List of buildings of pre-Mongol Rus
This is a complete list of the currently existing buildings created in the Kievan Rus before the Mongol invasions of the 1230s. The vast majority of these buildings are churches. Only three secular buildings survived from the period.
Most of the churches were completely rebuilt over the years and lost some of essential features of the Old Rus architecture. Some were destroyed in the 20th century and then replicas were built years later. These churches are included in the list. Churches which were destroyed and subsequently rebuilt without any attempts of scientific reconstruction (the Assumption Church of Virgin Pirogoshcha and the Saint Michael Cathedral of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, both in Kiev) are not included.
The list is organized geographically, roughly corresponding to the main principalities of the Kievan Rus. Inside these divisions, the entries are sorted by the date of the first creation.
Kiev Land
Bib |
Name |
Location |
Creation year |
Comments |
Photo |
Category on Commons |
1. |
The Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev |
Kiev |
1017—1022 or before 1037[1] |
One of the two oldest survived buildings of the Kievan Rus.[1] The exterior was considerably modified in the 17th and 18th centuries. |
|
Category |
2. |
The Golden Gate, Kiev |
Kiev |
1037 |
By 1982, the gate was a ruin, and, with the exception of the lowest parts of the walls, it was reconstructed in 1982. |
|
Category |
3. |
The Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra |
Kiev |
1073—1089 |
Destroyed in 1941, reconstructed in 2000. The exterior was considerably altered in the 18th century. |
|
Category |
4. |
The Trinity Church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra |
Kiev |
ca 1106 |
The exterior was considerably altered in the 18th century. |
|
|
5. |
The Saint Michael Church of the Vydubychi Monastery |
Kiev |
1070—1088 |
Only the western side. |
|
|
6. |
The Church of the Saviour at Berestove of the St. Cyril's Monastery |
Kiev |
Beginning of the 11th century |
Only the western side. |
|
Category |
7. |
The Saint Cyril Church of the St. Cyril's Monastery |
Kiev |
1140—1146 |
Exterior was strongly altered. |
|
|
7. |
The Saint George Church |
Kaniv |
1144 |
Exterior altered. |
|
|
9. |
The Saint Basil Church |
Ovruch |
ca 1190 |
Collapsed in 1846, restored in 1907-09. |
|
|
Chernigov Land
Bib |
Name |
Location |
Creation year |
Comments |
Photo |
Category on Commons |
1. |
The Transfiguration Cathedral |
Chernihiv |
Before 1036[1] |
One of the two oldest survived buildings of the Kievan Rus.[1] The exterior was considerably modified in the 17th and 18th centuries. |
|
Category |
2. |
The Cathedral of Saint Boris and Saint Gleb |
Chernihiv |
Between 1097 and 1123 |
|
|
Category |
3. |
The Assumption Cathedral of Yeletsky Monastery |
Chernihiv |
Early 12th century |
Exterior was considerably altered. |
|
|
4. |
The Saint Iliya Church |
Chernihiv |
Early 12th century |
Exterior was considerably altered. |
|
|
5. |
The Pyatnytska Church |
Chernihiv |
Early 13th century |
Considerably damaged during World War II, subsequently restored. |
|
|
Pereyaslavl Land
Bib |
Name |
Location |
Creation year |
Comments |
Photo |
Category on Commons |
1. |
The Saint Michael Church |
Oster |
1098? |
Destroyed, only the apse survived. |
|
|
Novgorod Land
Vladimir-Suzdal Land
Smolensk Land
Bib |
Name |
Location |
Creation year |
Comments |
Photo |
Category on Commons |
1. |
The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul on Gorodyanka |
Smolensk |
1146 |
Restored in 1963 |
|
Category |
2. |
The Church of Saint John the Evangelist |
Smolensk |
1146 |
Only walls survived, everything else was rebuilt in the 18th century. |
|
|
3. |
The Saint Michael Church |
Smolensk |
1180-1197 |
The roof was altered. |
|
Category |
Polotsk Land
Grodno Land
Volyn Land
Bib |
Name |
Location |
Creation year |
Comments |
Photo |
Category on Commons |
1. |
The Assumption Cathedral |
Volodymyr-Volynskyi |
1160 |
Collapsed in 1829, rebuilt in 1896-1900. |
|
Category |
Galich Land
Bib |
Name |
Location |
Creation year |
Comments |
Photo |
Category on Commons |
1. |
The Saint Panteleimon Church |
Halych |
ca 1200 |
Rebuilt in 1611 with considerable modifications |
|
|
References
Notes
Sources