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Chernihiv
Dytynets’ (Citadel) (Val (Rampart)
 Dytynets’
(Citadel) or Kremlin was inner, mostly reinforced part of ancient
cities of Kyiv Rus’. The name was most probably originated from the
old rus’ expression meaning “being situated in the middle of the
city”. It was a political-administrative center, inner city where
prince’s court, garrison were situated, where boyars (nobles) and
clergymen lived. Therefore
Dytynets’ (Citadel) was well fortified: earthwork rampart with
wall, moats and so on. The rest of inhabitants: craftsmen, merchants
and others lived in a so called outer city.
Ancient
Chernihiv Dytynets’ (Citadel) is situated on a headland in the
interflow of the Desna and the Stryzhen’ rivers. Situated on the
crossroads of main natural directions it
occupies predominant position over the neighbouring landscape. Such
a disposition of Dytynets’ (Citadel) provided the most favourable
conditions for controlling the neighbourhoods and visual contacts
with them. That’s why the territory of Dytynets’ (Citadel) was
the most convenient place for settlement in ancient times.
Archeological
excavations on the territory of Chernihiv Dytynets’ (Citadel)
started more than 100 years ago
(T.V. Kybal’chych, D.Ya. Samokvasov and others). More than 10
thousand sq. meters have been uncovered since the beginning of the
exploration. The excavations opened the remains of 4 temples, a terem
(a tower-like building for prince’s family), 2 front gates, dozens
of dwellings, manufacturing and household buildings were studied, the
remains of fortifications were explored, 7 jewelry treasures were
found, a great collection of findings was gathered. In its time of
prosperity – the first half of the 13th
century, total length of Dytynets’ (Citadel) fortifications was
1600 meters and the square – 16 ha.
The
headland in the mouth
of the Stryzhen’ river had been for the first time mentioned at the
beginning of our epoch and that was later proved by the findings of
Zarubynes’ka ceramics. Findings of Roman coins of those times also
prove that.
A
new stage of development was in 7th-8th
centuries. The settlement situated here was rather big in area. Its
southern part was fortified. The rest of the headland was an
agricultural area.
The
period of Old Rus’ state formation (end of the 9th-10th
centuries) is represented at the Dytynets’ (Citadel) by findings of
All-Rus’ types (half-dugout dwellings with pise-walled ovens and
early-pottery ceramics, weapon, armed force antiquities and so on).
In 80-90s of the 10th
century Chernihiv Dytynets’ (Citadel) like most of Old Rus’
centers of the Middle Dnipro regions was greatly reconstructed still
occupying South-Eastern part of the city (6 ha). Outside the
fortification line city building continued displaying the elements of
town planning. Pagan pagoda was situated to the north-west of the
settlement.
In
1024 Chernihiv became the capital of the principality and a new stage
of development began. Mstyslav Volodymyrovych started building the
prince yard and Spas’kyi
(Our Savior) Cathedral, the fortified area reached 10.5 ha. Around
Borys and Hlib Cathedral a bishop’s yard was formed in the 12th
century to which an entrance gate led.
The
north-eastern part of
the headland, after remaining for a long time outside the Dytynets’
(Citadel), entered its borders in the second half of the 12th
century when prince yard was moved to the bank of the Stryzhen’. In
the 10th-11th
cent. a common town housing system had existed there. Beginning from
the 70s of the 10th
century houses were replaced by temple-sepulcher and cemetery
(10th-12th
cent.)
In
the last third of the 12th
century a new prince yard grew on the northern slope, another
architectural complex was formed. In 1174 the building of
Mykhailivs’ka and in 1186 – Blahovischens’ka (the Annunciation)
churches started. At the beginning of the 13th
century the entrance to the prince yard was beautified by a stone
gateway with a church.
During
the recent excavations some economic buildings of the 12th-13th
centuries were opened at the territory of the prince yard – a mead
brewery and a mill.
A
significant part of its majestic historic-cultural heritage was lost
in 1239 when Chernihiv was captured by Mongol army led by khan Mengu.
After the weeks of battles Mongols rushed into the city, killed many
inhabitants, destroyed dwellings and religious buildings.
For
a certain time
Chernihiv was experiencing a period of decline and loss of former
military and economic power it had had being the center of the
biggest of Kyiv Rus’ principalities. Soon a strategic location of
Chernihiv-Sivers’kyi region attracted attention of neighbouring
states. Lithuania, Poland and Moscow state became an active
competition of many centuries for Chernihiv region. Chernihiv went
through severe trials: Lithuanian expeditions (1278,
1362, 1404), Polish
expeditions (1471,
1604, 1610, 1618),
Russian troops expeditions (1503,
1633), Crimean Tartars
raids 1482,
1483).
Each administration, having occupied the city, tried to turn it into
their own fortress. Chernihiv fortress consisted of some lines of
strong fortifications: earthwork rampart, moats, wooden walls with
fighting towers, underground passage which led to the Desna river,
gangways. The fortress was well armed including cannons.
At
last in the middle of the 18th
century home policy factors, particularly national self-consciousness
rise, Cossacks appearance etc, let the Chernihivites influence the
situation themselves. In 1648, as Liberation war began, Polish
administration and garrison were driven off the city. All further
attempts of Polish-Lithuanian troops to capture the city were
unsuccessful.
On
becoming a regimental
center the city began reconstruction, monumental building started at
the fortress. In the center of the 18th
century the territory of former Dytynets’ (Citadel) was densely
built up with housing and administrative buildings. Huge temples, a
market place and a cemetery were situated there. Laid of bricks house
of Colonel Ya. Lyzohub was built in the 90th.
Colonel was the hero of Turkey fortress Azov assault in 1696 and
financed St. Catherine’s Church construction to honour Cossacks
perished in the siege. Besides, a laid of bricks monastery refectory
was built near the Borys and Hlib Cathedral in the end of the 18th
century over which a two-tier tower with a belfry and Ioann Bohoslov
church were erected. That was the beginning of Chernihiv Collegium.
The
building is interesting both for its architectural-spatial
composition, sculptural dйcor, planning and the history of
construction as it was the first secondary educational establishment
in Left-Bank Ukraine.
Collegium
appeared owing to the
efforts of Kyiv-Mohyla Collegium alumni Chernihiv archbishops
L.Baranovych and I.Maksymovych and financial support of hetman
I.Mazepa. The establishment where languages and sciences were taught
was all-class and multinational. It existed from 1700 to 1786, gave
many educated people, famous medical men of the 18th
century in particular. In 1786 it was reorganized into a theological
college.
Gradually,
terrible and violent war times moved away. The need
for a fortress disappeared and it was reorganized in 1799. The
garrison was disbanded, the fortifications were demolished, the
armaments were almost completely carried out. Instead, cannons at
the Citadel remained to protect an ancient city, and the memory about
glorious and heroic past of our ancestors.
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