Head of Lavra Reserve: Refectory Church is official Russian style

The Refectory Church of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Photo: Lavra website

The head of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve Maksym Ostapenko in an interview with the "Real History" project criticized the architecture of the Refectory Church, consecrated in honor of the Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves.

According to Ostapenko, this is "official Russian church architecture and official Russian style." He reminded that the church was built on the site of a dilapidated Refectory Church that had Ukrainian Baroque architecture. Ostapenko believes that if not for the Bolshevik revolution of 1917, the tendency to replace Ukrainian Baroque churches with "official Russian style" would have continued. "Practically all elements of Ukrainian Baroque would have been destroyed," declared the head of the Reserve.

It should be noted that the Refectory Church was erected in 1893-95 in the Russian-Byzantine style according to the design of academician of architecture V. N. Nikolaev. The architect based his design on Hagia Sophia of Constantinople. The Refectory Church is unique for its enormous 20-meter dome. It is the largest dome in Ukraine that has no internal support. The interior decoration of the Refectory Church was designed by Aleksey Shchusev. The ornamental painting of the church and chambers was executed by outstanding painters Ivan Izhakevich, Grigory Popov, Lakov and others. This is a unique example of Art Nouveau in religious art on the territory of Ukraine.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Ukraine will celebrate the centenary of the destruction of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra by the Bolsheviks.

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