Saint Sophia Cathedral

This cathedral is an Orthodox church at the heart of Kyiv with white outer walls and golden domes in baroque style. The site includes several buildings, a bell tower and a large courtyard with old trees and stone tombs.

Yaroslav the Wise started the construction in the early 11th century to strengthen the city as a Christian power center. The building underwent extensive baroque redesign during the 17th and 18th centuries that shaped its present appearance.

The church walls show over 3000 square meters of old paintings with saint images, secular scenes and royal portraits from the Kyivan Rus period. Visitors recognize Byzantine painting methods and local craft techniques that blend in color choices and arrangement.

The visit includes the main hall, the upper gallery and the adjacent museum with religious exhibits. The rooms connect through staircases, and guided tours help understand the interior layout and symbolism.

Visitors from medieval times scratched inscriptions in Cyrillic script into the walls that now serve as sources for language and daily life. These scribblings appear next to saint images and show names, prayers and personal notes.

Location: Kyiv

Inception: 11 century

Architectural style: Ukrainian Baroque, Viĺnia Baroque

Part of: Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Website: https://st-sophia.org.ua/en/home

GPS coordinates: 50.45278,30.51444

Latest update: December 14, 2025 22:34