Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery. Kyiv Golden Domed Monastery
Built in 1108-1113 by Kiev Prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich, destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1934-1936.
Restored in 1997-1998, (officially opened May 30, 1999). It is one of the main temples of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate.
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During the time of Prince Vladimir the Baptist, on the site of the modern Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, there was a temple of the most famous pagan deities - Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Svarog, Mokosh and Stribog. After the destruction of the pantheon, the place was empty, but at the beginning of the 11th century, the first Metropolitan of Kyiv, Mikhail, founded a church here in honor of his saint. Michael's first church was made of wood...
In 1108, two brothers, the sons of the Kiev prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich - Peter-Yaropolk and Mikhail-Svyatopolk - founded in Kyiv, on the site of the ancient Dmitrievsky monastery, the Mikhailovsky monastery. The time frame for the construction of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael is determined by the "Tale of Bygone Years". Under 6616 (1108) it is said that "the church of St. Michael, Golden-domed, was founded by Prince Svyatopolk on July 11."
In the same year (1108), in memory of the victory of the Russians over the Polovtsy, the construction of the main cathedral of the new monastery began - the cathedral in the name of the Archangel Michael, the leader of the heavenly host. In 1113 the cathedral was consecrated.
The Cathedral of the Archangel Michael was placed on the cliff of the Starokievskaya mountain, above the ancient Borichev vzvoz - the descent to the Dnieper. The three-nave cross-domed church with one dome, similar to the Assumption Cathedral in the Pechersk Lavra, was built using the mixed masonry technique, in which rows of stone and flat brick - plinths alternated. For the first time in the practice of Russian stone architecture, the dome of the cathedral was gilded, for which he received the name from the admiring people of Kiev - Golden-domed. A round staircase tower and a small baptismal church adjoined the church from the west.
The cathedral became the burial place of several generations of Kievan princes.
In 1240, the Mikhailovsky Monastery was devastated by the Mongols.
In the XIV century, the monastery fell under the rule of the Lithuanian princes and fell into disrepair.
In 1620 Abbot Job Boretsky carried out a complete restoration of the cathedral. Soon the cathedral will regain its former glory.
Of considerable importance were the sacrifices to the church of Ukrainian hetmans of different times. Bogdan Khmelnitsky, with his own funds, updated the gilding on the central dome of the temple.
Under Emperor Peter, the low walls were completed so that they were equal to the walls of the main temple.
At the beginning of the 18th century, as a result of often rash add-ons or rebuilding, the temple almost split in half. The architectural masterpiece acquired its final form after the reconstruction of 1746 - the cathedral becomes seven-domed.
On three sides, the cathedral was surrounded by extensions, and the walls were reinforced with buttresses. The facades of the temple were decorated with stucco decorations - platbands and ornaments - made by the famous Kiev architect I. Grigorovich-Barsky. The friezes of the drums were decorated with original majolica rosettes that sparkled in the sun like precious stones.
The everlasting glory of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral was brought by its mosaics and frescoes. According to art historians, they discovered a new type in the evolution of painting in Ancient Russia. “Flickering painting” is called the mosaics of St. Michael's Cathedral - they, like a haze, enveloped the entire space of the temple with their fading, then flashing radiance with renewed vigor. Extremely refined and bright, the mosaics of the Mikhailovsky Cathedral were an outstanding work of ancient Russian painting and convincingly testified that in Kievan Rus of that time a national school of fine arts had already been formed, free from the influence of Byzantium. The origin of this school is connected, first of all, with the name of the ancient Russian artist, a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk monastery Alimpiy, a master of “shimmering painting”, whose name was surrounded by legends during his lifetime.
The life of St. Alympius is included in the text of the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon. In early youth, “in the days of the noble prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich” (son of Yaroslav the Wise), his parents gave him “for the teaching of icon painting” to one of the Greek icon painters who worked in Kyiv on decorating the altar of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery. While studying and working on the creation of fresco and mosaic compositions in the St. Sophia Cathedral and in other Kiev churches, Alympius "got used to the cunning of icons, to write icons cunningly". In the art of Alympius, his closeness to the traditions of the artistic school of Constantinople is noticeable. But he developed his own artistic language, which is dominated by a purely Russian folk principle. As scientific studies have proven, the world-famous mosaics of St. Michael's Cathedral belong to the work of Alimpiy.
