Founded in the 11th century, Saint Sophia Cathedral gets its name from Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul, Turkey. Saint Sophia is the first heritage site in Ukraine to be inscribed on UNESCO’S World Heritage List.
It was founded by Yaroslav the Wise, a Swedish Viking and ruler of the Kyivan Rus federation. Occupying the region, Yaroslav made Kyiv the capital from 882 AD, which it remained until 1240 AD when the Mongols invaded. Yaroslav is often referred to as the Father of Europe whose many offspring wed into European royal houses. His body is entombed in a white sarcophagus within the cathedral.
The cathedral is a magnificent Byzantine structure, with a high central dome representing Christ surrounded by smaller domes representing the apostles. The arched entrance denotes the heavenly gates through which people enter. The white cathedral is topped with green domes and gilt cupolas.
The interior is richly adorned with mosaics made of shiny gold background with blue, grey, and white accents. All the frescoes date back to the cathedral’s constructions. During the 19th century they were restored with oil paints. A 15-year scholarly study of the cathedral’s hidden passages culminated in a body of works, listing more than 7,000 ancient graffiti dating from the 11th-18th century.
Next to the cathedral is a 250ft (76m) tiered bell tower with a pear-shaped dome in gilded bronze. The light blue exterior wall is decorated in detailed stucco ornaments and bas-reliefs.
The cathedral barely escaped destruction in the 1920s when the government at the time planned to use the grounds for the construction of a “Heroes of Perekop” park. It was saved by the intervention of scientists and historians. However, the cathedral was confiscated from the Orthodox Church in 1934 and designated a secular museum with the majority of visitors being tourists.
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