
The complete restoration of the monument to St. Sophia of Kiev took place under Metropolitan Peter Mogile, who founded a man’s monastery at the church. The cathedral had the same appearance, but the building itself required immediate reconstruction. In the years 1633-1647, the temple was partially restored. They repaired, replaced the roof, floors and installed a luxuriously decorated iconostasis in the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kiev. A photo taken inside can convey only a small part of all the beauty.
1697 became a fateful year for the cathedral. The fire consumed almost all the wooden buildings of the monastery. After that, a decision was made on capital restoration. At that time, the three-tiered Sofia bell tower was erected. In 1852, the fourth tier was completed. The cathedral building itself was also rebuilt, and it acquired the characteristic features of Ukrainian baroque at that time.
In 1722-1730, a refectory and a bakery were built on the territory of the monastery, which later housed the diocesan administration.
In 1934, the temple buildings by the decision of the Soviet government were declared the State Reserve of History and Architecture.
The Soviet period breathed new life into the development of the monastery. It was at this time that restoration work was actively carried out, as a result of which the appearance of the temple and other buildings of the complex were restored.
In 1990, Sofia Kiev was included by UNESCO in the List of World Culture Facilities. In the same year, the cathedral was awarded a diploma, which gave the right to independent management.
A unique architectural monument is Sofia Kiev. The description and history of its creation excites the imagination of even people far from religion.
7 facts about Sofia Kiev
- The bell tower of the cathedral was built by the hetman Ivan Mazepa. Until now, there is a huge bell “Mazepa”, which in 1705 was poured by the master Athanasy Petrovich on the order and with the money of Ivan Mazepa. The bell is a real architectural masterpiece. It is decorated with hetman ornament and coat of arms.
- The cellars of St. Sophia Cathedral kept a huge library of Yaroslav the Wise, which mysteriously disappeared somewhere. The only mention of it is stored in "Tales of Bygone Years" by Nestor the Chronicler. Perhaps now it is hidden in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
- Sofia Kiev preserves one of the rarest mosaics of Oranta. It depicts the Mother of God with outstretched arms, reading a prayer. Without a baby, she is almost never portrayed. This magnificent image is known as the “Indestructible Wall”.
- The frescoes of Sophia of Kiev are more religiously oriented. Basically, they depict prayers for pardoning people. One of the walls contains the inscription of Prince Bryachislav with a request to have mercy on him, a sinful and wretched man.
- In 2008, Sophia of Kiev regained her openwork silver Gate with images of saints. In the 30s, they were sent for re-melting by the Soviet authorities. Their restoration took about 100 kg of silver.
- The shrine is filled not only with prayers; here you can find inscriptions of a secular nature.
- During the construction of the temple in Kiev, a separate tax was applied, according to which everyone who visited the city had to bring a few stones with them.
Of particular value are the murals of the monument to Sofia Kiev. Mosaics and frescoes are the main decoration of the cathedral.
Mosaic painting of Sofia Kiev
This type of painting is the main element of the interior design of the cathedral. Colorful mosaic elements adorn the central dome and apse. On other parts of the cathedral, one can see no less picturesque frescoes. Many ancient murals have been preserved in the world, but it is precisely the murals and mosaics of Sofia of Kiev that are considered authentic examples of monumental painting. They were preserved in their original form and were never subjected to restoration and additions. They were only cleaned of dust, which gave them their original freshness and beauty.
The colors of Sofia mosaics are so beautiful that sometimes it seems as if the eye has never seen a more harmonious combination of so many colors, shades and shapes.
Experienced artists count here 35 shades of brown, 34 tones of green, 23 shades of yellow, 21 shades of blue and 19 tones of red. The palette of Sofia mosaics consists of 150 shades, this suggests that Kievan Rus was unsurpassed in the production of smalt.
The sophistication and luxury gives the Sofia mosaics a golden background. It is with him that all other shades are in perfect harmony.
Mosaic "Christ - Pantocrator"
The base of the central dome is decorated with a huge medallion, in the center of which is the image “Christ - Pantocrator”. The mosaic is made according to all the rules of perception from a long distance. Initially, the dome contained four images of archangels. Unfortunately, only one mosaic image, which dates back to the 11th century, has been partially preserved from them. The remaining parts were finished with paints in the 19th century.