In the era of fragmentation, at the decline of the power of Kievan Rus, the art of "flickering painting" died out - for the specific princes, the mosaic turned out to be too expensive. Thus, the mosaics of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral became the pinnacle of ancient Russian mosaic craftsmanship.
Part of the mosaics of St. Michael's Cathedral - "Eucharist", "Annunciation", images of archdeacons Stephen and Thaddeus and a number of others - was transferred to St. Sophia Cathedral. The mosaic "Dmitry of Thessalonica", which has now become a textbook and included in all publications devoted to ancient Russian art, can now be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery, and the upper part of the fresco figure "Saint Samuel" in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. In total, 45 square meters of mosaics have survived, which once completely covered the walls of the cathedral.
Two slate slabs with relief images of galloping horsemen survived from the decoration of the temple. One of them is considered St. George, the other - St. Dmitry. Some of the researchers believe that these are portrait images of princes or princely warriors, and some are looking for the roots of these reliefs in the art of Ancient Iran. The origin of these reliefs remains a mystery, and their subject matter remains unclear.
“... And especially the church and the monastery famously glorified this great prince with the miraculous relics of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara, brought from Constantinople, from the dowry of the wife of the Greek Tsar Alexei Komnenos to the daughter of the blessed Varvara Alekseevna, given and still imperishably resting and miraculous,” says the “Historical and topographic description Kyiv" dated January 20, 1787. But, as historical sources testify, Alexei Komnenos never had a daughter, Barbara. The first wife of Svyatopolk was from Byzantium and bore the name Barbara. That is, perhaps it was she who brought the relics to Kyiv. This solemn event could take place between 1065-1075.
The shrine of St. Barbara was in the center of the church. At first, the relics were kept in a cypress coffin, decorated with fine cloth and silver.
In 1694, a silver shrine was made at the expense of Ivan Mazepa, which was a real masterpiece of jewelry craftsmanship. But time - the main enemy of masterpieces - did its job, and in the 19th century there was a need for a new haven for the relics of Barbara.
In 1847, at the expense of Anna Alekseevna Orlova-Chesmenskaya, St. Petersburg craftsman Andreev created a new reliquary of pure silver, decorated with images of religious scenes that showed the torture and martyrdom of the saint.
Other shrines of the cathedral included 15 rings of exquisite jewelry work, crosses with diamonds, icons of Archangel Michael and St. Barbara, in 1888, during excavations under several layers of soil, relics were found - frescoes of the 11th century, the iconostasis of the church was made by master carver Grigory Petrov at the expense of hetman Ivan Skoropadsky.
The temple image of the Archangel Michael, presented by Emperor Alexander I in 1817, is made on a board of pure gold, weighing about 10 pounds, and strewn with diamonds and other precious stones.
In 1919, the property of the church "For the needs of the Red Army" was confiscated by the Bolshevik authorities, and subsequently, in 1934, responsibility for looting the property was shifted to the monks.
On June 26, 1934, some Kievans could see a terrible picture - under the guidance of the Leningrad professor Frolov, a group of workers began to dismantle the frescoes and mosaics of the cathedral.
Many works of art in the period 1934-1936 were taken to Russia, or sold for next to nothing to foreign countries. The iconostasis of the temple was destroyed, the same fate was prepared for the shrine of Varvara. The relics of the saint, fortunately, survived. They were transferred first to the Church of the Tithes, and later to the Vladimir Cathedral.
According to the decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR, the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral was dismantled and blown up in the 1930s. Before that, the most valuable works of art, in particular, frescoes, were dismantled and transferred to the museums of Kyiv.
During the Second World War, the frescoes were taken to Germany, from where they ended up in the Hermitage.
Restored in 1997-1998, St. Michael's Cathedral (officially opened on May 30, 1999) is one of the main churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate.
The murals of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, and these are scenes from the Holy Scriptures, are made according to all the canons of ancient Russian temple painting. The chemical composition of the paints, the color of the color palette are chosen so that for many years, numerous viewers will not leave the sublime impression of freshness and novelty of the paintings. When recreating the mysterious brilliance of mosaic compositions, techniques and methods are also used to help achieve maximum impact on the viewer.
Since the spring of 2000, the central part of the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral has been open for worship and visits, and since the beginning of 2001, the Varvara and Catherine's aisles.
Since 2001, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation has been transferring the original fragments of the frescoes of St. Michael's Cathedral and other items kept in the Hermitage to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
The bell tower of the monastery is equipped with modern electric chimes and a unique bell-keyboard musical instrument carillon, designed to perform complex melodies by a specially trained musician.
