Sophia of Kyiv

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, or, as it’s also called, Sophia of Kyiv is a temple built in the first half of the eleventh century in the center of Kyiv, according to the Chronicle, by the Prince Yaroslav the Wise. At the turn of the XVII -XVIII centuries, the cathedral was apparently rebuilt in Ukrainian Baroque style. Sophia Cathedral was and still is the greatest monument of ancient and Byzantine architecture.

Original architecture of the cathedral (temple of the 13th chapters) had its own symbolism. The central dome of the temple is always high and in the Byzantine architecture reminding of Christ – the Head of the Church. Twelve smaller domes of the cathedral are associated with the apostles, and four of them − with the Evangelists, through which the Christianity was preached all over the earth.

The Cathedral has preserved to nowadays not only the wealth of ancient architecture, but also the artistic decor of XI century. In Sophia two types of monumental art − mosaics and frescoes – are harmoniously combined. The mosaics emphasize the main parts of the interior − the central dome and the altar. All the rest of the space, the second floor (chorus), two staircases and open galleries, surrounding the Cathedral of St. Sophia in ancient times, were decorated with frescoes. 260 square meters of authentic mosaics of XI century and about three thousand square meters of fresco painting have survived to nowadays.

Sophia Cathedral is a public museum and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is forbidden to transfer it to any religious organization and to have the divine services in there. The exception is the 24^th of August − Independence Day of Ukraine, when the representatives of religious organizations say the prayer for the country in the cathedral.