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28-561: In 1982, it was rebuilt completely by the Soviet authorities, though no images of the original gates have survived. The decision has been immensely controversial because there were many competing reconstructions of what the original gate might have looked like. The rebuilt structure on the corner of Volodymyr street and Yaroslaviv Val Street contains a branch of the National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv" museum. The name Zoloti Vorota

56-581: A bell tower, a monastery canteen, a bakery, a "House of Metropolitan", the western gates (Zborovski gates), a Monastic Inn, a Brotherhood campus and a bursa (seminary) were all erected. All of these buildings, as well as the cathedral after the reconstruction, have distinctive features of Ukrainian Baroque. After the October Revolution of 1917 in Russia and during the Soviet anti-religious campaign of

84-500: A gate to the city (often used for ceremonies) through the eighteenth century, although it gradually fell into ruins. In 1832, Metropolitan Eugenius had the ruins excavated and an initial survey for their conservation was undertaken. Further works in the 1970s added an adjacent pavilion, housing a museum of the gate. In the museum, visitors can learn about the history of construction of the Golden gate as well as ancient Kyiv. In 1982,

112-642: A magnificent panorama of the city is visible. The square around the Golden Gate  [ uk ] was created in the second half of the 19th century. Botanical natural monument was created by the decision of the Kyiv executive committee No. 363 20 March 1972. 50°26′56″N 30°30′48″E  /  50.44889°N 30.51333°E  / 50.44889; 30.51333 National Sanctuary %22Sophia of Kyiv%22 The National Reserve "Sophia of Kyiv" ( Ukrainian : Національний заповідник «Софія Київська» )

140-600: A millennium, it served as the city's Triumphal Arch, a prominent symbol of Kyiv. Reputedly, it was modeled on the Golden Gate of Constantinople . Later, a similar name was given to the gates of Vladimir city where one of the Monomakh's descendants, Andrei I Bogolyubsky , established his own state, the Grand Duchy of Vladimir. In 1240, the gate was partially destroyed by Batu Khan 's Golden Horde . It remained as

168-653: Is a historic preserve that contains a complex of museums in Kyiv and Sudak and responsible for maintenance and preservation of some of its most precious historic sites. In 1934, by the order of the authorities of the Soviet Ukraine , the creation of the cultural reserve at the site of the Saint Sophia Cathedral likely saved one of the holiest sites in Eastern Europe from destruction during

196-678: Is also used for a nearby theater and the Zoloti Vorota station of the Kyiv Metro . Modern history accepts this gateway as one of three constructed by Yaroslav the Wise . The golden gates were built in 1017–1024 (6545 by the Byzantine calendar ) at about the same time the Saint Sophia Cathedral was erected. Mentions of an older construction, such as the one presented on a painting by Jan Matejko of king Bolesław I of Poland striking

224-739: Is one of the city's best known landmarks and the first heritage site in Ukraine to be inscribed on the World Heritage List along with the Kyiv Cave Monastery complex. Aside from its main building, the cathedral includes an ensemble of supporting structures such as a bell tower and the House of Metropolitan. In 2011 the historic site was reassigned from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Regional Development of Ukraine to

252-539: Is the state institution responsible for the preservation of the cathedral complex as well as four other historic landmarks across the nation. The cathedral is named after the 6th-century Hagia Sophia ( Holy Wisdom ) cathedral in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), which was dedicated to the Holy Wisdom rather than to a specific saint named Sophia. The first foundations were laid in 1037 or 1011, but

280-503: The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. One of the reasons for the move was that both Saint Sophia Cathedral and Kyiv Pechersk Lavra are recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Program as one complex, while in Ukraine the two were governed by different government entities. The cathedral is a museum.. The complex of the cathedral is the main component and museum of the National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv" which

308-674: The Old Kyiv (Upper City) stretched from the Southern Gates down to what is now Independence Square and where the Lechitic Gate was located. From there, the moat followed what is now Kostyol Street, skirting St. Michael's Monastery and continuing along today's Zhytomyr Street toward the Jewish Gates (at Lviv Square ). From there, the fortification stretched what is now Yaroslaviv Val ("Yaroslav's Rampart") Street back to

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336-594: The Soviet-wide anti-religious campaign of the early 1930s. The preserve was established in place of the cathedral of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church that was dissolved in 1930. The museum's responsibilities were gradually expanded to other historic locations of Kyiv. In 1994, the reserve was accorded its current status as being National. Both St. Andrew and St. Cyril churches are acting. The first church belongs to

364-523: The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church , while the other belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and is part of the revived St. Cyril's Monastery . 50°27′00″N 30°31′00″E  /  50.4500°N 30.5167°E  / 50.4500; 30.5167 Saint Sophia%27s Cathedral, Kyiv Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv , Ukraine, is an architectural monument of Kievan Rus' . The former cathedral

392-696: The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church which commissioned the repair work and the upper part of the building was thoroughly rebuilt, modeled by the Italian architect Octaviano Mancini in the distinct Ukrainian Baroque style, while preserving the Byzantine interior, keeping its splendor intact. The work continued under the Cossack Hetman Ivan Mazepa until 1767. During this period around Holy Sophia Cathedral