INTRODUCTION
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Kyiv. It is assumed that St. Michael's Cathedral was the first temple with a gilded top, from where this peculiar tradition went in Russia.
The history of St. Michael's Cathedral, like many similar architectural monuments, is full of ups and downs.
The shrine was founded in 1108 by Prince Svyatopolk, the grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, on the site of the Dmitrievsky Monastery. Consecrated - in 1113. A wonderful work of art was dedicated to the heavenly patron of the city of Kyiv - Archangel Michael. The domes of the cathedral looked dazzlingly beautiful and brilliant. From this he was given the name Mikhailovsky (Golden-domed) Cathedral.
Object of study: St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery
Research tasks:
Consider the stages of the creation of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery
Analyze the features of creation
Track the stages of development
HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF MIKHAILOVSKY GOLD-DOME MONASTERY
History of creation
In 1108, two brothers, the sons of the Kiev prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich - Peter-Yaropolk and Mikhail-Svyatopolk - founded in Kyiv, on the site of the ancient Dmitrievsky monastery, the Mikhailovsky monastery. In the same year, in memory of the victory of the Russians over the Polovtsy, the construction of the main cathedral of the new monastery began - the cathedral in the name of Michael the Archangel, the leader of the heavenly host. In 1113 the cathedral was consecrated.
St. Michael's Cathedral was placed on the precipice of the Starokievskaya mountain, over the ancient Borichev vzvoz - the descent to the Dnieper.
The three-nave cross-domed church with one dome, similar to the Assumption Cathedral in the Pechersk Lavra, was built using the mixed masonry technique, in which rows of stone and flat brick - plinths alternated.
For the first time in the practice of Russian stone architecture, the dome of the cathedral was gilded, for which he received the name from the admiring people of Kiev - Golden-domed.
A round staircase tower and a small baptismal church adjoined the church from the west. The cathedral became the burial place of several generations of Kievan princes. In 1240, it was plundered and severely damaged by the horde of Batu. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the cathedral was rebuilt several times. Instead of one, he had seven domes. On three sides, the cathedral was surrounded by extensions, and the walls were reinforced with buttresses.
The facades of the temple were decorated with stucco decorations - platbands and ornaments - made by the famous Kiev architect I. Grigorovich-Barsky.
The friezes of the drums were decorated with original majolica rosettes that sparkled in the sun like precious stones.
The relics of the Great Martyr Barbara, the wife of Prince Svyatopolk, rested in the walls of the temple for more than eight centuries. The shrine of St. Barbara was in the center of the church. At first, the relics were kept in a cypress coffin, decorated with fine cloth and silver. In 1694, a silver shrine was made at the expense of Ivan Mazepa, which was a real masterpiece of jewelry craftsmanship. But time - the main enemy of masterpieces - did its job, and in the 19th century there was a need for a new haven for the relics of Barbara. In 1847, at the expense of Anna Alekseevna Orlova-Chesmenskaya, St. Petersburg craftsman Andreev created a new reliquary of pure silver, decorated with images of religious scenes that showed the torture and martyrdom of the saint.
Other shrines of the cathedral included 15 rings of exquisite jewelry work, crosses with diamonds, icons of Archangel Michael and St. Barbara, in 1888, during excavations under several layers of soil, relics were found - frescoes of the 11th century, the iconostasis of the church was made by master carver Grigory Petrov at the expense of hetman Ivan Skoropadsky.
Destruction and restoration of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery
On June 26, 1934, some Kievans could see a terrible picture - under the guidance of the Leningrad professor Frolov, a group of workers began to dismantle the frescoes and mosaics of the cathedral. Many works of art in the period 1934 - 1936 were taken to Russia, or sold for next to nothing to foreign countries. The iconostasis of the temple was destroyed, the same fate was prepared for the shrine of Varvara. The relics of the saint, fortunately, survived. They were transferred first to the Church of the Tithes, and later to the Vladimir Cathedral. According to the decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR, the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral was dismantled and blown up in the 1930s. Before that, the most valuable works of art, in particular, frescoes, were dismantled and transferred to the museums of Kyiv. During the Second World War, the frescoes were taken to Germany, from where they ended up in the Hermitage.
Restored in 1997-1998, St. Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv (officially opened on May 30, 1999) is one of the main temples of the non-canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate. But the temple was not recreated in its original forms (before layers), so many historians do not recognize it. On the bell tower of the monastery there are modern electric clock-chimes and a bell-keyboard musical instrument carillon, designed for the performance of complex melodies by a specially trained musician.
