This temple is located in the center of the ancient city, in the territory of Detinets. Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernigov is a dumb witness to the historical era of the rule of princes in Russia. The temple, which is the personification of true power, harmony and tranquility, attracts many visitors every day. Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernihiv (photos are presented later in the article) is one of the magnificent objects of the National Reserve of Architecture and History. Built as a princely tomb, it now functions as a museum; in addition, sacred music concerts are regularly held here.
About location
The Borisoglebsky Cathedral of Chernihiv (12th century) is located in the old city center. The temple rises on a mountain in a recreation park. Today, a museum of architecture is operating in its premises, which is part of the ancient Chernigov reserve, the administration of which is located nearby, in the building of the Collegium. This building, erected in 1672, in the seventeenth century was part of the Borisoglebsky monastery, which housed the residence of the metropolitans of Chernigov. Address of St. Borisoglebsky Cathedral: Chernihiv, st. Preobrazhenskaya, house number 1.
You can get here from the railway station by buses: No. 12 (get off at the stop at the Hotel Ukraina) or No. 1 (get off at the stop at the Dramteatr). Then you can walk to the Alley of Heroes. You can approach the Borisoglebsky Cathedral using your own transport, moving from the capital along the P67 highway, into which the international highway E95 (M01) passes. For motorists, experts suggest navigating by GPS coordinates: 51 ° 29'21.12``N, 31 ° 18'24.48''E.
About architecture features
The cathedral is an excellent example of the Chernihiv architectural school of the twelfth century. The construction is equipped with one head, the height of which reaches 25 m, six pillars and a cross-shaped dome. The facades of the cathedral are huge walls decorated with half columns topped with a row of white stone capitals. The Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernihiv is unusually powerful and static. For its construction, exclusively high-quality materials were used. The temple is decorated with stone carvings, beautiful relief ornaments. Among the patterns, the most interesting, according to experts, are vegetable, combined with fabulous lace from magic birds and animals. The temple is also noteworthy for the high quality of masonry, elegant carving of white stone capitals. On the facade, the capitals are recreated from modern plexiglass on the model of the original, in the museum you can see fragments of the originals.
Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernigov: history
It is known that the temple was erected on the foundation of a more ancient stone structure, which was rebuilt more than once during its existence. Initially, the Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernigov was created as the tomb of the princes Davidovich and was the main cathedral church. In 1786, by order of Catherine II, he was eliminated.
In the course of its long history, the cathedral has repeatedly burned, collapsed, undergone renovations. In the seventeenth century it was a Dominican church, and during the Soviet era salted vegetables were stored in the church. During the war of 1941-1945. the temple has undergone significant destruction. During the restoration in the post-war years, archaeologists managed to find the architectural elements of the building truly unique - the cornerstone of the portal and two carved capitals. In the process of restoration, the temple was returned to its original old Russian form. The interior of the Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernihiv preserved many old frescoes, a unique inlay of the floor.
It is known that in the seventeenth century the outstanding figures of the Orthodox Church were buried in the church: Feofil Ignatovich, Ambrose Dubnevich, Lazar Baranovich, Saint Theodosius Uglitsky.
Grandson of Yaroslav, the builder of the cathedral
The builder of the cathedral, the main temple of the monastery, in 1120 was the Chernigov prince David, grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. The temple was given a name in honor of the first of all Russian saints - Gleb and Boris. History knows that Gleb is the second name of Prince David, who rules in Chernigov, who was declared a saint for his piety. After death, the prince was buried in Borisoglebsky Cathedral.
During the time of the Commonwealth
In the sixteenth century, the building of the cathedral became the property of Dominican monks who restored it and built a Catholic church here. During the period of the Commonwealth, a bell tower and other monastery buildings were erected in the church. The eastern part was expanded in the building, columns were erected on the facades and windows were made.
The return of Orthodoxy
During the national liberation war, led by Bohdan Khmelnitsky, Orthodoxy was returned to the temple. In 1672, a monastery was established here, serving as the residence of bishops, at the same time the Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernihiv became a cathedral. Having existed a little over a century, the monastery was closed by decree of Empress Catherine II.
About the Royal Doors from the Hetman Mazepa
Among the founders of the cathedral, one cannot but mention the hetman Ivan Mazep. The chased Royal Gates of the iconostasis made of silver have been preserved to this day. Thanks to the assistance of Mazepa, the cathedral received new Royal Gates weighing 56 kilograms, forged at the beginning of the eighteenth century by jewelers of Western Europe from silver and gold. It is known that for the manufacture of gates the craftsmen used material from a silver idol, which was found in 1700 during the construction of the bell tower of the collegium. The gates have survived to our days intact. Their height is 3.45 m. As a unique work of Baroque art, the gates were exhibited in 2008-2009 at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine (Kiev) and at the Ukrainian Museum (New York).
About the Soviet period
The times of militant atheism were distinguished by the fact that the temple (or, rather, its property) aroused the keen interest of the commission on the liquidation of monasteries. Despite the fact that there was active resistance by the public and scientists, in 1930 the Cathedral of St. Boris and Gleb was closed. He removed 14 bells. During the war (in the forties) the temple was significantly destroyed (the original apse and vaults were lost) as a result of a bomb. To return to the construction of architectural forms of the pre-Mongol era in the 1950s, the cathedral was again rebuilt. As a result, all layers of the 17–19th centuries disappeared, the tower was erected, built in the style of unique Ukrainian baroque. During the restoration work, many fragments were restored using modern materials - plexiglass and concrete. The appearance of the temple today is, in fact, a reconstruction of the Russian-Byzantine style of architecture.