St. Sophia Cathedral was founded in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. According to legend, the temple was erected exactly on the spot where the prince defeated the pagan Pechenegs. For more than ten years, Byzantine and local craftsmen built and decorated the building. Only in 1049, Metropolitan Theopempt of Kiev consecrated the majestic structure. Sophia of Kiev became the main temple of the country - here Yaroslav founded the first library in Rus', the chronicle, rewriting and translation of books were carried out here, ceremonies for the ascension of princes to the Kiev throne, receptions of ambassadors were held, and the tombs of the great princes were located here. In those days, Kievan Rus was one of the largest civilized powers in Europe - it had extensive trade and diplomatic ties with the states of the West and East, and many kings of Europe considered it an honor to become related to the Grand Duke of Kyiv.

In the 11th-13th centuries, the cathedral was repeatedly ravaged by the Polovtsians, Pechenegs, and the cathedral suffered especially crushing destruction during the capture of Kyiv in 1240 by the Tatar-Mongols under the leadership of Batu Khan. The temple was destroyed, but still not destroyed - Batu’s troops “spared its wondrous beauty.”

The threat of destruction hung over the ancient temple complex in the 20th century. In the early 1930s, the Soviet government decided to destroy Sophia; only the intervention of France, which remembered that Queen Anne (wife of Henry I) was the daughter of the founder of the temple, Yaroslav the Wise, prevented the destruction of this relic. The communists were afraid of an international scandal - this is how the Sofia Museum-Reserve, founded in 1934, appeared, and research and restoration work began here.

The mosaics and frescoes of the St. Sophia Cathedral were created in the middle of the 11th century by Byzantine masters specially invited by Yarosalf the Wise from Constantinople. Christian stories displayed on the walls of the cathedral were intended to enlighten illiterate people from a pagan country in the recent past, who generally could not read or write. On the walls of the temple are depicted scenes from the life of Christ and the Mother of God, her parents Joachim and Anna, the apostles Peter and Paul, George the Victorious, the patron saint of Kyiv - Archangel Michael and many Orthodox saints.

Sofia burned repeatedly, was rebuilt, in the 13th century it suffered from the invasion of the hordes of Batu Khan, in the 15th-16th centuries it stood completely without a roof - all this had a detrimental effect on the frescoes. To this day from 5000 m? Just over two thousand frescoes created in the 11th century have survived. At the end of the 17th century, the ancient frescoes were whitened with lime and were again accidentally discovered in 1843 when a piece of plaster with oil painting fell off, revealing a mural from the 11th century. However, the clearing of the walls was carried out unprofessionally and the workers in some places also removed fresco paintings.

The mosaics originally occupied a huge area, but only a third of them have survived. The mosaic palette has 177 shades. The blue color consists of 21 shades, green of 34, yellow of 23, red of 19, gold of 25, silver of 9, which indicates the high professional level of the craftsmen. Pieces of smalt, laid out on the wet plaster, were placed at different angles in such a way that the rays of light falling on them were reflected at different angles and created a sparkling, luminous surface, which gives the cathedral mosaics a special expressiveness.

The mosaics of the main altar, pre-altar columns and the main dome are a masterpiece of art. For many centuries now, the center of this beautiful composition has been the mosaic icon of the Mother of God, known as the “Unbreakable Wall”. For many centuries, people have believed that until the “Unbreakable Wall” collapses, Kyiv will stand.

Pilgrimage trips to St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv

The most beautiful ancient temple in Ukraine, which has a thousand-year history and has survived to this day - all this refers to the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Now the cathedral is used as a museum, services are held on strictly designated days.

Foundation and further fate

According to various sources, two years of foundation of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv are indicated: 1017 and 1037. According to data from the First Novgorod Chronicle, the foundation of the temple took place in 1017, and the cathedral was started by Prince Vladimir and completed by Yaroslav. According to another version, the construction of the temple was planned in honor of the glorious victory over the Pechenegs at the battle site. If you believe the information from the Tale of Bygone Years, in 1037 Yaroslav the Wise carried out massive construction in Kyiv. At the same time as the St. Sophia Cathedral, a monastery and the Golden Gate with a church were erected.

Start of construction of the cathedral

According to the main version, the temple building was built at the behest of Yaroslav the Wise in the 11th century. One of the reasons for the foundation of the cathedral was the visit of the Metropolitan of Constantinople Theopemptos, who subsequently moved to Kyiv to serve the Russian Church.

The Italian Church of Our Lady of Oranta was taken as a model for the construction of the thirteen-domed Hagia Sophia Cathedral. The Byzantine style of architecture suggests that foreign craftsmen were invited to build the shrine.

Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral was on the verge of destruction many times. In 1169, during a raid on Kyiv by the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky, the temple was plundered along with other churches in the city. In 1180, a fire caused significant damage to the building. During the invasion of the Tatar Horde in 1240, a significant part of the shrines and relics were removed from the St. Sophia Cathedral. In addition, foreigners caused significant damage to the temple.

