National Sanctuary "Sophia of Kyiv"

The National Sanctuary Complex "Sophia of Kyiv" (Ukrainian: Національний заповідник «Софія Київська») is a historic preserve that contains a complex of museums in Kyiv and Sudak and responsible for maintenance and preservation of some of its most precious historic sites.

List of landmarks in the complex

Kyiv

Complex of Saint Sophia Cathedral, prime landmark
Golden Gates, part of Sofia of Kyiv since 1983
St. Cyril's Monastery, created in 1929, was transferred to Sofia of Kyiv in 1965
St Andrew's Church, part of All-Ukrainian Historic Site 1935, it was transferred to Sofia of Kyiv in 1939 and 1968

Crimea

Sudak fortress, created in 1371–1460, became a part of Sofia of Kyiv in 1958

History

In 1934, by the order of the authorities of the Soviet Ukraine, the creation of the cultural preserve (sanctuary) at the site of the Saint Sophia Cathedral likely saved one of the holiest sites in Eastern Europe from destruction during the Soviet-wide anti-religious campaign of the early 1930s. The preserve was established in place of the cathedral of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church that was dissolved in 1930. The museum's responsibilities were gradually expanded to other historic locations of Kyiv.

In 1994, the sanctuary was accorded its current status as being National.

Both St. Andrew and St. Cyril churches are acting. The first church belongs to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, while the other belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and is part of the revived St. Cyril's Monastery.

References

Sophiakievska.org: official Sophia of Kyiv website—(in English)
Kateryna Shchotkina, "An ordinary date of Sophia", Zerkalo Nedeli (The Mirror Weekly), October 16–22, 2006, in Russian, in Ukrainian.

50°27′00″N 30°31′00″E / 50.4500°N 30.5167°E / 50.4500; 30.5167