420-560: The 1920s , the government plan called for the cathedral's destruction and transformation of the grounds into a park "Heroes of Perekop " (after a Red Army victory in the Russian Civil War in Crimea ). The cathedral was saved from demolition (the opposite St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery was blown up in 1935 ) primarily with the effort of many scientists and historians. Nevertheless, in 1934, Soviet authorities confiscated

448-573: The Golden Gate with his sword during the intervention in the Kyivan succession crisis in 1018, it is now regarded a legend. Originally named simply the Southern Gate, it was one of the three main entrances to the walled city, along with the Ladski and Zhydivski ( Polish and Jewish) Gates. The last two have not survived. The stone fortifications stretched for only 3.5 km. The fortification of

476-474: The Orthodox churches have been allowed to conduct services at different dates, at other times they are denied access. A severe incident was the funeral of Patriarch Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate in 1995 when riot police were forced to prevent the burial on the premises of the museum and a bloody clash took place. After events such as those no religious body has yet been given

504-620: The Southern Gate. Later, the Southern Gate became known as the Great Gate of Kyiv. After the Blahovist Church (Church of the Annunciation) was built next to the gate, its golden domes became a prominent landmark easily visible from outside the city. Since then, the gateway has been referred to as the Golden Gate of Kyiv. The gate's passageway was about 12 metres (40 ft) high and 6 metres (20 ft) wide. For almost half

532-479: The cathedral took two decades to complete. According to one theory, Yaroslav the Wise sponsored the construction of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in 1037 to celebrate his decisive victory over the nomadic Pechenegs in 1036 (who thereafter were never a threat to Kyiv). According to Dr. Nadia Nikitenko , a historian who has studied the cathedral for 30 years, the cathedral was founded in 1011, under

560-461: The city", but was also a regular church – people arrived to pray there. The bell chapel is reproduced in the form of a three-nave four-pillar single-dome temple. In the architectural decoration of the facades used ornaments from the brick, typical for the ancient buildings of that period. The floor of the church is decorated with a mosaic, the picture of which is based on the ancient floor design of Saint Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv . Reconstruction of

588-549: The exterior used to be faced with plinths . On the inside, it retains mosaics and frescos from the 11th century, including a dilapidated representation of Yaroslav's family, and the Orans . Originally the cathedral was a burial place of the Kievan rulers including Vladimir Monomakh , Vsevolod Yaroslavich and the cathedral's founder Yaroslav I the Wise , although only the latter's grave survived to this day (see picture ). After

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616-459: The gate was completely reconstructed for the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv , though this was challenged. Some art historians called for this reconstruction to be demolished and for the ruins of the original gate to be exposed to public view. In 1989, with the expansion of the Kyiv Metro , Zoloti Vorota station was opened nearby to the landmark. Its architectural assemble is based on the internal decorations of ancient Ruthenian churches . In 1997,

644-466: The monument reproduces the segments of the shaft adjoining to the gate. On the outside they have suspended slopes. At the top of the shaft there are wooden bunks. On the ends conventionally shown internal structures. From the city side on the facade there are warehouses. Inside the restored shaft segments there is an exposition of the Museum of the Golden Gate and the stairs leading to the balcony, from which

672-499: The monument to Yaroslav the Wise was unveiled near the west end face of the Golden Gate. It is an enlarged bronze copy of an experimental figuring by Kavaleridze . In addition to mentioning the construction of the church above the passage of the Golden Gate in the chronicle, it is also mentioned in Metropolitan Ilarion's "Word of Law and Grace" of the Golden Gate. Gate Church had to serve "the heavenly protection of

700-584: The pillaging of Kyiv by Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal in 1169, followed by the Mongol invasion of Rus' in 1240, the cathedral fell into disrepair. It was greatly rebuilt in its modern splendor in the 16th century, when the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was trying to unite Catholic and Orthodox churches. Following the 1595–96 Union of Brest , the Cathedral of Holy Sophia belonged to

728-481: The reign of Yaroslav's father, Grand Prince of Kievan Rus, Vladimir the Great . This has been accepted by both UNESCO and Ukraine, which officially celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the cathedral during 2011. The structure has 5 naves , 5 apses , and (quite surprisingly for Byzantine architecture ) 13 cupolas . It is surrounded by two-tier galleries from three sides. Measuring 37 to 55 m (121 to 180 ft),

756-547: The rights for regular services. The complex now remains a secular museum of Ukraine's Christianity, with most of its visitors being tourists. On 21 August 2007, the Holy Sophia Cathedral was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine , based on votes by experts and the internet community. In September 2023, Kyiv was listed as a World Heritage “in danger” because of Russia’s war in Ukraine . This move by

784-631: The structure from the church, including the surrounding 17th–18th-century architectural complex and designated it as an architectural and historical museum. Since the late 1980s, Soviet, and later Ukrainian, politicians promised to return the building to the Orthodox Church. Due to various schisms and factions within the Church the return was postponed as all Orthodox and the Greek-Catholic Churches lay claim to it. Although all

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