St Andrew's Church of Kiev
Encyclopedia
The Saint Andrew's Church is a major Baroque
church located in Kiev
, the capital of Ukraine
. The church was constructed in 1747–1754, to a design by the Imperial Russian
architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli
. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a cathedral.
The Saint Andrew's Church overlooks the historic Podil
neighborhood, situated on a steep hill to which the church gave its current name Andriyivska Hill
. It is currently one of four architectural landmarks of Ukraine, which were put down on the List of Mankind Treasures of Five Continents by the world society.
As the church sits atop a hill, foundation problems have been one of the main concerns of preservationists. More recently, the foundation below the church has started to shift, causing some concerns that the church's foundation might collapse. Cracks have already appeared in the foundation, and some of the church's falling decor has been found in neighboring areas.
who is recognized as the "Apostle of "Rus". According to the chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years
," Saint Andrew came to the Dnieper
(Dnipro) River's slopes in the first century A.D. and erected a cross on the current location of the church. He prophesied that the sparsely inhabited area would become a great Christian city. As he predicted, the site arose to become the city of Kiev, a center of the Eastern Orthodox faith.
In 1086, the Grand Prince of Kiev Vsevolod I
constructed a small church, dedicated to the erection of the cross by Saint Andrew. In 1215, Prince Mystyslav of Halych
built the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross nearby. However, the church did not survive after the Mongol invasion
of Kievan Rus'
in 1240. From that point after, wooden churches were constructed in the place where the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross had been located, although, were too destroyed and again replaced with another one. In 1690, a wooden church consecrated to Saint Andrew was moved from the Brethren's cloister in the Podil to the Andriyivska Hill. It too did not last long, only until 1725, when it was pulled down.
The current structure of St. Andrew's Church began when Russian Empress Elizabeth decided to construct a summer residence for herself in Kiev
, consisting of a palace and a church. The palace was to be located in the Pechersk
neighborhood while the church was to be on the Andriyivska Hill. The commencement of construction took place during an official ceremony on September 9, 1744 which consisted of the Empress laying the first three founding stones herself.
The Petersburg Building Chancellery first hired German
architect Johann-Gottfried Schedel and engineer De Bocket to draft out the plans for the church. However, when Schedel presented his project in 1745, the Chancellery rejected it. He was replaced by head architect of the imperial court, Bartolomeo Rastrelli
, who worked out a plan which was closely based on a church of a Saint Petersburg
institute.
The construction itself was conducted by a team of Ukrainian, Russia
n, and foreign masters under the direction of architect Ivan Michurin
, who was previously successful in replacing the older Church of the Resurrection
, on the Women's Market Square (Babiy Torzhok) in Moscow
. Michurin was responsible for carrying out all of the engineering and geological researches of the site and found out that a hard subsoil ground lies at a depth of 13-14 meters and above - made grounds penetrated by subterranean waters. With this information, Michurin developed the construction of a stone foundation and connected it with the two-storied building of the Priest's apartments, planned by Rastrelli.
I. Vlasiev and the Kiev governor-general
M. Leontev were placed in charge of hiring masons, carpenters, and carvers from territories now located in Belarus
, Lithuania
, and Ukraine. White and red bricks for the church were made at the brick fields of the Sophia
, Pechersk
, and Cyril cloisters
. The foundation stone was delivered by the Kiev garrison
soldiers from the neighboring towns of Rzhyschiv
and Bucha
. The wood came from the nearby Puscha-Vodytsia
forests. Also, infantry regiments from Kiev, Chernihiv
, Starodub
, and Poltava
were involved in the church's construction. Apart from workers from the neighboring villages, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra
sent 50 of its best masons to work on the church.
