Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
Kyiv, Ukraine
A sprawling monastery complex on the Dnipro hills with golden domes and underground cave passages.
Church, mosque or temple · Ukraine · Kyiv
Saint Sophia Cathedral
An 11th-century cathedral with golden domes, famous for its medieval mosaics and frescoes.
UNESCO World Heritage about 1.5 h
For storytellers
Why Saint Sophia Cathedral matters
Saint Sophia was begun about a thousand years ago, when Kyiv was the centre of a powerful medieval state. Inside, the walls hold original mosaics and frescoes, including a huge figure of the Virgin Mary in the main apse, with a gold background that has glowed for centuries. It is among the oldest and most important Orthodox monuments in Eastern Europe, and is on the World Heritage list.
Talking points
- The cathedral dates from the 11th century.
- Original mosaics and frescoes survive inside.
- It is a World Heritage Site together with the Pechersk Lavra.
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