The murals of the Mikhailovsky Cathedral, and these are scenes from holy scripture, are made according to all the canons of ancient Russian temple painting. The chemical composition of paints, the color of the color palette are chosen so that for many years, numerous viewers will not leave the sublime impression of freshness and novelty of the paintings. When recreating the mysterious brilliance of mosaic compositions, techniques and methods are also used to help achieve maximum impact on the viewer.
Since the spring of 2000, the central part of the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral has been open for worship and visits, and since the beginning of 2001, the Varvara and Catherine's aisles.
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Kyiv. It includes the Ukrainian baroque cathedral church in honor of the Archangel Michael, destroyed in the 1930s and rebuilt in the mid-1990s, as well as the refectory with the Church of St. John the Evangelist (1713) and the bell tower (1716-1719). It is assumed that St. Michael's Cathedral was the first temple with a gilded top, from where this peculiar tradition went in Russia.
Tradition attributes the founding of the monastery to the first Metropolitan of Kiev, Mikhail.
The first temple in honor of the Archangel Michael was ordered in 1108 by Prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich on the site of the Dmitrievsky Monastery, built presumably by his father, Izyaslav I (baptized Demetrius).
The Mikhailovsky Cathedral, erected in 1108-1113, was of particular importance for the people of Kiev, because it was dedicated to the Archangel Michael, the heavenly patron of Kyiv. In the XII century the monastery was the burial place of princes.
It is assumed that a monastery was established at the same time at the church. Since ancient times, the church has been called Golden-domed, probably because it was the only church at that time with a gilded top.
By the time of Svyatopolk, tradition also relates the transfer to Kyiv from Constantinople in 1108 of the main shrine of the Golden-Domed Monastery, the relics of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara.
View of the Mikhailovsky Cathedral before the revolution.
Golden-domed St. Michael's Cathedral and the bell tower. Lithography. 1911
During the capture of Kyiv by Batu and during the attack on Kyiv by the Crimean Khan Mengli I Giray in 1482, the Golden-Domed Monastery was badly damaged. The kings of Poland give him charters for the free choice of abbots and independence from governors and metropolitans. In the XVI century the monastery was one of the richest Kiev monasteries. In 1612, Sigismund III gave the Golden-Domed Monastery to the Uniates, but the Uniates failed to actually take possession of either the monastery or even, apparently, the monastic estates. Perhaps the monastery owes this to the support of the Cossacks, thanks to whom in 1620 Mikhailov's abbot Job Boretsky was consecrated to the metropolitan. Job remained to live in the Golden-Domed Monastery, which for a time acquired the significance of a metropolitan residence.
Mikhailovskaya Square. Postcard 1913
With the annexation of Kyiv to the Muscovite state, the Golden-Domed Monastery lost most of its estates, which lay in the areas remaining behind the Commonwealth; on the other hand, both the hetmans and the Cossack foreman generously endowed the monastery with possessions in the left-bank Ukraine. Much was acquired by the monastery of land and by purchase.
Block of stamps dedicated to the temple
In 1800, the Golden-Domed Monastery was appointed for the residence of the bishops of Chigirinsky, vicars of the Kiev diocese. The ancient church of Svyatopolk is now the middle part of the main monastery church; altar apses, walls up to a certain height and the main dome survived from it; several ancient mosaic images have also been preserved, and in 1888 ancient frescoes were discovered.
The area in front of the entrance to the Mikhailovsky Monastery began to be called Mikhailovskaya. In its modern dimensions, it was formed in the first half of the 19th century during the general reconstruction of Kyiv, and after the construction of the Offices in 1854-1857, it finally separated from Sophia Square.
The entrance to the monastery is decorated with frescoes.
Nearby is a monument to the Holodomor of the 30s.
On the square near St. Michael's Cathedral is the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, and in front of it is a monument to Princess Olga, the Apostle Andrew, Cyril and Methodius. The monument was unveiled on September 4, 1911. The celebration was rather modest, as Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin, mortally wounded at the National Opera of Ukraine, was dying in one of the city's hospitals.
On a pedestal of pink granite, in the center, there was a sculptural image of the princess: on the left, on a dais, there was a sculpture of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, pointing to the "Holy Kiev Mountains", on the right, on a dais - a sculpture of sitting educators of the Slavic peoples Cyril and Methodius.