Metropolitan Kirill II, who was placed at the head of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral in 1242, restored and repaired the destroyed parts of the building. Until the end of the century, the temple was the see of the metropolitans of Kyiv. A century and a half later, under Metropolitan Cyprian, the cathedral was renovated again, after which no one worked on the building for about three and a half centuries. Significant damage to the temple was caused during the raid of the Crimean Tatars. They killed Saint Macarius, who was at the church. The final event that led to the final decline of the parish was the transfer of the Church of Hagia Sophia to the Uniates. Divine services in the temple began to be held less and less often, and then stopped altogether.

The revival of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral occurred in the 17th century. In 1633, the temple was taken away from the Uniates and handed over to the Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Peter (Mogila) stood at the head of the parish. To restore and restore the dilapidated building, he invited the architect Octavian Mancini from Italy. By the end of the century, the interior of the temple was restored. The exterior of the building was restored and completed in the Ukrainian Baroque style: seven new pear-shaped domes appeared, and the walls were decorated with stucco. A monastery was founded at the temple.

Since its opening, Hagia Sophia has been the tomb of many Russian metropolitans, princes and their families. Princely tombs were made for sovereigns, and the remains of clergy were buried in an underground crypt. Most of the burials have not survived.

Before the advent of Soviet power, the cathedral was the cathedral church of Kyiv. The October Revolution caused discord among the temple servants. A struggle began between the metropolitans for the main place in the St. Sophia Cathedral. In 1929 the church was closed. The French authorities prevented the destruction of the temple building. They asked to leave the shrine, as it was a piece of French history. The daughter of Yaroslav the Wise was the wife of King Henry I. In 1934, the temple building was transferred to the Ministry of Culture, and a museum-reserve was created there.

Current state

The building of St. Sophia Cathedral acquired its modern appearance during the time of Ivan Mazepa. The final stage of reconstruction was carried out by Metropolitan Raphael (Zabarovsky).

The bell tower of the Hagia Sophia has survived to this day in its original form. Its construction dates back to the beginning of the 18th century: from 1699 to 1707. In 1705, a bell for the belfry was cast by special order. It is currently displayed on the second floor of the bell tower as a museum exhibit. He was named after the Hetman of Ukraine "Mazepa".

The cathedral is part of the ensemble of the St. Sophia Monastery, which includes all the nearby buildings - monuments of ancient architecture. Since 1934, the St. Sophia Cathedral reserve has been formed here. In addition to the Church of St. Sophia and the bell tower, the ensemble includes the cells of the monastery, the exit tower, the Zaborovsky Gate, a bakery, a refectory, and the Metropolitan's House. All these buildings were mainly built in the 18th century.

A unique collection of frescoes and mosaics from the 11th century. was found during restoration work. In 1987, the St. Sophia Cathedral was awarded the European Gold Medal for the preservation of the ancient relic. The award was awarded by the Hamburg Foundation. A. Töpfer. Since 1990, the temple has been under the protection of UNESCO. It was included in the World Heritage List.

When Ukraine became an independent state, services were resumed in St. Sophia Cathedral. But after the temple was included in the UNESCO register, services were banned. Only solemn liturgies are permitted on great church holidays.

Another construction version

Since 2012, there has been a new version of the construction of the temple. Encrypted inscriptions were discovered on the walls of the St. Sophia Cathedral, according to which the foundation of the temple took place in 1011, which is 26 years earlier than the official date.

The opinions of scientists were also divided after the discovery of the sarcophagus of Yaroslav the Wise and the study of the remains. It turned out that the ancient relics belonged to a woman. According to some sources, the remains of the prince are kept in the Brooklyn Temple.

Features of the architectural ensemble

Initially, the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral had the shape of a cylinder, rising upward in steps. The building was crowned with 13 domes located at different levels. The lower tier consisted of 8 chapters. They surrounded 4 domes located one level above. The final one was the central large dome, rising on a high drum. The domed roofs were lined with sheet lead. The temple building was surrounded on 3 sides by a two-tiered gallery, and an additional one-tiered outer one was added, above which a long balcony was built for famous people to walk around. Two towers for climbing to the choir were located on the sides of the western part of the cathedral. The building itself has a square shape, its sides are 29 m. With gallery extensions, the size of the temple is 55x42 m.

The interior of the temple remained unchanged. The temple is divided into 5 naves using cruciform pillars. The main naves intersect transversely, forming a cross-shaped room under the central dome. The internal diameter of the dome is 7.7 meters. The height of the temple in the center of the dome is 29 m. The choirs surround the central room of the cathedral on three sides. You can enter the choir through the western towers along the spiral staircases.

The main apse was located in the eastern part of the temple. Three-span arcades in two tiers were located in opposite parts of the building: from the north and from the south. The 3rd arcade in the western part was eliminated during renovation work in the 17th century.

Interior of the cathedral

Initially, the altar and dome of the cathedral were decorated with picturesque colored mosaics. The remaining parts of the interior were decorated with frescoes. A mosaic painting of Christ and 4 archangels is located in the very center of the dome. Many fragments were lost, only the archangel in blue clothes remained genuine. The rest in the 19th century. were completed with paints by the artist Vrubel. The dome's sails are painted with images of saints writing the Gospel. Above, on the drum windows, there were 12 apostles. Currently, you can see the upper part of the body of Apostle Paul, dating from the 11th century. Above the altar on the vault is a mosaic of Our Lady of the Unbreakable Wall.

