In the northwestern part of the country is the ancient city of Vologda. Despite the increase in the number of shopping centers, modern office buildings, it continues to retain the imprint of history. This is not to say that the city is very large, but there are enough attractions in it. One of them is St. Sophia Cathedral. Vologda was founded in the mid-12th century, it stands on the river of the same name. Linguists suggest that the name of the city comes from the Finnish word "dragging", which literally translates as "bright water".
Vologda: attractions
The photos taken in the city show that there is something to see in it. This city has a pronounced national flavor mixed with antiquity. One of the main attractions is the Vologda architectural reserve.
Vologda Architectural Museum-Reserve
It includes a whole complex of buildings of the old Kremlin. The Resurrection Cathedral is striking in its beauty. However, it is not only remarkable for its architecture, but also for the fact that paintings of artists of the Vologda Oblast are collected in its walls. Several museums also belong to this reserve, for example, the House-Museum of Peter the Great or the Vologda Museum at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries Museum and others. All kinds of museums, expositions and exhibitions will help to better know the history of the city.
Bishop's yard
It is also called the Small Kremlin. It is located next to the Vologda Kremlin, but is surrounded by a fence. The building appeared in the 16th century. It is so named because of its purpose: all Vologda bishops lived in it. The buildings that make up this architectural complex date back to different times. Of particular interest is the Christmas Church and the Cathedral of the Resurrection. In addition to the church and the cathedral, the complex has seven buildings, some of which have preserved the old interior.
Just on the territory of the Kremlin in the 16th century the St. Sophia Cathedral was built. Vologda is proud of this architectural monument. Those who visit the city will certainly go on an excursion to see the beauty and grandeur of this cathedral.
General information about St. Sophia Cathedral
Saint Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is a federal landmark. This stone structure has survived to this day almost unchanged, by the time of construction - the oldest in the city. The Cathedral is located in the city center, outside the Bishop’s Court, but very close to it.
Cathedral History
One of the oldest buildings is St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda. Its history began from the reign of Ivan the Terrible (from 1567), it was then that its construction began. From the very first years, the cathedral became the main one in the city and for six centuries now it has not been inferior to this position to anyone. Initially, it was summer, cold. Two centuries later, the Resurrection Church was added to it in a couple, but this did not affect the status of St. Sophia Cathedral.
Simultaneously with the construction of the cathedral in Vologda, the construction of the Kremlin was also underway. He was to become the residence of the king. Therefore, St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) looks similar to the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. In 1587, the consecration of the cathedral took place. After 25 years, during the Lithuanian invasion, the temple was damaged and subsequently rebuilt. During Soviet rule, the cathedral was closed, like many others. In 1935 it was declared a monument of national importance. Until 2000, it underwent two restorations, so now tourists can see it in all its glory. True, the doors of the temple are open only in the summer, and services are held there quite rarely.
Description
Saint Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is a rectangle. It has five chapters, each of which is crowned by a dome. The temple is divided into three naves. It must be bypassed from all sides to see the stunning frescoes, and, of course, you need to get inside to admire the stunning painting of the walls of the temple. Of particular note is the bell tower of St. Sophia Cathedral, it is the highest in the entire diocese. The height of this bell tower is 78 meters.
Wall painting
It was here that for the first time in Vologda a mural was produced. To paint the building began in 1686. The best Yaroslavl masters worked on the project, headed by Dmitry Plekhanov. He was one of the best painters of the time. Coming from Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Plekhanov took part in the painting of many church buildings. For example, the Trinity Church in Nikitin, the church of Gregory of Neocaesarea, the church of the Rostov Kremlin , etc. - all this is the work of his hands.
St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda was painted for two years. The area of the mural is five thousand square meters. The work was very complex and delicate, consisted of several stages. So, the walls were first primed with a special solution of lime, all structures were reinforced with nails. The main icon painter determined what the walls of the temple should have looked like, he outlined the drawing, scratching it on dry plaster. And then the rest of the masters applied the drawing with paints. Some wrote clothes, they were called dolichniks. Those who painted vegetation, patterns and ornaments were called masters of ward writing. The inscriptions were put with a brush by the painters, but the people were responsible for drawing the faces of the saints.
St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is painted in the same technique as the others, it is a Russian monumental painting (when the drawing is applied to a dry primer, and then worked through with tempera and adhesive paints). Whatever the technique, but the result is amazing. To this day, the painting of St. Sophia Cathedral is striking in its grandeur.
Location
To find St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda, it is not necessary to know the address. It stands in the center of the Kremlin, in the main city square.
Museums of Vologda
The city has something to see. You can visit numerous theaters, or go to one of the museums that Vologda can brag of. Sights (photos clearly reflect this) in most cases are architectural. The buildings themselves are very attractive, most of them ancient.
For example, the house of Puzan-Puzirevsky. This is the mansion of a local nobleman, now it houses the Museum of the Diplomatic Corps. The building is interesting with mystical rumors that the ghost of the owner still lives in it. These rumors are supported by the fact that no matter what institution is located in the house, it certainly moved out of there because of a fire, flooding, or for some other reason. The historical and memorial complex of Mozhaisky dedicated to the life and achievements of the famous researcher Mozhaisky is also interesting.
Theaters
Of interest to tourists is the Vologda State Drama Theater. It was founded in the mid-19th century and is one of the oldest theaters in Russia. This is the largest theater in Vologda, it has three stages. The constant repertoire of the classic theater is Ostrovsky's Storm, Shakespearean tragedies, Gogol's The Night Before Christmas.
There is another drama theater in the city - Chamber, but it is very young. The Chamber Theater in Vologda was opened in 1999.
Vologda also has entertainment for small viewers - the Teremok puppet theater. It is relatively small. It was built in 1937. The repertoire of the theater is mainly Russian folk tales. Creative youth in Vologda are not sitting idle. Already in the 2000s, several theaters and studios were created in the city. For example, in 2009, "Own Theater" was created. Its founder Vsevolod Chubenko is an actor and screenwriter. Another young theater studio is Sonnet. It was founded in 2011. There is a children's variety theater in the city, in which even the smallest actors can prove themselves, this is the Sofit studio.