On the pedestal of Princess Olga there is an inscription: “This is the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven from Russia, this is more praised by the Russian sons as a boss”, another inscription followed below: “Gift of the Sovereign Emperor to the city of Kiev. Summer from R. H. 1911.
The most beautiful monument did not last long. The modern monumental ensemble to Princess Olga was solemnly opened on May 25, 1996 on the Day of Kyiv.
Only one building from pre-revolutionary times has been preserved on the territory of the monastery, and it is very different from everything else.
Refectory with the Church of St. John the Evangelist (1713).
In the 17th century, next to the male Golden-domed monastery, there was also the Golden-domed Mikhailovsky female monastery, transferred in 1712 to Podol.
The Mikhailovsky Monastery owned a skete in Feofaniya, founded in the vicinity of Kyiv in 1861.
Leo of Rome, Gregory the Dialogist, Sylvester of Rome. Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Cathedral. Painting in the altar. Made in collaboration with the Honored Art Worker of Ukraine Heinrich Nechiporenko.
The glory of the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral was brought by its mosaics and frescoes. According to art historians, they discovered a new type in the evolution of painting in Ancient Russia. “Flickering painting” is called the mosaics of St. Michael's Cathedral - they, like a haze, enveloped the entire space of the temple with their fading, then flashing with new strength radiance.
Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Cathedral. Mosaic icons
Extremely refined and bright, the mosaics of the Mikhailovsky Cathedral were an outstanding work of ancient Russian painting.
Demetrius of Thessalonica.1108-1113.
Archdeacon Stefan.
The dismantling and demolition of the cathedral was carried out in 1934-1936; The relics of the Great Martyr Barbara were transferred to the Vladimir Cathedral. In 1934-35, the surviving mosaics were removed to a new base and transferred to St. Sophia Cathedral (a group of restorers led by V. Frolov). For the "Eucharist" mosaic, a special wall was built in the exhibition hall of St. Sophia Cathedral, the shape of which repeats the apse of St. Michael's Cathedral. Some frescoes were also removed and transferred to the museums of Leningrad (Hermitage), Moscow (Tretyakov Gallery) and Kyiv (Sophia Cathedral).
Mosaic "Holy Eucharist". This is one of the original mosaics of the Golden-Domed St. Michael's Monastery, kept in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.
Restored in 1997-1998, St. Michael's Cathedral (officially opened on May 30, 1999) is one of the main temples of the non-canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate.
The fact that the temple was recreated at higher levels can be seen in the photo below, which shows the excavation to the level of the floor of the previous temple.
On the adjacent territory there are Kiev theological schools of the UOC-KP.
The kivorium in the monastery courtyard was rebuilt in the mid-1990s.
Inside the ciborium is a stone bowl of the monastery spring, it is decorated with a gilded dome, fresco painting and semi-columns.
The arbor above the source is made in the Ukrainian baroque style, in the same style and color scheme (delicate white-blue with gold) with the main temple of the Mikhailovsky Monastery - St. Michael's Golden-domed Cathedral.
The bell tower of the monastery is equipped with modern electric chimes and a unique bell-keyboard musical instrument carillon, designed to perform complex melodies by a specially trained musician.
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is located in the center of Kyiv at Trekhsvyatitelskaya, 6.
It was built in 1108-1113 by the grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, Prince Svyatopolk of Kiev. St. Michael's Church was the only one at that time and had a golden dome, which is why it was called Golden-domed. Although earlier St. Michael's Church was small in size and made of wood. Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich is building a new one of brick and stone with exquisite mosaics and frescoes, good icons.
Some historians believe that Izyaslav Yaroslavich, whose Christian name was Dmitry, built the monastery of St. Dmitry and the church in Kyiv near St. Sophia Cathedral in the second half of the 1050s, and half a century later, his son Svyatopolk II Izyaslavovich built the monastery church (1108-1113 years .), dedicating it to Archangel Michael. When the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars took place in the 1240s, the monastery suffered significantly. Of course, there are no golden domes left. In 1496 the monastery was revived and renamed from St. Dmitry to St. Michael. Constant restoration and expansion made the monastery one of the largest at that time. Instead of one, he had seven domes. On three sides, the cathedral was surrounded by extensions, and the walls were reinforced with buttresses.