In the very center of the city of Kyiv is the famous and famous Hagia Sophia. Like everything ancient, this ancient temple keeps many mysteries. Coming here, a person receives direct spiritual contact and this temple is the heart of the city.

In those days, it was the largest cathedral not only in Kievan Rus, but throughout Europe. In historical sources, Sophia of Kiev is dated differently. The Tale of Bygone Years indicates the year 1037 and connects the construction with the name of the famous prince Yaroslav the Wise, son of Vladimir the Baptist. The year 1018 is written in the Novgorod Chronicle. And some modern scientists believe that the temple was erected in 1011 and was founded under Vladimir, and Yaroslavl completed the work of its father. It is still unknown who built the Church of Hagia Sophia in Kyiv.

History of construction

The main temple of Kievan Rus was named the same as in the capital of Byzantium - Sophia. This is no coincidence. After all, the Orthodox faith came to us from Byzantium.

The shrine was built by Constantinople builders with the participation of Kyiv craftsmen. There were no similar temples anywhere. All churches of that time were smaller and had one dome, and Sofia was decorated with 13 domes.

In Byzantine architecture, the main dome of the temple always reminds of Christ, the head of the church. And 12 smaller domes represent the apostles. Of these, 4 characterize the evangelists, through whom Christianity was preached to all ends of the earth. Today it has 19 domes.

Architecture

The cathedral was built using mixed masonry, borrowed from Byzantine masters, when rows of stone, granite, quartzite and plinth brick alternated. On the border of the XVII-XVIII centuries. Yekov, when the Baroque style dominated in Ukraine, the temple changed in appearance beyond recognition. But the inside of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv has remained virtually unchanged since ancient times.

Over its almost thousand-year history, the shrine has survived many invasions, robberies and fires. The cathedral was devastated and even partially damaged on the western side, but it was never rebuilt.

Interior decoration

The first thing anyone who enters the temple sees is the magnificent mosaic icon of the Mother of God in the altar vault. Its dimensions are 6 meters. The hands of the Queen of Heaven are raised to the sky. She offers her son tireless prayers for the people.

The image of Christ himself is in the central dome. Pantocrater is at a dizzying height. From there he blesses those who come and rules over the entire space.

Around the Savior on a golden background are four archangels. They opened their wings wide, between which a cross formed. It fits into the circle of the dome and intersects with it. The circle means peace, and this world is overshadowed by a cross.

This idea - the intersection of a cross and a circle, is expressed not only inside the building, but also outside. If you look at the temple from above, you can see that the main dome stands in the center of the cross. In ancient times there were no reinforced concrete panels like there are now. Therefore, all stone ceilings were made in the form of vaults that diverge from the central dome in the form of a cross, and such a temple is called a cross-domed one.

Frescoes and mosaics

The description of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv can be continued endlessly. On the walls of the church you can see more than 500 images from thousands of years ago. It is often difficult for scholars to attribute the image because the vertical captions in Greek are few and far between. Wall inscriptions - graffiti - help with this. Despite the fact that the church charter forbade damaging the walls, parishioners often scratched addresses to saints on them.

The most famous frescoes:

In the central part of the temple, a princely family portrait was painted in the 11th century. Unfortunately, only six figures from this portrait have survived. Only two child figures on the north side and four figures on the south. It is difficult to attribute them. Since all these frescoes were updated in the 18th-19th centuries. ekah oil painting.

The central apse and dome are decorated with mosaics, the walls are painted with frescoes. Architecture, mosaic and painting form a unique unity. All images are made in a harsh style, born in the remote monasteries of Byzantium.

Frescoes and mosaics of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Kyiv

Tomb

The St. Sophia Cathedral contains many unusual things. Interesting facts have survived to this day.

In the eastern part of the outer gallery there used to be a grand ducal tomb. Yaroslavl the Wise, his son Vsevolod Yaroslavovich, grandchildren Rostislav Vsevolodovich and Vladimir Monomakh were buried here. But one sarcophagus of Yaroslav the Wise has survived. The weight of the tomb is more than 6 tons. The sarcophagus is made of marble and decorated with images of ancient Christian symbols.

In 1936, mixed bones were found there, from which a female and male skeleton was laid out. The female remains have not been identified. But as for the male skeleton, an examination in Leningrad confirmed that these are indeed the remains of Yaroslav the Wise. The characteristics of this skeleton completely coincided with the descriptions of the prince in the chronicles. He was tall by the standards of the time. His height was 173-175 cm. He was lame. He was injured in the thigh and leg during the battle with the Pechenegs and died at the age of 76.

In September 2009, when scientists decided to conduct a modern examination and genetic analysis of the remains, they found completely different bones in the sarcophagus. The skeleton has been replaced. Scientists believe that this happened during World War II.

The female skeleton, according to scientists, belongs to Yaroslav’s wife, Princess Irina, but there is no official confirmation of this.

In the basements of the temple there are also many burial places of spiritual dignitaries from different times.. It was believed that the souls of dead princes and righteous people were protected from evil, asking God for everyone, so in the basement of the cathedral there is a whole crypt where there are many sarcophagi.

