Kiev Pechersk Lavra

Kiev Pechersk Lavra- one of the first of the founding of monasteries in Rusia covering nearly 30 hectares. Its territory is about one hundred buildings, 42 of which are unique. Most of the buildings of the Monastery dates from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and are a perfect example of Ukrainian Baroque style in architecture. Pechersk monastery Orthodox world has given one hundred and fifty holy ascetics, preserving incorrupt remains of 119 of them in their caves as sacred in some caches!
 The name "Cave" comes from the word "cave", which were found in this territory, and settled first in which the monks. The architectural complex of the monastery, and now makes a grand impression. On a sunny day, the reflections of numerous domes and bell towers dazzle the eye. Until the mid-twentieth century, the Great Lavra Bell Tower was the tallest building in Kiev.

 On the territory of the monastery are many museums and exhibitions. For example, in the museum you can see the jewelry collection of priceless historical treasures the times of Kievan Rus. In the Near and Far Caves Monastery lie incorrupt relics of the saints of God, as the abbey is the burial and the laity (for example, the grave of Pyotr Stolypin).
 Kiev Pechersk Lavra is divided into two parts: the upper and lower. Upper Lavra - a territory of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve. In this part of the monastery are four gates: Western (Holy Trinity to the gates of the church gate), Northern (Economic gates to the church of All Saints), East and South (or cave). In the Lower Lavra is a functioning monastery, located Near and Far Caves.
 Directly adjacent to the gates of the Holy Trinity Gate (Trehsvyatitelskaya) Church. It is the oldest church in the monastery. It was founded in ancient times, the fortress wall, and served as a watchtower. Since then the church has never been destroyed, and not radically reorganized. The temple looks like a rectangle, and has a very modest size (10 m by 8.9 m). It was built in 1106-1108 years. the means of Chernigov prince Svyatoslav Davidovich, who took vows and became known as the monk Svyatosha.
 Cathedral of the Assumption - The Great Cave Church - is the main church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Cathedral of the Assumption was the first stone structure built in the Caves Monastery, and he was also the most ancient temple of the monastery. Cathedral of Saints is located opposite the gates in the middle of the central square Upper Lavra. According to the Venerable Nestor the Chronicler, the stone church of the Assumption in the Caves Monastery was founded with the blessing of the holy St. Anthony Abbot Theodosius and Bishop Michael in 1072. Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv Lavra Pechesrkoy - veritable pantheon, where buried more than 300 famous people, mostly prominent state, public and cultural figures of the time. It also kept the rare value of the library of Peter Graves, archaeological finds.
 On the move in the direction of the Assumption Cathedral, right, stands the Great Lavra Bell Tower - the tallest tower in Kiev. The height of the bell tower - 96.5 m thickness of the walls of the first tier up to 8m, the foundation lies 7 meters deep!
 Next to the Cathedral of the Assumption, a little behind on the left side is a building housing Kovnirskogo - a monument of architecture of 17-18 centuries. The case is named after the famous Lavra builder Stepan Kovnir. Now, in the case Kovnirovskom the Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine - one of the most interesting museums in Kiev.
 Going up the steep slope, which is located right behind the Cathedral of the Assumption, we fall into the territory of the Lower Lavra. The main attraction for tourists and shrine for the faithful people here are caves in which the relics of the monastery of saints. Log into the next cave covers Church of the Holy Cross, which has not be left to stand too long, and to this day preserved in its original form. North side it is adjacent to the hill, in which the caves are located. Cut out of the temple has three entrances in the Near Caves: From the porch, dining room and the sacristy.

 For the first time the cave mentioned in chronicles in 1051. Dug their monks of the Kiev Caves Monastery. Near and Far Caves became a place of privacy zealots and the burial place of the dead. Among them, Nestor the Chronicler - author of The Tale of Bygone Years, Simon and Polycarp - authors Paterik Caves, painter Alypius, a doctor Agapit, Ilya of Murom, and others. The first burial in the Near Caves of St Anthony was buried in 1073, and in the future - Theodosius in 1074 therefore nearer the cave is now called Anthony, and Long - Feodosievymi. In the Far Caves are three myrrh-streaming head, emitting myrrh.
 Today labyrinths of the Near and Far Caves are a complex system of underground corridors height of 2 - 2.5 m in width and 1.5 m, but many of the much narrower. Caves lie at depths of 5 to 15 m, and, far deeper caves. The length of the Near Caves -313 m, Far - 293 m
 Kiev Pechersk Lavra began life in 1051 Frequent visitors to the cave monastery are Izyaslav, son of Yaroslav the Wise, Kiev, and know, donating funds for the construction of the temple ground and cells when the caves were too tight for the rapidly growing number of the brethren.
 In 1240, during the invasion of Batu, the monastery was ruined. The monks of the Kiev Caves Monastery part were killed, and partly scattered. It is not known how long the continued neglect of the monastery, but in the XIV century. He had already been renewed, and the great church became the burial place of many princely and noble families.
  
September 29, 1926 VUTSIK and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a decree on the "Recognition of the former Kiev Pechersk Lavra Historical and Cultural Reserve and the public about turning it into Ukrainian museum town." In June 1988, in connection with the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Christianity in Russia and the USSR Council of Ministers newly formed Caves monastic community was transferred to the territory of the Far Caves.
 In 1990 the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The community is located in the jurisdiction of the Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), part of the Russian Orthodox Church. More than 43 million tourists from all over the world visited its territory during its existence.