In the 18th century, the facades of the temple were decorated with moldings - platbands and ornaments - made by the famous Kiev architect Ivan Grigorovich-Barsky. The friezes of the drums were decorated with original majolica rosettes and shone in the sun like precious stones. The glory of the Mikhailovsky Golden-domed Cathedral was brought by its mosaics and frescoes. According to art historians, they discovered a new type in the evolution of painting in Ancient Russia. "Flickering painting" is called the mosaics of St. Michael's Cathedral - they, like a haze, enveloped the entire space of the temple with their fading, then flashing radiance with renewed vigor.
Extremely refined and bright, the mosaics of the Mikhailovsky Cathedral were an outstanding work of ancient Russian painting and convincingly testified to the fact that in Kievan Rus of that time a national school of fine arts had already developed, free from the influence of Byzantium.
Metropolitan Job Boretsky made the St. Michael's Monastery the seat of the Orthodox Metropolis of Kiev. 
As you know, Boretsky was a priest in the Holy Resurrection Church, and then became the first rector of the Kiev fraternal school (in 1615-1618). In 1619, he took monastic vows under the name Job and became hegumen of the Mikhailovsky Monastery.
During the time of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, the gilding on the central dome was restored. And in 1718, Hetman Skoropadsky installed a new iconostasis in the main church. Ivan Mazepa donated a silver shrine and a chandelier for the relics of Saint Barbara. Military judge Mikhail Vuyakhevich, later known as Archimandrite Meletius of the Caves, added a small chapel to the old Arkhangelsk church, especially for the relics of St. Barbara. During the reign of Emperor Peter I, the low walls of the monastery were completed so that they were equal to the walls of the main temple. In 1713, a stone church was built in the name of John the Theologian, and in 1716-1719 hegumen Varlaam Lenetsky built a stone bell tower. The last asset in the restoration of large monastic buildings was the construction of a stone fence around the monastery and the construction of a building for fraternal cells.
After the abolition of the monastic possessions by order of Empress Catherine II in 1786, the monastery was enrolled in the first class and a staff of 33 inhabitants was approved. The monastery, instead of profit from its former possessions, began to receive from the treasury an annual amount of 2,300 rubles for the upkeep of the monastery. In 1880, the Mikhailovsky Monastery became the seat of the Kiev vicars.
After the arrival of Bolshevik power in 1922, the Mikhailovsky Monastery was liquidated. Those times were the worst in the history of this great spiritual complex. First they began to remove frescoes from the walls of the church, then they removed the baroque domes and the iconostasis. In 1935-1936, the Mikhailovsky Cathedral with the bell tower and other structures were demolished in connection with the project to create a government center on this site. Before the destruction of the cathedral and after its destruction, Professor I.V. Morgilevsky studied the architectural and construction features of the cathedral. Without these documents, the reproduction of the destroyed cathedral would have been impossible. Frescoes, mosaics were transported to the museums of Moscow, Leningrad, Novgorod. And the mosaic fresco "Eucharist" was transferred to St. Sophia Cathedral. Some smalt paintings ended up in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. The plan to build the Government Center was never implemented. During the Second World War, some frescoes were taken to Germany, from where they ended up in the Hermitage in Leningrad. The St. Sophia Cathedral kept: "The Eucharist", "Stefan and Thaddeus" - fragments of the figures of saints; frescoes - scenes from the "Annunciation", the figure of St. Zacharias and others. museum in Saint Petersburg.
In the early 90s, the restoration of the monastery began. In 1995, President Leonid Kuchma issued a decree on the restoration of the St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery. The first bell tower was built in 1998.
In February 2001, unique frescoes of the 12th century were returned from the Hermitage. In 2004, the remaining frescoes from the Hermitage were returned.
Text and photo by Rostislav Malenkov
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral
The raid on the Dnieper countries in the spring of 1096 was the last major campaign of the Polovtsy. However, the war with the change of allies and military success continued for the next decade, until it ended with a glorious victory for the Russian princes who managed to unite. According to the chroniclers, the decisive role in the victory was played not by military prowess, but by "zeal for holy places and hope for the Most High help." Grandeur in those years was an immutable law, which no ruler dared to break. After each successful campaign, the princes tried to build a temple - a "miraculous church" - as thanksgiving to God for success in military affairs.
Maxim Berlinsky called the last years of the reign of Svyatopolk II "a happy time for the Russian principalities, marked by many memorable events." Indeed, since 1108, after many years of bloodshed, robbery and devastation, the time has come for creation. “The Grand Duke,” noted in the writings of the Ukrainian historian, “named Michael in holy baptism, built in the monastery instead of the dilapidated wooden stone church of Archangel Michael, decorated it inside with moussia (mosaic) and all kinds of utensils, and covered the tops with gold, from which this monastery is reputed to be Golden Top Mikhailovsky.