There rest:

• Kirill II (Metropolitan of Kyiv).
• Arseny Mogilyansky.
• Father Vladimir (Romanyuk).
• Metropolitan Gideon.
• Preacher John Levanda.
• Bishop Mikhail (Ermakov).

Bell tower

An integral part of the ensemble is the bell tower, built in the 17th century with the money of the Ukrainian hetman Ivan Mazepa. There is only one original bell left, bearing the name of its founder. Its weight is 2 tons. The rest have not survived. In the thirties they were all destroyed for the needs of metallurgy. The height of the bell tower is 76 meters. It offers a beautiful panorama of upper Kyiv.

Now the temple has the status of a museum, and not a functioning church, but this has not lost its spiritual power. The unique structure, which has stood for a thousand years, surprises even scientists.

State Architectural and Historical Sofia Kyiv Nature Reserve- "Sofia Museum" is located in the center of Kyiv. On the territory of the reserve, whose area is 5 hectares, there is a wonderfully beautiful monument of domestic architecture of the 11th-18th centuries. The most valuable structure of the reserve is Saint Sophia Cathedral- a world monument of architecture and monumental painting of the 11th century. It rises majestically in the center of the ensemble.

St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv built during the heyday of Kievan Rus, a large East Slavic state, the cradle of three peoples - Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian.

The Old Russian state reached the peak of its power during the reign of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich (978-1015) and his son Yaroslav the Wise (1019 - 1054)

In 988, under Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Christianity was introduced into Kievan Rus, which was of great importance for the further development of feudal relations, strengthening the unity of the state, the rise of culture, political and cultural ties of Kievan Rus with Byzantium and other European countries.

With the introduction of Christianity in the Old Russian state, intensive construction of stone Christian churches began. The best builders and artists of their time were involved in their creation, and the artistic and technical achievements of the era were used. Temples were decorated with wall paintings, stone carvings, and became real works of art. Simultaneously with the construction of stone churches, important urban planning tasks were solved.

During the construction of the first stone church in the center of Kyiv - Desyatinnaya (989-996) - Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich significantly increased and strengthened the territory of the city. During the time of Vladimir's son, Yaroslav the Wise, large construction began in Kyiv. The territory of the Kremlin was expanded more than 8 times and surrounded by new defensive ramparts. During the same period, the Metropolitan Church was built - Saint Sophia Cathedral, which became the main monumental structure of the city.

Construction of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv

In the chronicles, the foundations of the cathedral are dated 1017 or 1037. Surely construction of St. Sophia Cathedral was carried out in the 20-30s of the 11th century.

Around St. Sophia Cathedral- the central structure of the Yaroslavl city - there were stone churches, boyar palaces, dwellings of townspeople, and the courtyard of the metropolis was fenced with a wall. Only from the 11th century have survived to this day Saint Sophia Cathedral and the ruins of the Golden Gate - the main entrance to ancient Kyiv.

The name of the Cathedral "Sofia" comes from the Greek word "sophia", which means "wisdom". Dedicated to the "wisdom of Christian teaching", Saint Sophia Cathedral, according to the creators, was supposed to establish Christianity in Rus'. Built as the main, metropolitan temple of Kievan Rus, Saint Sophia Cathedral was in ancient times the social and cultural center of the state. Ceremonies of “seating” princes on the Kiev throne and receptions of foreign ambassadors took place here; against the walls St. Sophia Cathedral the Kiev veche gathered, at St. Sophia Cathedral chronicles were written and the first library known in Ancient Rus' was created by Yaroslav the Wise.

Already in the 11th century, contemporaries appreciated Saint Sophia Cathedral like an outstanding work of art. The first Russian Metropolitan Hilarion, an outstanding publicist of his time, wrote about him: “The Church is wondrous and glorious to all the surrounding countries, as if nothing else will be found throughout the entire earth from east to west.”

Over its centuries-old history Sofia Kyiv survived enemy invasions, robberies, partial destruction, repairs and reconstruction.

During one of the most difficult periods in the history of ancient Kyiv - the capture of the city by the hordes of Batu Khan in 1240 - most of the architectural structures were turned into ruins. Saint Sophia Cathedral survived. However, plundered and devastated, Saint Sophia Cathedral lost its former beauty and grandeur, although it remained the city's main active temple. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the people of Kiev had to fight against Lithuanian and Polish feudal lords, as well as against the Crimean Tatars, who devastated the city with predatory raids. In 1416, Kyiv was plundered and burned by Khan Edigei, in 1482 - Mengli-Girey.

In the 16th century, the oppression of Polish feudal lords intensified. In the context of the seizure of Ukrainian lands, enslavement and forced Catholicization of the population, the Brest Religious Union was concluded in 1596, which aimed to unite the Orthodox and Catholic churches under the leadership of the Pope. The Catholic clergy and Uniates began to liquidate the Orthodox Church. Captured by the Uniates Saint Sophia Cathedral completely dilapidated. The roof decayed, the gallery vaults collapsed, and many wall paintings perished.

