St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv is one of the most famous and oldest Orthodox monasteries and a landmark of Ukrainian history and culture.
The monastery complex is located on the upper terrace of Volodymyrska Hill in the city center. The founding of the new St. Michael's Monastery here is recorded in chronicles in 1108, when Prince Sviatopolk-Mikhail Izyaslavych founded a church in the name of the Archangel Michael. In connection with its consecration in 1113, it is mentioned in documents as the Golden-Domed Cathedral. The cathedral was built of stones and plinth bricks using the “mixed masonry” technique.
After the Mongol invasion in the 13th century and the raids of the Crimean Tatars in the 15th century, several churches gradually disappeared, but St. Michael's Monastery survived. The most important changes in the architecture of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery occurred in the 18th century, when it became one of the richest in Kyiv and was built up with brick structures.
1918
During the Soviet era, the monastery complex was used by various institutions, and some buildings were adapted into dormitories. According to the project chosen in 1934, the Government Quarter was to be built on the site of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery and the neighboring territory. Therefore, in the 1930s, the bell tower, most of the wall with the Economic Gate, the buildings of the farmyard, etc. were dismantled, and in 1937, St. Michael's Cathedral was blown up. However, the project of the Government Quarter was not fully implemented, and sports grounds were built on the territory of the destroyed cathedral.
The ruins after the bombing. 1937.
With the declaration of independence, the restoration of the monastery ensemble became a national priority. Reconstruction work was carried out in 1997-1999. The restored St. Michael's Cathedral was solemnly consecrated on the Day of Kyiv in 2000. Today it is the main church of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Read the article in full in the Ukrainian version
Address: 4-8 Triokhsvyatytelska Street.
Economic gate of the monastery and memorial plaque to Mykola Makarenko
Refectory with the Church of St. John the Theologian
Monument to Jesus Christ “The Prayer of the Cup”
Memorial plaque in honor of Oles Honchar
Memorial plaque to Marcel Thiry
Memorial plaque to Ivan Kozlovsky
Памятник жертвам за веру
Archive photos from uk.wikipedia.org