The old wooden chapel stood on the cliff of Starokievskaya Mountain, at the place where the mockery of Perun took place. Metropolitan Prince Vladimir appointed two Greek monks to the temple, laying the foundation for a family monastery. The appearance of the "father's cloisters" is characterized by the beginning of a new era in the history of Russia.
The ancient Russian state had not yet lost its power, but Kyiv was gradually losing its significance as a political center, and the decrease in its influence on the specific princes became too noticeable. With the weakening of secular power, spiritual power increased. Being the bearer of a recognized idea, the priests could influence society, although they did not try to get closer to the people and did not express their interests. Strength largely depended on the relationship with the church, so the princes spared no expense for its well-being.
Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Cathedral
One of the forms of charity was family monasteries, which occupied vast lands, were constantly rebuilt and decorated, not lacking money. The cathedral of the "father's monastery", as a rule, served as the tomb of members of the princely family. Something similar happened to the Dmitrievsky Monastery, the foundation of which is the merit of the son of Yaroslav the Wise Izyaslav (Christian name Dmitry), and prosperity became the concern of his descendants. In the 1060s, the Grand Duke built a large cathedral here in honor of his patron Saint Dmitry. Yaropolk Izyaslavich (after baptism - Peter) barely got money for a modest church, traditionally dedicating it to his heavenly patron - St. Peter. Svyatopolk (Christian name - Mikhail) ordered the construction of a huge stone church, which, unlike other buildings, could not be destroyed by the nomads.
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, which does not exist now, received its second name due to the gilded roofs of the domes. Initially, it was a six-pillar cross-domed building with three naves. Inside the tower was arranged a steep staircase leading to the choir. On the opposite side was a small four-pillar baptismal. Judging by the technique of erection and decoration, the creators of St. Michael's Church used techniques typical of their time and place: mixed masonry with plinth, arched façade finishes, round drums under domes, modest decor in the form of flat blades, gilding, carving, meander ornaments.
Metropolitan Nicephorus arrived from Constantinople to consecrate the new church “for greater splendor”, and presented the relics of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara to the people of Kiev. In the synopsis, the gift of the Byzantine guest is called the dowry of the Greek princess, it is not known when and where she married Svyatopolk. However, this evidence is doubtful, since, according to all other sources, the Kyiv prince got married once, namely in 1094, taking the daughter of the Cuman Tugorkan as his wife.
By the 17th century, the cathedral was dilapidated and no longer corresponded to its high status. Throughout the century, it was remodeled, supplemented with extensions, decorated with details in the neoclassical style. To the western part of the temple, near the entrance, two two-story volumes with Corinthian columns and cartouches of various shapes were added, framed by picturesque compositions. Fashionable decoration in the form of stucco ornamentation, cartouches, figured tongs and pediments, Corinthian columns indicates that a specialist, possibly a graduate of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, was engaged in the restoration of the building. Stucco molding, window frames, capitals and sculptural ornaments were made by the famous Kiev architect I. G. Grigorovich-Barsky.
Saint George slaying the serpent. Relief of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral
Nevertheless, the main decoration of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral has always been icons, frescoes and mosaics. The works of unknown masters, today classified as the best examples of ancient Russian art, did not dare to destroy along with the walls.
During the dismantling of the building, part of the decoration was transferred to St. Sophia Cathedral, where it has been successfully preserved to this day. A magnificent mosaic depicting Dmitry Thessalonica now adorns the hall of the Tretyakov Gallery. The mosaic composition "Eucharist", images of Archdeacon Stephen and Thaddeus, frescoes with the faces of St. Nicholas, High Priest Zacharias, scenes of the "Annunciation" and fragments of several paintings remained in Kyiv.
The artistic design of St. Michael's Church clearly testifies to the development of Russian painting, its gradual liberation from Byzantine canons. If Russian masters participated in the murals of Sofia as assistants, then in the decoration of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral they worked with the Greeks on an equal footing. The style of frescoes and mosaics reflects the first independent ideas and decisions of Kiev artists, which is noticeable in free poses, varied and deeply individual gestures, in slender, slightly elongated figures, shrouded in elegant draperies. Dynamics, not accepted in religious painting, distinguishes Mikhailov's frescoes from the static compositions of St. Sophia Cathedral. The painting of the Kiev temple was created only 85 years earlier, but the difference in styles gives the impression that centuries have passed.
