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St. Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery Photo By Rbrechko – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery

St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery is a monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine. It is on the edge of the bank of Dnieper River and faces Saint Sophia Cathedral in the South West. It was built in 1108-1113.

The monastery comprises of the Cathedral church, the monastery belltower, economic gates,  and the Refectory of St. John the Divine. It served as home to as many as 240 monks and the Bishop of Chernihiv in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Its  Cathedral was reduced to ruins by the Soviets in 1936 and converted to an open field for over 5 decades! Some of the mosaics that remained during the demolition were acquired by museums in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

The monastery was later reconstructed and over 200 valuable ancient artifacts were recovered. It was completed in May 2000 and consecrated by Saint Barbara and Saint Catherine. It was made the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018 and is currently used as the headquarters of the Metropolitan of Kyiv and Ukraine.

1. Its Interior And Exterior Architectural Designs Are Over A Thousand Years Apart

Interior St. Michael Golden Dome. Photo By Andrew Milligan sumo – Wikimedia Commons

The Monastery incorporated 2 architectural styles in its design. Byzantine Architecture in the interior of the building and Baroque Design on the exterior.

Byzantine architecture originated from Eastern Roman Empire in 330 AD. It is characterized by exotic high-riding domes, golden mosaics, and thin marble plate interior finishing. The interior of St. Michael has the finest quality of shimmering mosaics and frescoes in Kyivan Rus.

Ukrainian Baroque design is a combination of local architecture and European Baroque. It became popular in the 17^th and 18^th Centuries. St. Michael Monastery is a representation of the typical architectural design with a gilded dome-shaped roof and stucco walls.

2. St. Michael Monastery Was Built As A Form Of Commemoration Of Territorial Rule

The church was assumed to have been built as a form of commemoration of Svyatopolk II Iziaslavych after his 2-year rule (1069-1071) in Polotsk. He maintained the rights to the Polotsk throne until 1071 when it was reclaimed by Vseslav.

Sviatopolk commissioned the church in 1100 and named it after his Christian name, Michael. Michael the Archangel is a Christian representation of war victories. The cathedral has a sculpture of St. Michael on the top of the monastery.

3. It Was Named Golden Dome Since It Was The First Gilded Monastery In Kiev

St. Michael is one of the oldest monasteries in Kievan Rus. It was the first church to have a roof covered with gold paint hence its name Golden Dome. It was enlarged in the 16^th century and became one of the most popular and wealthy monasteries in Ukraine.

In 1713, all churches of the monastery were reconstructed using the Baroque Style. This saw an increase in gilded rooftops.

4. The Good Luck Ornaments From St. Michael Monastery Were Believed To Be A Form Of Protection From Death

St. Michael monastery was one of those parts of Ukraine that were not affected by the plague and cholera epidemics. For this reason, ornaments that were blessed at the monastery were believed to be a form of protection from illnesses, sudden death, and witchcraft.  

The Bubonic Plague epidemic of 1771 originated in Moldovan and spread through central Russia and Ukraine. In the 19^th Century, Europe and North America were hit by a cholera epidemic assumed to have come from India. It spread throughout Asia and around the world.

5. It Was Demolished Because Of The Lack Of Historical Value

The uncertainty pertaining to the actual age of the cathedral was brought about by its alleged reconstruction that preserved little of the original Byzantine design. It was in 1930 when the Soviet publications brought this to light.

4 years later, the Cathedral was studied by the Institute of Material Culture of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. The study did ascertain that the lack of artistic value concluded that the monastery belonged primarily to the 17^th century instead of the 12^th century as earlier believed.

The consensus by the local historians, archaeologists, and architects to demolish the church was met with only 1 opposing professor, Mykola Makarenko who was repressed and shot in Soviet Prison.

6. Recovered Items From The Demolished Cathedral Were Confiscated By the Germans During World War 11

Leningrad Academy of Fine Arts began working on the removal of the cathedral mosaics in 1934. Since the demolition was urgent, the project was incomplete and some of the mosaics were left unremoved.

During World War II (1939-1945), the Nazis took the items that were left in Kyiv after the demolition of the Cathedral. They were taken to Germany, and found their way to the United States of America but were later returned to Moscow after years of deliberation between Ukraine and Russia.

The Cathedral’s silver royal gates, reliquary, and other valuables were sold abroad while the cathedral iconostasis was destroyed.

7. The Location Of The Demolished Cathedral Was Transformed Into A Sports Complex After Several Failed Designs

Tennis Racket and Ball. Photo By hansmarkutt –

The construction of the Capital Centre was to take place in 1938 at the parcel that previously contained the cathedral but the architectural designs didn’t satisfy the authoritative bodies. The proposed plans were not implemented hence converting the space to a sports facility that hosted tennis and volleyball.

The current Ministry of Foreign Affairs was built before World War II and was the first building completed on the former monastery grounds.

8. The Existing St. George Cathedral Was Constructed Based On Past Images and The Previous Monastery Foundation Found During Excavation

St. Michael Golden Dome Monastery. Photo By Suicasmo – Wikimedia Commons

The plans for the reconstruction of the Cathedral were brought up in 1970 but were considered after Ukraine gained its independence. The Ukrainian government recognized the cathedral was a crucial part of cultural heritage and implemented the plans in 1997.

Part of the former cathedral was also recovered during the excavation and is incorporated in the new building as an underground stone chamber. The architects used past reference photos to mimic the original interior and exterior of the cathedral.

9. The Belltower At The Cathedral Uses Melodies Of Famous Ukrainian Composers As Its Chiming Tune

Bell Tower at St. Michael’s Monaster. Photo By Maksym Kozlenko – Wikimedia Commons

The Belltower at the monastery was restored in 1716 and is used as an observation platform. The original chiming clock was replaced by an electric clock that sings out melodies of famous music creators from Ukraine.

10. The Refectory Church of St. John is the Only Building That Survived The 1930 Demolition

Refectory of St. John the Divine, St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery. Photo By Andrew Milligan sumo – Wikimedia Commons

The existing refectory replaced its former wooden structure in 1713. It was the only building that was not destroyed by the soviets and maintained its interior until 1976 when it was restored.

The rectangular brick building in the monastery serves as the communal meal room complete with a dining hall, several kitchens, and pantries.