On the central domed drum is also a mosaic figure of the Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ, representing the image of Priest. The image of the Mother of God is half lost.
The dome drum is decorated with the image of the Evangelist Mark. Initially, 30 picturesque mosaics were located on the supporting arches, of which only 15 were preserved.
Mosaic "Maria Oranta"
The arch of the main altar is decorated with a huge mosaic of the Mother of God (Oranta) in a prayerful state. This image stands out from the entire interior painting. Its height is about 6 meters. The Mother of God stands on a platform decorated with precious stones with her arms raised high. She is dressed in a blue tunic and covered with a long female veil with gold folds. Shod in red boots.
This figure is remarkable for its monumentality and special greatness. Juicy colors are immediately evident. Under this image is a mosaic "Eucharist", symbolizing the scene of the communion of the apostles. Near the throne are archangels with webs. Also nearby is a figure of Jesus Christ. He gives the apostles solemnly approaching him from different directions, the sacrament in the form of bread and wine. The apostles are dressed in light costumes, on Jesus there is a blue cloak and a purple tunic decorated with gold. The crimson throne gives a special color saturation to the composition. The lower tier of the vault is decorated with images of saints and archdeacons.
Sofia Kiev: murals
Frescoes adorn all sides of the cathedral, and they can also be seen on towers, choirs and galleries. The original images were partially updated during the restoration in the XVII century. At the end of the XVII century, the damaged frescoes of Sophia of Kiev were completely restored. New images were partially applied with oil paints. Oil painting at that time was not of artistic value, but its plots completely repeated the murals of ancient frescoes.
In the XIX century, major restoration work was carried out, as a result of which all layers from the ancient frescoes were cleared. In some places, some images had to be applied to preserve the original ensemble.
The fresco system of St. Sophia of Kiev includes images of numerous ornaments, scenes, figures of saints in full growth and half-figures.
Fresco "The Family of Yaroslav the Wise"
This image is especially interesting at the monument to Sofia Kievskaya. Frescoes occupy the northern, western and southern sides of the main nave. Surprisingly, the central part of this composition has not been preserved to this day; you can recognize it from the work of the Dutch artist Abraham Van Westerfeld, who visited Kiev in 1651.
On the mosaic, Yaroslav the Wise holds in his hands a model of Sophia of Kiev, next to his wife is Princess Irina. They are sent to Jesus Christ, who is depicted together with Prince Vladimir and Olga - the founders of Christianity in Ancient Russia. Behind the princely couple are their children, also heading for Christ. This huge composition is only partially preserved. Today, you can see only two figures on the north side and four on the south wall.
Sarcophagus of Prince Yaroslav
The eastern part of the galleries of Sofia Kiev was occupied by the tomb of the prince. There were burial places of the entire princely family. Today you can see only the sarcophagus of Yaroslav the Wise, which occupies part of the altar room of the northern gallery. This is a rectangular box with a lid protruding on the sides. Everything is decorated with images of plants, birds, crosses and other symbols of ancient Christianity. The tomb weighs about 6 tons. The marble sarcophagus was brought from Byzantium.
In 1939, the tomb was opened, and scientists discovered skeletons of a man and a woman, whose bones were mixed. This fact, as well as the fact that there were no traces of clothing in the sarcophagus, is direct evidence of a robbery.
It was proved that the male skeleton belonged to Yaroslav the Wise, and the female skeleton belonged to his wife Irina. The skull of Yaroslav the Wise served as a model for creating a sculptural portrait of the prince, which is now located in the northern part of the cathedral. In September 2009, the sarcophagus was again opened for research. After that, rumors spread that there was no guarantee that the remains of the bones belong precisely to Yaroslav the Wise.
Each resident and guest of the city of Kiev can see the beauty and grandeur of the monument of Sofia Kievskaya. How to get to the main temple of Kievan Rus? The shrine is located at: st. Vladimirskaya, 24.
Here is also the famous Sophia Square, on which, since ancient times, various events have been held not only of a religious nature, but also of socio-economic and political purpose. They held meetings and organized fairs. Today, the square is decorated with a monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky.