Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov: history, photos and reviews of tourists

In the very center of the city, on the Chernigov rampart, towers a majestic snow-white temple. It is crowned with five domes and towers of a cone-shaped form. This unique monument of the beginning of the eleventh century - the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov.

Interesting dates

For a long time this Orthodox church was considered the oldest among similar structures since prince times. Of course, it was about those that have survived to this day. However, recent studies have shown that the oldest is the St. Sophia Cathedral, whose employees in 2010 said that the latter was founded in 1011. And as proof they brought numerous inscriptions on its walls. Although this version has not yet been conclusively proven, some researchers are sure that the year when the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov was laid is the 1036th.

History of creation

In 1024, the famous Chernigov prince Mstislav Vladimirovich the Brave won in long internecine wars and began to significantly expand his possessions. His lands stretched from Sivershchina to the North Caucasus. At this time, in the territory of the Day City, or Detinets, as it is now called, began to build a very large prince's court. In this complex the central building was the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, whose history is inextricably linked with the history of Kievan Rus.

It is known that in the same year his founder died. At the time of his death, the walls of the church, as the chroniclers testify, were already raised to a height of four meters.

Completed in the reign of Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, the amazingly beautiful Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Chernigov became the main shrine of this land. It is here that many rare miraculous icons are stored, relics of saints rest.

After the death of Prince Brave, its founder, the construction of the cathedral removed all the masters. They were transferred to the construction of the church of St. Sofia of Novgorod. Therefore, the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov was completed only in the middle of the eleventh century.

Value

For almost nine centuries it was a cathedral for the local diocese. He was considered the center of state and public life. Under his vaults are buried many princes and spiritual lords. Here relics of Prince Mstislav the Brave, as well as Svyatoslav Yaroslavovich and his sons Gleb and Oleg are buried. In 1246, the holy martyrs Mikhail and Fyodor were buried here. However, in 1572, according to the decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the relics were transported to Moscow.

Some researchers believe that it was here that Prince Igor was buried - the hero of "The Lay of Igor's Host". He ruled Chernigov from 1198 to 1201-ies. Here the hierarchs of the local diocese Lazar Baranovich and Ambrose Dubkevich are buried. In the era of ancient Russia in the cathedral was one of the most, perhaps, revered in Russia icons - the Smolensk icon of the Mother of God, or Odigitria. True, after a while Vladimir Monomakh moved the shrine to Smolensk.

General form

The Savior-Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, whose plan demonstrates a large enough by ancient Russian standards - 18.25x27 meters - a three-nave structure with three apses and six pillars, has been repeatedly reconstructed. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, for example, two turrets were built on it. And only after that the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov got its present form.

The facade along the perimeter is composed of an extremely elegant masonry, made of brick hidden by a number. It is decorated with original pilasters, and in the first tier - almost flat, whereas in the second - profiled.

Spatial planning, which has the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov (photo brought home by everyone who comes to the city), is truly unique. Such an original construction is not possessed by any ancient Russian temple.

As a result of the excavations, it was revealed that small chapels were attached to the main building along the eastern corners, which have not survived to this day. And today the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, photo of which is the proof, stands without them.

Not preserved and the round tower, adjacent to the north side to the porch. From her led to the choir staircase. And from the south was originally attached trehapsidnaya church, which was baptized. In addition, when in 1239 the cathedral was almost destroyed during the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars, domes and vaults fell.

Architectural solution

The Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, whose style is a mix of the scheme of the cross-domed Byzantine church with some elements of the Romanesque basilica, is unusually beautiful. In the process of its construction, the masters used the technology of mixed masonry. At the same time, along with the plinth-characteristic for ancient Russian architecture, a thin baked brick - a natural stone was used. Architects who studied the principle and technology of erection, with admiration, note that the constructive decision of the cathedral is surprisingly clear, almost ideal.

The influence of time

For its almost thousand-year history, this ancient cultural monument has undergone numerous destruction and perestroika. In the years when Chernigov was captured by the army of Khan Meng in 1239, the cathedral was completely plundered. According to legend, it was here that the last defenders of the fallen city were closed, defending themselves. The defense of Chernigov was headed by Prince Mstislav. His wife, in order not to be in the hands of the enemy, threw herself out of the windows of the red tower of the cathedral.

The episcopal chair was moved from Chernigov to the city of Bryansk. And only in 1675 - under Archbishop Lazar Baranoviche - restoration work began. Then the apses were built.