In the 30-40s of the 17th century, Metropolitan of Kiev Peter Mogila took away Sofia of Kyiv among the Uniates and established a monastery at the temple. Saint Sophia Cathedral was partially renovated, wooden monastery buildings were built around it, and the entire territory was surrounded by a high wooden fence. Peter Mogila hired the Italian architect Octaviano Mancini to work on the cathedral.

The 17th century was marked by the national liberation struggle of the Ukrainian people under the leadership of Bohdan Khmelnytsky and the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. In 1654, the people of Kiev claimed St. Sophia Cathedral historical decisions of the Pereyaslav Rada. The reunification caused a great political and cultural rise in Ukraine.

In the 17th - 18th centuries, intensive stone construction began in Kyiv.

In 1697, a large fire destroyed the wooden buildings of the St. Sophia Monastery. Two years later, by decree of Peter I, the construction of new stone houses around St. Sophia Cathedral.

Construction continued until 1767. During this period at St. Sophia Cathedral was built bell tower, refectory, bakery (bakery), metropolitan's house, western gate (Zaborovsky Gate), monastery wall, southern entrance tower, Brotherhood building, bursa. In the architecture of these buildings and in appearance St. Sophia Cathedral after renovations we find characteristic features of Ukrainian baroque architecture of the 17th-18th centuries. In the 19th century, partial reconstructions of the buildings were carried out.

This is how the magnificent architectural ensemble of the monastery was formed.

Reserve Sofia Kyiv. View from Bogdan Khmelnitsky Square:

The history of the creation of Sophia of Kevskaya

In 1934, the State Architectural and Historical Museum was created Sofia Kyiv Nature Reserve, which includes Saint Sophia Cathedral and monastery buildings from the 18th century.

Creation Sofia Kyiv Nature Reserve opened a new page in the life of monuments, and first of all - the ancient St. Sophia Cathedral. Ample opportunities have arisen for research and restoration of architecture and wall paintings. Famous Soviet scientists I.V. Morgilevsky, M.K. Karger, N.I. Kresalniy, Yu.S. Aseev, V.G. Levitskaya, V.N. Lazarev, S.A. Vysotsky, L. P. Kalenichenko, E. S. Mamolat and others. At the base restoration of wall paintings of Sophia of Kyiv a modern school of Ukrainian restorers and monumentalists has grown up.

As a result of research and restoration work carried out in museums, a reconstruction of the original appearance was created St. Sophia Cathedral, hundreds of meters of 11th-century paintings were cleared from the walls, fragments of ancient mosaic floors were uncovered, medieval graffiti inscriptions were deciphered, remains of buildings from the 11th-12th centuries were discovered on the territory of the reserve, monuments of the 18th century were restored.

Opening Sofia Museum made the monuments open to the public. The architecture and wall paintings provide an opportunity to get acquainted with artistic values. For a long time, on the territory of the reserve there was only a museum Saint Sophia Cathedral. Now exhibitions have been created in buildings of the 18th century.

However Sofia Kyiv, as before, remains the main and most valuable object of inspection. It attracts an endless stream of tourists from all over Ukraine and from foreign countries. Annually Sofia Kyiv Nature Reserve Visited by about two million people who want to get acquainted with the wonderful creation of world culture.

So, through the main entrance under the bell tower you enter the territory of the reserve. We suggest you first inspect Saint Sophia Cathedral, then - architectural monuments of the 18th century.

View of the cathedral from the southeast:

Tags: St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv built, construction of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv year, history of St. Sophia Cathedral, Sofia Kiev history, history of the creation of St. Sophia of Kyiv

A new stage in the development of the architecture of Kievan Rus is associated with the construction of Yaroslav the Wise in Kyiv in the late 30s - early 50s of the 11th century. The defining monument of this art was the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.

Before giving a general description of this period or moving on to the buildings themselves, it is necessary to clarify the chronological framework of the new construction. This problem arose due to the conflicting reports of the chronicles and the associated hundred-year-old debate. In the Laurentian Chronicle under 1037 we read: “ Yaroslav founded the great city, his cities are the Golden Gate; build the church of St. Sophia, the metropolis, and plant the church on the Golden Gate of the Holy Mother of God of the Annunciation, plant the monastery of Saint George and Saint Irene" However, the Novgorod First Chronicle tells us about the foundation of the city, St. Sophia Cathedral, the construction (“set up”) of the Golden Gate in 1017 and the completion of the city and St. Sophia Cathedral in 1037. A deep analysis of the entire historical situation of the first half of the 11th century. and, in this regard, an extensive article by A. Poppe, which is largely conclusive in nature, is devoted to the dating of the construction of Yaroslav ( Rorre A. The Building of the Church of St. Sophia in Kiev.- Journal of Medieval History, 1981, 7, p. 15-66 .). The author convincingly shows the reliability of the later date; he considers 1037 to be the time when all work began, to which the chronicler later dated their general characteristics. While we subscribe to all the main provisions of A. Poppe’s research, we will only provide additional arguments in support of them.

The messages in the Novgorod chronicles seem erroneous because they combine different historical events under one year (for example, in 1017 they report the battle with the Pechenegs, the foundation of Sofia, the campaign to Brest). Mortgaging Sophia and building the Golden Gate was unlikely for Yaroslav in Kyiv in 1017 - and not only because of the precarious position of the prince in that year, when the outcome of the struggle for the Kiev table was still far from clear. The fact is that Yaroslav, even after the final victory in 1019 and until 1036, behaves more like a northern prince than a Kiev prince. One should remember his long stay in Novgorod, his involvement in the entire circle of Novgorod-Varangian relations, which is reflected in Scandinavian legends in more detail than for any of the Russian princes, his marriage to the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Sketkonung Ingigerd (Irina). In 977, his father Vladimir Svyatoslavich fled “overseas”, fearing Yaropolk, from Novgorod, where he returned only in 980 “from the Varangians.” In the same year, thanks to the support of the Novgorodians and Varangians, Vladimir Svyatoslavich became the prince of Kyiv. To them, the Novgorodians and Varangians, Yaroslav turned out to be entirely indebted for his possession of the Kyiv throne. The basis of Yaroslav's Kyiv power was friendship with Novgorod and the Varangians. He could only decide on the battle of 1026 with Mstislav with his old allies, and after the defeat, “not before Yaroslav went to Kyiv, he resigned himself” ( PVL, s. 100.). Only after the death of Mstislav in 1036 did Yaroslav become the actual ruler of all Russian lands, and Kyiv became his actual residence, not a nominal one, only ruled by his “husbands”. To take such a decisive and imperious step in 1017 - to build a new vast city and lay the foundation of an all-Russian cathedral - would mean to feel like a master in Kyiv, and this is precisely what cannot be seen in the actions of Yaroslav before 1036 ( In assessing the historical situation, the article seems very correct: Aseev Yu. S. Decree. op. .).

But there are not only purely historical considerations. The fact is that you can be sure that there was no stone construction in Kyiv in the 1010s. The craftsmen who built the Church of the Tithes completed their work long ago and, apparently, returned back to “the Greeks.” There were no new works in Kyiv at the end of Vladimir's reign. Therefore, it would have been impossible in 1017 to begin two stone buildings at once, and even to finish one of them - the Golden Gate. In addition, the Golden Gate was erected together with the earthen rampart and its fortifications, that is, after the completion of the construction of the entire huge city of Yaroslav. It is simply impossible to complete this work in one season.

Supporters of the dates of the Novgorod chronicles do not accept, however, the reports of the Novgorod Fourth and Sofia First Chronicles about the “accomplishment” of Sofia in 1037 and attribute the completion of the construction of the cathedral to an even earlier time. The main argument is the graffiti on the walls of St. Sophia Cathedral, dating back to S. A. Vysotsky 1030 and 1032. ( Vysotsky S. A. Old Russian inscriptions of Sophia of Kyiv. XI - XIV centuries Kyiv, 1966, p. 15-16. table I-II; Vysotsky S. O. Graffiti and friend of Kievskaya Sofii. - Ukrainian historical magazine, 1966, No. 7, p. 103-106; It's him. Graffiti that hour of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev - Ancient Kiev. Kiev. 1975, p. 171-181; Vysotsky S. A. Medieval inscriptions of Sophia of Kyiv. Kyiv, 1976. p. 198-201, 266-267 .). They are made using fresco plaster, that is, after all work has been completed. A. Poppe considers the reading of these graffiti to be erroneous and offers his own options ( Rorre A. The Building of the Church of St. Sophia..., p. 34-38; See: also: Poppe A. Graffiti date of the friendship of Sophia Kiev - Ukrainian Historical Journal, 1968. No. 9, p. 93 - 97 .).

It is possible to detect incompatibility between the dates of 1030 and 1032. with a few more circumstances. We are talking about the church composition in the cathedral and the characters represented on it. No matter how it is reconstructed, it still remains undoubted that on its sides preserved in the cathedral, eight children of Yaroslav the Wise are represented, including at least five sons. We know that the sons of Yaroslav were born in 1020 (Vladimir). 1024 (Izyaslav), 1027 (Svyatoslav). 1030 (Vsevolod) and 1036 (Vyacheslav) Between 1030 and 1036 Igor Yaroslavich was also born, judging by the intervals of previous dates, this could have happened in 1033. V.N. Tatishchev reports the birth of Yaroslav’s daughter in 1032; if you trust this message, then the birth of Igor can most likely be attributed to 1034. Consequently, in 1032 Yaroslav had only four sons, while on the fresco there are five.

One can, however, think that there were six of them on the fresco. Until now, no attention has been paid to the size of the fresco composition. When reconstructing the middle, now disappeared, part of the image, five figures are now placed - Yaroslav. Vladimir. Christ. Olga and Irina (Ingigerdt) (( Lazarev V.N. New data on mosaics and frescoes of St. Sophia of Kyiv. Group portrait of Yaroslav’s family. - VV, 1959, XV, p. 148-169; Vysotsky S. O. About the portrait of the homeland of Yaroslav the Wise at the Sophia Cathedral near Kiev - Bicnik of Kiev University, 1967, No. 8, issue. 1, p. 35 - 44; Rorre A. Kompozycja fandacyjna Sofii Kijowskiej. W poszukiwaniu ukladu pierwotnego. - Bioletyn historii sztuki, 1968, 30, s. 1-29 .). There were, apparently, seven of them. On the side fields there are four figures (each), with a field width of approximately 360 cm, each figure accounts for 90 cm. The width of the destroyed central image is 775 cm, therefore, there could be at least 8 figures here, with more space allocated for the figure of Christ and the obligation of an odd number depicted - 7 figures. One could, of course, think about a greater sparseness of the composition, but the surviving parts of the side figures show that they are squeezed to the very edges of the surface, and, therefore, a very large area was allocated for the middle ones. It is generally accepted that Westerfeld’s drawing shows the fresco already partially destroyed; the losses were apparently greater than is currently believed. These considerations make the date of the graffiti 1032 and perhaps 1036 unacceptable.

The late dating of Yaroslav's construction is supported by observations of the architectural material itself. Some can be cited now; we will refer to the rest when considering specific material. One is the already noted unity of the architectural tradition of the Tithe Church, the Church of the Virgin Mary in Tmutarakan and the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov. This is a typologically integral phenomenon, probably also stylistically. St. Sophia Cathedral is both typologically and stylistically a new phenomenon, much more closely related to the development of architecture in the second half of the 11th century than the Chernigov Cathedral. Three St. Sophia Cathedrals of the mid-11th century. - in Kyiv, Novgorod and Polotsk - constitute a single group in architecture and a single phenomenon in the history of all Russian culture. The similarity, the sameness of their dedications and compositional similarity are not accidental.

In the architecture of St. Sophia of Kyiv one can catch echoes of the forms of the Transfiguration Cathedral, while the reverse connection seems impossible. The Transfiguration Cathedral dates back to the time when the Byzantine tradition was perceived in a purer and, as yet, less processed form. Construction at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century. looks sporadic, while Sophia of Kiev is a large-scale and decisive modification by Russian architects of Byzantine ideas, which meant the birth of a continuous and sustainable local artistic tradition.

We will begin our acquaintance with St. Sophia Cathedral with a detailed analysis of its composition. The plan of the building already looks unusual - instead of a transparent diagram of Byzantine monuments or the Transfiguration Cathedral of Chernigov, we see a grandiose multi-nave room, all completely filled with cross-shaped pillars.

The cathedral's five-nave structure is a unique feature for Byzantine architecture. Neither in Constantinople nor in the provinces do we encounter such buildings. In the 1920s, N.I. Brunov put forward the theory of the five-aisled churches of Constantinople in the 9th - 12th centuries. ( Brunov N. Die fiinfschiffige Kreuzkuppelkirche in der byzantinischen Baukunst.- BZ, 1927. XXVII, S. 63 - 98; Idem. L "eglise a croix inscrite a cinq nefs dans rarchitecture byzantine. - Echos d" Orient, 1927, XXVI, p. 3-32 .). Based on it, he explained the composition of the St. Sophia Cathedral. This view now seems incorrect.

During a trip to Istanbul in 1924, N.I. Vrunov made many valuable observations of Byzantine monuments, but his interpretation of the observations obtained turned out to be somewhat biased. Carried away by the desire to find models for Russian five-nave churches of the 11th century, he approached the material under study from precisely this point of view. Since many Constantinople churches had side extensions that were broken off later, he saw in them the outer naves that had not been preserved ( If the observations of N. I. Brunov cannot be considered proof of the five-nave nature of the Constantinople monuments, then they are very valuable for judging the complex appearance of the Constantinople monuments, with adjacent chapels, galleries - external and internal, open and closed, one-story and two-story, with porticoes, staircase towers, tombs, baptismal chapels, vestibules. Only bearing in mind this “circle” of Constantinople churches, often first discovered by II. I. Brunov, one can understand the complex composition of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov. Kyiv Sofia and many other Russian buildings. S. Curchich rightly notes about the insufficient use of observations by N. I. Brunova; see: Curcic S. Architectural Significance of Subsidiary Chapels in Middle Byzantine Churches. - Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 1977, XXXVI, X 2, May, p. 99 .).

Plans of St. Sophia Cathedrals:1 - in Kyiv, 1037-1040s. 2 - in Novgorod, 1045 - 1050, 3 - in Polotsk, mid. XI century

1 - Sofia Kyiv.Longitudinal section along the northernmost nave; Sophia of Novgorod: 2 - longitudinal section along the central nave, 3 - section along the small eastern nave, 4 - section along the southern gallery

However, the classical type of temple on four columns, so beloved in the Byzantine capital, is organically incapable of becoming five-nave. This is a perfect spatial structure, devoid of any complication. In order for the galleries surrounding the temple (characteristic of Constantinople) to merge with the naos and truly form a five-nave temple, the latter would have to become multi-columned, which never happens anywhere. Temples always remain three-aisled. If we consider the churches of Constantinople to be five-nave, then Sophia of Kyiv can be interpreted as a seven-nave or even a nine-nave temple?

