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ST.
CATHERINE CHURCH
This mon ument to the past is located in the central part of historic
town near the Dytynets, in the view of Zemlyakiv avenue and
Kyiv-Chernihiv motorway. It is one of the leading architectural
dominants of the city.
It was built in honor of heroism of Chernihiv regiment Cossacks
showed up during the assault of turkey fortress Azov in 1696 under
the commandment of Chernihiv colonel Yakiv Lyzohub. The church was
sanctified in 1715 in honor of St. Katherine, who had been respected
in Ukraine for a long time.
St. Catherine church hasn’t had great changing. In 1837 the narthex
was built to the western façade
of the church and the bell tower was erected in 1908 (both
were taken apart during the restoration in 1951). It suffered losses
in 1941 – 1943 (roofs and the tops of domes were burnt). The
restoration works were conducted into 2 phases: 1947 – 1955; 1975 –
1980.
The church is made of bricks, it is cross-shaped, nine-fraction,
five-dome. The composition is centrical, pyramidally built: with the
highest central dome, and lower ones – over the faceted sleeves of
architectural cross. So, its composition reminds a wooden Ukrainian
church with five octahedral capacities – octahedrons each crowned
with dome combined in one plastic unity. Thanks to such pyramidal
construction the church looks tender, elegant and solemn.
The facades are a characteristic feature of the church. The main role
in their decoration is played by portal and windows margins:
triangular pediments, frames, shallow-cut cornices. Modelled
ornamentation is not used in the church, common and circle brick,
which replaced plinth, is used both as building and ornamental
material. The facades are plastered and limed.
The characteristic feature of the interior is its opening upwards. It
is a five-chamber pillarless temple crowned by five domes. The top is
designed in traditional Ukrainian style – with fractures. The walls
are whitewashed. The domes and crosses are gilded
St. Catherine church in Chernihiv is the greatest monument of
Ukrainian (Cossack) renaissance of the XVII-XVIII centuries, which
has authentically remained; it produced decisive influence on the
development of Ukrainian church architecture of the XVIII century and
it still plays the role of city building dominant of the historic
part of the town. | 
