The masterpiece of ancient Kiev — Sophia Cathedral — rises majestically and solemnly above the surrounding architecture. It was built in 1037-1046 in the times of Yaroslav the Wise and was the compositional center of the city of Yaroslav. Due to its location on the highest point of the Starokievsky plateau, the cathedral was visible not only from the highland Kiev, but also from the Transdnieper region and Pechersk.
In architectural plan it is a large five-nave cross-domed church with a characteristic centric composition: the length of its central part is almost equal to the width, on three sides it was surrounded by open arcades of galleries. The solemn appearance of the Cathedral is especially evident in the interior, which is decorated with golden and multicolored mosaics, skillfully executed fresco paintings on religious and secular themes, works of decorative art, marble columns and bas-reliefs (a type of sculpture in which the convex image protrudes above the background plane not more than half of the volume). Covered by a system of vaults and arches, different in height and area, the rooms of St. Sophia of Kiev created a variety of picturesque perspectives. The cathedral was crowned by 13 masterfully executed domes of parabolic shape. The central dome, surrounded by rows of 8 smaller domes located below, crowned the main part of the cathedral. Four medium-sized domes were above the altars, and the rest — above the corners of the western part of the temple.
For several centuries Sophia Cathedral was the center of religious, cultural and political life of the country. On its territory was founded the first Old Russian library. For a long time the cathedral served as a burial place for the princes of Kiev.
After the invasion of the Mongol Tatars in 1240, St. Sophia Cathedral was thoroughly looted and gradually began to deteriorate and in the XVI century came to the final desolation. And only in the XVII century, on the instructions of Peter Mohyla, restoration work began here under the direction of the Italian architect Octaviano Mangini. Roofs and domes were repaired, galleries were covered with single-pitched roofs, and the building itself was decorated with Renaissance details. The works continued until the 40s of the XVII century, but were not completed. And at the end of the XVII-XVIII century the cathedral is rebuilt anew. The six main domes were changed, giving them a pear-shaped form. The cathedral acquires a look characteristic of the architectural style of Ukrainian Baroque XVIII century.
The modern Sophia of Kiev is an outstanding monument not only of Old Russian, but also of world culture. Crossing the threshold of the Cathedral, as if you get into another world, here the rhythm of movement stops and solemn calm and peace reigns.