Sophia of Kiev was built as the main temple of the capital of a powerful power. This alone should have determined its large size. However, in the Byzantine architecture of the 11th century, whose traditions underlay the work of architects, small buildings prevailed. The masters were faced with the task of rethinking the type, its large-scale reinterpretation ( Brunov N. Die funfschiffige Kreuzkuppelkirche..., S. 92 u. w.; Idem. Zur Fra-ge des Ursprungs der Sophienkatedrale in Kiev. - ZB, 1929/30, XXIX, S. 249; Zaloziecky W. Byzantinische Proveniens der Sophienkirche in Kiev und der Erloserkathedrale in Cernigov.-Belvedere, 1925, P. 46, S. 70-71; Brunov N. Zur Frage des byzantinischen Ursprungs der funfschiffigen Kreuzkuppelkirche.-BZ, 1928, XXVIII, S. 372-391; Delvoye Ch. L "architectnre byzantine du XIе siecle. - Proceedings of the XHIth International Congress of Byzantine Studies. Oxford, 1967, p. 231; Komech A. I. Construction of the vertical composition of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. - SA, 1968, 3, p. 237 -238; He. The role of the princely order in the construction of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. - Old Russian art. Artistic culture of pre-Mongol Rus', M., 1972, pp. 50-64 .), which led to the appearance of the five-nave composition. “Without a doubt, due to the impossibility of an exact imitation of St. Sophia of Constantinople or any other temple from among the impressive domed buildings of the Justinian era... in the city on the Dnieper they sought, by multiplying the naves, to give greater grandeur to the type of temple of the inscribed cross” ( Delvoye Ch. L "art byzantin. Paris, 1967, p. 207 ).

In the 11th century The largest (among those known to us) monument of Constantinople is the Church of St. George in Mangany, in the 12th century. - southern church of the monastery of Pantocrator. Let us remember that Psellus considered the Mangan temple to be incomprehensibly huge. Let's compare the size of these buildings with the St. Sophia Cathedral, and also include the Catholicon of the Monastery of St. Bows in Phocis (see table, all dimensions in meters).

The cathedral ordered by Yaroslav the Wise turns out to be the most grandiose, but if we take into account the width of its external galleries, then the overall planned dimensions of the building reach 42X55 m (2310 sq. m).

The five-nave structure of the St. Sophia Cathedral was also caused by the desire to have extensive choirs, which manifested itself here even more purposefully than in the Spassky Cathedral of Chernigov. We have already said that the choirs were intended for the prince and his entourage. Let's look at this in more detail. Russian princes and ambassadors, coming to Constantinople, visited its churches, the main among which were St. Sofia, St. The Apostles and similar huge buildings. The emperor attended church services in them, and they were always shown to amazed foreigners. The service at St. made an indelible impression. Sofia against Vladimir's envoys in 987

All these temples have large, sometimes complexly constructed choirs, which were the residence of the emperor and his entourage. Here, in the choir, they received communion from the hands of the patriarch and other clergy ( Belyaev D.I. Daily receptions of Byzantine kings and their festive exits to the church of St. Sofia in the 9th - 10th centuries. - Notes mm. Russian Archaeological Society. 1893. VI, p. 139 - 140, 173 - 174. Same. Byzantina. St. Petersburg, 1893, book. II, p. 105, 174; St. Petersburg, 1906, kp. III, p. 105, 109, 124, 160-161; Deh voye Ch. Empore. - Reallexikon zur byzantiniscben Kunst. Stuttgart. 1967, Bd. 2, Lief. 9, Sp. 130-144. ).

If we remember that the ceremonies of these cathedrals were distinguished by the greatest pomp and representativeness, we remember with what admiration and envy barbarian Europe of the early Middle Ages perceived the way of life of the great city, then we will understand why the rulers, imitating the etiquette of the Byzantine court, retained choirs in their churches. This was the case in Bulgaria in the 9th century. ( St. Sofia in Ohrid (Report by J. Stricevic. “La renovation du type basilica]..." at the XII Congress in Ohrid; see: Boskovic Dj., Stricevic Di., Nikolajvic-Stojkovie Ivanka. L "architecture de la Basse antiquite et du Moyen Age dans les regions centrales des Balkans. - XIIth Congres international des Etudes Byzantines, 1961. Rapport VII. Belgrad-Ochrid, 1961, pp. 187-200.) St. Ahilia on Lake Prespa ), Venice of the 11th century (St. Mark (Demus O. The Church of S. Marco. Washington, 1960. vol. I, p. 47-50 .), Mistre XIV century - Church of the Virgin Mary ( Delvoye Ch. Considerations sur l "emploi de tribunes dans 1" eglises de la Vierge Hodigitria de Mistra. - Actes du XIIе Congres International des Etudes Byzantines. Beograd, 1964, t. III p. 43 - 44. ) etc. It is also necessary to explain the presence of developed choirs in the Kyiv Sofia, where even the frescoes on the choirs were associated with Eucharistic themes, confirming and sanctifying the custom of the prince and his relatives receiving the sacrament in the choirs ( Lazarev V. N. Mosaics of Sophia of Kyiv. M., 1960, p. 49 .).“The choirs quickly arose above the side naves and narthex of the princely churches of Kievan Rus, for the princes sought to imitate the rituals that existed at the imperial court in Constantinople” ( Delvoye Ch. Empore, Sp. 140-141 .)

Komech A.I. Old Russian architecture of the late X - early XII centuries. Byzantine heritage and the formation of an independent tradition