Reconstruction

The next major rebuilding of the church was carried out in 1791-1798, after a fire, when the building was badly damaged. It was at this time that many Old Russian murals were lost.

Chroniclers write that in 1783 in Chernigov was the passage of Potemkin, who was very much interested in this cathedral. And as a result of his request for repairs, enough funds were allocated. However, unfortunately, perestroika has done more harm to the temple. She caused such damage, which even all previous destruction could not inflict.

Then on the sides of the cathedral were attached two peaked towers. This gave the cathedral a certain similarity with the church. In addition, they served as a sundial.

Interior

In the interior of the cathedral, you can feel the solemn and strict combination of verticals and contours. Especially it is worth noting very ancient relicts, such as frescoes and reliefs on parapets of choirs, as well as originally laid columns. Unfortunately, not all of the pre-Mongolian decoration of the church has survived, but what has come down to us is saved fragmentarily and looks far from the best. The main part of the interior murals was destroyed by fire in the middle of the eighteenth century.

The famous fresco "Equal to the Apostles Fekla" was removed in the 30s by the Bolsheviks, then it was destroyed during the Second World War. The rest of the few, but very ancient murals, are spotted from under the faintly discernible frescoes of the nineteenth century. It turns out that the interior of the cathedral was painted again in 1820, and half a century later it was renewed. That's when the ancient drawings died.

As a result of research inside the cathedral, residual pieces of sex made at different times were found. The original cover consisted of slate plates, on which was an incised drawing filled with mosaic. One of its main elements are concentric circles. Originally, the floor was lined with ceramic tiles inside the altar. However, already in the twelfth century it was replaced by smooth slate blocks. Of special value in the cultural and historical aspect are the slate reliefs on the parapets of the choirs.

In the interior, the elongated room is superbly combined with the two-tiered interior arcades, which soar into the dome space. Throughout their length, wooden decks for the northern and southern choruses were originally built. They strengthened the horizontal division of the interior. Such arcades are more characteristic of the Byzantine architecture of that era. However, they were rare in the times of Kievan Rus. And this is one of the characteristic features that the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Chernigov is famous for, which, in the splendor of its decoration, was not inferior in any way to the well-known priests' churches.

Features

There is an opinion that the builders of the temple repeated to some extent the scheme of the Church of the Desyatinna - the first stone church of the Old Russian state. In addition, it was suggested that the craftsmen who created the cathedral in Chernigov and Kiev's Sophia were members of a Byzantine artel.

For a long time there was an ancient custom: flags of city defenders were hung in the temple. Since the beginning of the last century Cossack flags have been exhibited there, as well as eighteen flags of the Chernigov militia during the Napoleonic war and eleven times of the Crimean War.

Shrines

A lot of liturgical objects have survived in the sacristy. Some of them are donated to the church by townspeople and are of great value. Among them, the Gospel's salary is a unique jeweler's work with relief images.

It is known that in the altar was a silver gilded two-tier sarcophagus weighing sixteen kilograms. During his stay in Chernigov in 1787, Empress Catherine II presented the church with an ancient cross and a catholic chair, as well as many ancient vestments.

The main shrines that were kept here until 1917 were the relics of Metropolitan Konstantin and Prince Igor Olgovich. They were buried under the walls of the temple. In addition, the relics of St. Theodosius of Uglitsky, the Archbishop of Chernigov, were also kept here, which were lying open in a silver crayfish weighing about two and a half centners.

Here one of the most cherished icons in Chernigov, the Mother of God of Ripkin, was also kept. But the most famous is the Hodegetria. In the times of Kievan Rus, this relic in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov was brought by the daughter of Emperor Constantine, who was married to Prince Vsevolod. Born in this marriage, Vladimir Monomakh since 1097 was the ruler of Smolensk, where he rebuilt the temple. Having finished it, he transported this icon from Chernigov. And since then she began to be called Smolensk. It is said that thanks to her, Khan Baty in 1239 could not take the city.

Temple today

Throughout its existence, the Transfiguration Cathedral in Chernigov, the schedule of divine services in which all parishioners know today, was a place that not only ordinary ordinary Christians, but also aristocrats, members of the royal family who ruled the Russian empire, Was Ukraine. The temple belongs to the cultural-historical protected monuments. The study of its history and architectural features continued until recently. Currently, the Transfiguration Cathedral is operating and protected by the state, it is part of the historical reserve called "Chernigov the Ancient".