SPASO-PREOBRAZHENS’KYI
(OUR SAVIOUR TRANSFIGURATION ) CATHEDRAL
Spaso-Preobrazhens’kyi Cathedral is
one of the most ancient temples of Ukraine-Rus’. It is situated in
the historic area of Chernihiv, in the center of former Dytynets’
(Citadel). It was the main architectural dominant f the city. Thanks
to high towers flanking the back façade
it is still playing the role of an important dominant.
Building of the cathedral started approximately in 1033-1034 by the
order of first chronically-known Chernihiv prince Mstyslav
Volodymyrovych. Chronicles first mention “the church of Holy
Saviour” in 1036 when prince Mstyslav suddenly died. By that time
the walls of the cathedral had been built as high as the equestrian
standing in the stirrups with hands up (nearly 4 meters). Probably
the building stopped after Mstyslav’s death and the cathedral was
built up during the rule of the next Chernihiv prince – Svyatoslav
Yaroslavych.
Our Saviour Cathedral was built
according to Byzantium architectural traditions. Architectural
experts call the planning-spatial decision unique as none of known
Old Rus’ temples has suchlike construction. Byzantium cross-dome
scheme is combined with elements of Roman basilica.
So-called mixed masonry (a combination
of plinth and natural stone) which had been borrowed from Byzantium
was used for building. The facades of the Cathedral are ornamented
with tracery made of bricks during the brickwork – meanders,
wickerwork, crosses. The combination of brick ornaments, plinth layer
masonry and natural stone with wide stripes of mortar gave the
facades of the Cathedral special solemnity and picturesqueness. A
round tower was attached to the western
façade from the northern side inside which a spiral staircase led to
the gallery of the Cathedral. There prince with his closest
entourage stayed during the liturgy. A wooden floor of the gallery
burnt up during the fire in the middle of the 18th century
and it has not been reconstructed ever since. After the temple had
been built a baptistery (small one-dome church for the purpose of
baptizing) was attached to the south-western corner of the temple (it
has been ruined).
Special attention was paid to the inner
ornamentation of the temple. In old times the interior was richer and
more beautiful than today. Walls and vaults were decorated with
fresco painting; the floor made of carved slate plates (pink slate)
was ornamented with colourful mosaic. Today we can see fragments of
old frescos, carved slate parapets of the gallery and massive columns
which hide inside them the remains of original white-marble columns.
Nowadays the main attraction in the
temple is a baroque iconostasis made in the end of the 18th
century in the place of a previous one damaged by the fire of 1750.
During the next repairs a damaged by fire baptistery was taken to
pieces and a round in a foundation tower symmetrical to a northern
one was built. Both towers were crowned with high steeples and the
shape of domes was slightly changed. At the beginning of the 19th
century big tambours were attached to the temple after which it got
its modern look. The Cathedral has been princes’ burial vault since
old times. In 1036 its founder prince Mstyslav Volodymyrovych was
entombed there as well as his wife Anastasia and son Yevstaphiy.
Princes Svyatoslav Yaroslavych, Hlib Svyatoslavych (1078), Oleh
Svyatoslavych (1115) were buried there. In 1150 Svyatoslav Ol’hovych
brought the relics of prince-monk Ihor Ol’hovych killed in 1147
and later canonized to Chernihiv Our Saviour Cathedral. The heroes of
“The Song of Ihor's Campaign” princes Vsevolod Svyatoslavych and
Yaroslav Vsevolodovych found their last shelter there. Written
sources told us that up to 1572 the relics of Chernihiv prince
Mykhailo killed in the Horde had been kept in the Cathedral before
being taken to Moscow Kremlin. Since 1896 the Cathedral became the
location of the relics of St. Theodosiy Chernihivs’kyi.
Our Saviour Cathedral has always been
the main sanctuary of Chernihiv-Sivers’kyi land, its
social-political center. In the times of Kyiv Rus’ treaties were
signed and prince’s orders were announced here. In 1814 the
standards of Chernihiv regiments which had participated in the war
against Napoleon were set up there and in 1856 – the standards that
had glorified in the battles of the Crimean war 1853-1856. The temple
was so honoured, that all monarchs and Emperor’s family members who
visited Chernihiv certainly visited it not saying about different
high priests and other outstanding people.
Beginning since the 19th
century the monument has been deeply explored by historians,
architects, archeologists.
Now Spaso-Preobrazhens’kyi Cathedral
is a part of national architectural-historic park “Ancient
Chernihiv” and at the same time an active temple of Ukrainian
Orthodox Church.
