Erected to rival Hagia Sophia church in Constantinople, the church with the same name in the capital of the Kievan Rus', created in the 11th century in a region evangelized after the baptism of Saint Vladimir in 988, is one of the major edifices representing the culture of Eastern Christianity, inspired by Byzantine models. Dedicated to the Holy Wisdom, not to a specific saint named Sophia, it is one of the city's best known landmarks and the first patrimony on territory of Ukraine to be inscribed on the World Heritage List along with the Kiev Cave Monastery complex in 1990.
Aside from its main building, the cathedral includes an ensemble of supporting structures such as a bell tower, the House of Metropolitan, and others. Built in two decades, begining since 1037 (or 1011), it has 5 naves, 5 apses, and 13 cupolas, and is surrounded by two-tier galleries from three sides. On the inside, it retains mosaics and frescos from the 11th century, including a dilapidated representation of Yaroslav's family, and the Orans. Originally 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 our days.
After the pillaging of Kiev by Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal in 1169, followed by Mongolian Tatars in 1240, the cathedral fell into disrepair. In the 16th century was almost ruined, but in 1633 it was claimed by the Moldavian Orthodox metropolitan Petru Movilă (Peter Mogila), who commissioned the repair work, continued under the Cossack Hetman Ivan Mazepa until 1767. During this period around the cathedral were erected bell tower, monastery canteen, bakery, House of Metropolitan, western gates, Monastic Inn, Brotherhood campus and bursa (seminary).
About the stamp, issued to commemorate 1150 Years of Slavonic, I wrote here.
References
Saint Sophia's Cathedral, Kiev - Wikipedia
Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - UNESCO official website
Sender: Alexey Furman (direct swap)
Sent from Kiev (Kiev / Ukraine), on 22.07.2013
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