Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev - a business card not only the Ukrainian capital, but the state as a whole.How much it is related to this magnificent monument of architecture.First, Kiev Saint Sophia - a symbol of the old Russian, and secondly - a witness of ancient and modern history.Every citizen of this unrivaled powers simply had at least once in their lifetime to see such a great place.The tourists, who come to Ukraine from the most remote corners of the Earth in the first place, and strive to see the architectural masterpiece, sung in historical chronicles and memoirs.
Where is it
Hagia Sophia - a symbol of ancient Russia and beyond.Although the temple has a museum and historical monument status, for a long time he was a witness to each specific era and contemporary of all generations.View of the temple and the attitude towards him is true confirmed all the facts about the state of the state and society.
Root from Kiev or foreign tourist, before getting to the secret temple, forced to go through a huge area, which is surrounded by mod development, pass a monument to the great Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, established in the nineteenth century.Then, in order to finally see the architectural masterpiece, you need to pass under the arched bell tower along the high walls, dating from the beginning of the XVIII century.And even with all that Saint Sophia Cathedral is located almost in the center of the metropolis - it is still a quiet and cozy corner.But it is very hard to believe that there has always been so.
Once in the cathedral for the first time, people will start to look surprised in different directions, after a short, broad and outside the building suddenly rises up majestically, the area becomes larger and straight to the parishioner looks Orans - Virgin in a golden glow.Man feels a singular omnipotent or flimsy creature.But now it will be much easier to imagine the tumultuous council, which was collected under the walls of the building in order to make the most important decision for the country.
hunches and facts
Hagia Sophia (the symbol of ancient Russia) was built and consecrated in the XI century, and more precisely, in the first half.But even today, scientists, historians put forward several dates of its creation.Thus, it is assumed that landmark was erected over the years one of these 1011-th, 1017-th and 1037-th.
last two dates based on the records of various chronicles - Novgorod and "The Tale of Bygone Years", respectively.Confirmation of the first results of the study are considered to be marks on the walls of the temple, and the revision of some of the facts of ancient written records.
Also indisputable is the fact that the history of ideas and the Exaltation of the church is indissoluble relation to Christianity in Russia.They have to do with the famous monarch and three powers - the Princess Olga, Prince Vladimir and Prince Yaroslav the Wise.
According to chronicles, the original Hagia Sophia - a symbol of ancient Russia - and laurel surrounding the temple were built in Kiev, Olga.Maybe so, that it was some time before visiting the Princess of Constantinople.And it is possible that the images were presented to the temple Patriarch of Constantinople.The new church was built of wood, and so in 1017, and not later, she was burned during the fire in Kiev.
Vladimir and Yaroslav
According to other information from the chronicles, the new Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kiev laid Svyatoslav Vladimirovich.It was a big church made of wood.It was located in the field (below the then capital), in the place where the prince defeated the Pechenegs.
architectural, political and spiritual temple was the prototype of the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople.It impresses with its appearance and, most likely, was the unforgettable memory of Princess Olga.And if we admit the fact of the baptism of women, we must start from the fact that this is happening in Constantinople, in the church of Hagia Sophia.And in the Korsun church of Hagia Sophia was baptized and crowned itself of Prince Vladimir.It is because the construction of the church in Russia was not an accident.
Under Yaroslav the temple was to reach its peak, and to emphasize the independence and power of Kievan Rus.
greatness Cathedral
Almost simultaneously with the consecration of Hagia Sophia (history of creation is described in this article) acquired and the Department of the Metropolitan of Kiev.Yard and fortified residence of the Metropolitan.But even by the standards of the time its territory only impresses with its size.Therefore, there could be engaged in religious and state affairs, not only the government and the clergy, but near the walls had the right to assemble, and ordinary citizens in the Chamber or for the ascent in order to celebrate the new prince to the throne.
As he looks
Yet, most scientists believe that the Hagia Sophia in Kiev was built during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.To this day the building was able to maintain the luxury of ancient architecture and the scenic grandeur of XI century.In this church harmoniously frescoes and mosaics.Major parts of the interior are distinguished by a mosaic (altar and the central dome).The rest area was decorated with frescoes.Today, parishioners and visitors can see the original 260 m2 of mosaics dating from the XI century, and about 3 thousand sq. M.m frescoes.
Sophia Cathedral dedicated embodying wisdom, and therefore the architecture and painting of the church was supposed to strengthen and affirm Christianity and the power of feudal lords.The altar and the central dome of the drawn faces of the main characters and episodes of Christian doctrine.They are recruited from the glazes on wet plaster.Mosaic temple consists of 177 shades of Kolerov.
The central dome medallion depicts Christ Pantocrator.And around the zenith once occupied four archangels, but a mosaic preserved only one figure.The rest of the oil is already appended.
Museum become
In the mid 1930s, the authorities then Soviet Ukraine, it was decided that the Hagia Sophia (the symbol of ancient Russia) should be open-air museum.The cathedral began to carry out research and restoration work.At the end of the last century, the work of the museum has been recognized around the world.Today is the National Reserve "Sophia of Kyiv".
