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St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery

LocationTriokhsviatytelska St, 8, Kyiv, Ukraine
DedicationMichael the Archangel
Founded1108-1113 by Sviatopolk II Iziaslavych
ArchitectureUkrainian Baroque (exterior), Byzantine (interior)
Demolished1934-1936 by the Soviet authorities
Reconstructed1997-1999 after Ukrainian independence
StatusHeadquarters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Table of Contents:

Monastery in the Medieval Times 

St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery is one of the main temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It is devoted to the heavenly patron of the city – Michael the Archangel. Built in the 12th century, but raised from ruins in the 20th century, it is considered one of the most revered places of Ukrainian Orthodox believers.

According to the Primary Chronicle, the history of St.Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery begins in 1108. It runs that Kyiv Prince Sviatopolk II Iziaslavych built a stone temple and dedicated it to his heavenly patron Saint Michael the Archangel.

In the construction of the cathedral participated Byzantine masters. The interior of the temple was truly impressive in its decor, with marble, mosaics, and frescos. The temple was called “Golden-Domed” because it had the first and only golden dome on a church at that time in Rus-Ukraine. The significance of the place increased in 1108 when the relics of St. Barbara, the main shrine, were brought to Kyiv from Constantinople.

St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral: A Kyiv Must-See. This magnificent cathedral is not only a sacred site, but also a marvel of art and architecture that reflects Kyiv’s rich heritage and culture. You can explore its stunning interior and exterior, and discover its fascinating history and legends on our Old Town Kyiv Tour or the Kyiv in 3 hours – Main Sites and Hidden Gems tour.

The temple survived a brutal attack by the Mongols in 1240, who damaged the cathedral and stripped off the gold from its dome. However, it was restored and improved over the 16th century, becoming one of the most prosperous and revered monasteries in Ukraine.

In Hetmanate times the cathedral acquired its gorgeous Ukrainian baroque look. Of great importance were donations of Ukrainian hetmans at different times: Bogdan Khmelnytsky at his own expense restored gilding on the central dome of the temple in 1718. Hetman Skoropadsky arranged a new iconostasis in the main church. Ivan Mazepa donated a silver shrine to the relics of St. Barbara and a chandelier.

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Interior of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral

Construction of monastic buildings around the cathedral

The cathedral became the center of a complex of buildings that grew over time. A stone church in honor of St. John the Evangelist was added in 1713. The monastery bell tower, which had 3 tiers and 23 bells, was constructed in 1719. The last stage in the makeover of the monastic facilities was the building of a stone wall around the monastery and the living quarters for the brothers.

By the end of the 19th century, St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery spanned an area of 13 acres and was fenced by a stone wall. On the gate, there were images of heavenly powers and Michael St. Metropolitan I of Kyiv on one side, and the 5th miracle St. Barbara and St. Prince Volodymyr on the other side.

The Monastery had four churches until 1919:

  • St. Archangel Michael Church: A stone church with a golden dome;
  • John Evangelist Church: A two-storied stone church built in 1713. It had an iron dome that was gilded in 1848;
  • St. Nicholas Church: A wooden church that was replaced by a stone one in 1856;
  • Smolensk Mother of God Church: A stone two-storied church near the pilgrim’s house.

Demolition of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral by Bolsheviks

At the beginning of the summer of 1919 Bolshevik (Communist) government moved to Kyiv from Kharkiv. They started the nationalization of buildings and property.

In the 1930s, Soviet historians called into question the known historical facts regarding the age of the cathedral. They emphasized that the medieval building had undergone major reconstructions and it hadn’t preserved the original Byzantine style. In its place, they planned a new administrative center for the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The cathedral was declared to belong particularly to the Ukrainian Baroque architectural style, rather than to the 12th-century Byzantine style. This conclusion was encouraged by the Soviet government to demolish the entire monastery. All the professors signed the demolition act except for Mykola Makarenko, who stood his ground and refused to do so. As a consequence, he was arrested and eventually sentenced to death in Tomsk, Russia in 1938.

Mykola Makarenko during his exile to Tatarstan

The removal of the original 12th-century Byzantine mosaics from the walls began on June 26, 1934. The mosaics, covering 45 sq meters, were transported to various museums in St.Petersburg, Moscow, and Kyiv. The remaining mosaics were relocated to the second floor of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.

The monastery’s golden domes were taken down in the spring of 1935, and the cathedral’s silver Holy Gates and other precious items were either destroyed, sold abroad, or taken apart.

St. Barbara’s relics were transferred to the Church of the Tithes. After the church was demolished, they were moved to St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral in 1961. The cathedral and bell tower were blown up with dynamite during the spring and summer of 1936.

The government center and the huge Lenin statue that were planned to be built on the site of the destroyed cathedral never materialized. The only building that was finished before World War II is now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

It is interesting to note that another remarkable monument of Byzantine architecture, the St. Sophia Cathedral, was spared from demolition during the Soviet anti-religious campaign in the 1920s. This was largely due to the persistent efforts of many Ukrainian and French historians who fought to preserve the cathedral

Monastery in the Modern Times

In the early 1990s, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate began raising funds to reconstruct the cathedral. However, the funds collected were only enough to cover the initial research, and it became apparent that restoring the unique cathedral would require support from the state.

The Ukrainian community sent numerous appeals to the President to provide funding for restoration. Finally, in 1995, President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma issued a decree which defined the restoration of the Monastery as a national priority.

In February 2001, four fragments of frescoes from the 12th-century cathedral, that were stored in the Hermitage, were handed over back to Ukraine. In January 2004, the Ministry of Culture of Russia decided to transfer from the Hermitage to Ukraine seven more frescoes.

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Fascinating architecture ofSt. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral

St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral in the times of Euromaidan Revolution in 2013

Some of the protesters who were fleeing from the “Berkut” police force during the brutal crackdown on the Revolution of Dignity on the night of November 30, 2013, found sanctuary in the monastery grounds.

The cathedral became a refuge and a base for the protesters who were running away from the “Berkut” police force during the violent suppression of the Euromaidan-Revolution of Dignity on the night of November 30, 2013. The seminarians from the Kyiv Orthodox Theological Academy helped the protesters by taking night shifts, providing medical supplies, and bringing hot water.

The bell of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery sounded an alarm on the night of December 11, 2013, for the first time in 800 years. The last time it had rung was when the Mongols invaded in 1240.

Thanks to the bell’s ringing, the police unit “Berkut” and the Internal Troops failed to disperse the Euromaidan protests, as thousands of Kyiv citizens gathered in the city center.

About the Author:

Hi everyone! My name is Victoria and I am both a private tour guide in Kyiv and fingers and lens behind this blog. In case you feel for that, do not hesitate to contact me via email at myukraine4u@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.bestkievguide.com for more information. I look forward to hearing from you!