The Mikhailovsky artist outlined the ovals of the faces with a dark outline. Shaded with thin lines, expressive and deeply individual faces of the apostles are complete portraits. The hair of the saints is treated ornamentally, but it is beautiful and varied. With amazing skill for that time, individual figures and the whole scene as a whole were painted.
Particularly attractive is the decorative interpretation of the image of Stefan, dressed in a white cloak with flowing folds. Presented against a golden background, it looks directly at the viewer. This mosaic is distinguished by the harmony of cold, shimmering whites in the light with warm ocher-green highlights in the shadows.
Mosaics with images of Thaddeus and Stephen are built on a contrasting combination of colors. The image of Dmitry Solunsky, the heavenly patron of Prince Izyaslav, is resolved differently. Here, the color composition is dominated by an ocher tone, emphasizing the tenderness of blue, pink, red and purple hues. The creator endowed his heroes with slightly slanting eyes, with special care he wrote out hands with thin graceful brushes. The striking similarity of all the main characters is determined by dense saturated colors, wide golden gaps, and the hidden dynamics of the figures.
Archdeacon Stefan. Mosaic of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral
The art of the creators of Mikhailov's frescoes expressed people's self-consciousness, moral and aesthetic ideals of the advanced era in relation to art, preceding the Tatar-Mongol yoke. During the reign of Svyatopolk, Kyiv ceased to be the capital of a single state, but the loss of political significance did not lead to a decline in culture. Icon-painting workshops worked in the city, stone temples were erected, which, however, were in many respects inferior to the monumental buildings of the time of Yaroslav.
After the death of Svyatopolk, ambassadors from the Kiev boyars came to Vladimir Vsevolodovich (1053–1125) to ask the Chernigov prince to accept the Kyiv table: “Go to Kyiv! If you do not come, then know that a great evil will rise up ... and you will have an answer if the monasteries are plundered because of you.
Archangel Gabriel. Fresco of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral
The son of Vsevolod I and the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh left behind great fame and good memory.
At the time of the Chernigov reign, he successfully fought the Polovtsians, Vyatichi, Torks, the outcast princes Rostislavich, remained faithful to Svyatopolk, not taking into account the hostility of the people of Kiev towards him. Not wanting to take advantage of his position, after the death of his father, he did not occupy Kyiv, but invited his cousin to the Grand Duke's table, respecting his seniority in terms of age and position in the family.
Vladimir solemnly entered Kyiv on April 20, 1113. His prudent policy restrained the quarrels of the specific princes, who, although forced, nevertheless reconciled with each other. According to Berlinsky, “foreign sovereigns revered him, the Polovtsy did not even dare to think about disturbing the Russian borders, the pacified Volga Bulgars agreed to all sorts of orders. Even the Greek Emperor Alexei Komnenos sought protection from the Grand Duke against the Crusaders and Turks.”
There is no detailed biography of Vladimir, but some facts of his biography are reflected in the legends. One of them tells about a campaign in Taurida, where the prince killed the Genoese prince in a duel, for which he received the nickname Monomakh, that is, “combatant”. The story of his wedding to the kingdom, arranged by the Byzantine emperor, belongs to semi-legendary information.
The emissary of Constantinople, Metropolitan Neophyte, brought barmy and the hat of his grandfather Konstantin Monomakh to Vladimir, presenting the royal regalia to the prince during a celebration in St. Sophia Cathedral. Subsequently, all Moscow sovereigns at the wedding to the kingdom covered their heads with the Monomakh's hat.
The reign of Vladimir was the heyday of Russian culture. Under him, stone chambers, churches with beautiful paintings and frescoes were built in Kyiv. It was then that the first fundamental bridge appeared in Russia, connecting the banks of the Dnieper.
Monomakh generously endowed the clergy, remembering that the priests helped him take the throne of Kyiv. The prince spent the last years of his life "at the church dear to his heart, on the Alta River."
By old age, he became tearful and God-fearing. The miserable, constantly praying elder bore little resemblance to the brave, handsome man, the warrior that Vladimir was in his youth. Shortly before his death, an earthquake occurred in Kyiv. In ancient times, this disaster was not something exceptional, and its consequences were not as terrible as the fire that soon broke out, which destroyed the entire Podil and most of the city. Against the backdrop of great misfortunes, the death of the prince no longer looked like a tragedy. “Decorated with virtues, glorious with victories, known in all lands,” Vladyka was remembered with a kind word and buried with honors in St. Sophia Cathedral.
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