Both the external and internal decoration on the church was carried out at the same time. Cast iron floor slabs were delivered from Moscow. Also, forms were made for the church's windows, doors, walls, and for space under the cupola
. The planned iconostasis
, designed by Rastrelli, was also added. The wood for the iconostasis, altar canopy, pulpit
, and tsar
's place were carved out in Saint Petersburg in order to consume time. The iconostasis' icons were carried out by Petersburg artists. For gilding, 1,028 slabs of gold
were used in the interior.
Although the exterior work was finished in 1754, interior work and decorations were not finished up until 1767. The painters Oleksiy Antropov and I. Vyshniakov painted the church's paintings, and the fresco
es were done by Ukrainian masters I. Romenskyi and I. Chaikovskyi. A planned ramp that was to be installed to provide access to the church, was later changed to a wooden staircase due to the steepness of the hill. The wooden ramp was later (in 1844) changed to a cast iron
one.
, and there is no bell tower
to call the congregation to divine service. But she died before the construction ended, so the church was never cared for by Elizabeth. After her death, the imperial court took no interest in the church, and the church was left without any funding. For some time, the church existed off of private and voluntary funds, from people such as Andrey Muraviov.
Later on, the church was handed down to the Kiev Council in 1768. The Kiev City Duma
took control over the church, and later reorganized into the Kiev Council in 1785. In 1815, a strong storm tore off the church's cupolas. After the storm, the church was in need of a full restoration. In the next year, architect A. Melensky made a plan of the building's facade and sent them for consideration to Saint Petersburg
. In 1825-1828, the St. Andrew's Church was restored, based on Melensky's plans. The red mission tiles
was replaced by metal, resulting in the fact that the cupolas lost some decor and changed their form.
From 1917 to 1953, many restorations were conducted on the foundations of the St. Andrew's Church. In addition, the restoration of the church's facade
, interior, and decor was also conducted. From the time of the church's opening till 1932, when the Soviet
Council ordered that the church be closed down, regular services were held. In 1935, the St. Andrew's Church was included into the Historical and Cultural Conservation "All-Ukraine Museum Area." For some time after 1939, the Kiev St. Sophia
Anti-religious Museum was located within the premises of the church. During World War II
, regular church services were restored, only to be closed down again in 1961.
From time to time, the church's stylobate
was rented to different organizations up until 1992, when the stylobate was taken up by the Kiev Ecclesiastical Seminary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate
. On January 10, 1968, the church was included into the State Architectural and Historical Conservation area "St. Sophia Museum." On September 10 of the same year, the church was opened as a historical and architectural museum.
During the early 1960s, original plans of Rastrelli's baroque cupolas were uncovered in Vienna
, Austria. In 1970, the St. Sophia Museum requested photocopies of the originals from the Albertina Museum
located in Vienna. In 1978, restorers headed by architect V. Korneyeva restored the church's domes based on drawings by Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Since 1987, the church is included into the National Conservation area "St. Sophia of Kyiv." It is sometimes used for church services by the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
. On the 255th anniversary of the construction, the Ukrainian Presidential Administration
transferred the ownership of the Saint Andrew's Church from the government to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
.
columns decorate the church, accompanied by additional decorations. The windows and doors of the church are decorated with ornamental details.
As the church sits atop a hill, foundation problems have been one of the main concerns of preservationists. More recently, the foundation below the church has started to shift, causing some concerns that the church's foundation might collapse. Cracks have already appeared in the church's foundation, resulting with the fact that a special committee was set up by the Minister of Emergency Situations Nestor Shufrich.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, they will conduct research on the building's foundation and its construction with the help of Ministry of Construction, Kiev City Administration, and the division of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Kiev City.
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
church located in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, the capital of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The church was constructed in 1747–1754, to a design by the Imperial Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli was an Italian architect naturalized Russian. He developed an easily recognizable style of Late Baroque, both sumptuous and majestic...
. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a cathedral.
The Saint Andrew's Church overlooks the historic Podil
Podil
The Podil or Podilskyi Raion is a historic neighbourhood and an administrative raion in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Kiev, the birthplace of the city's trade, commerce and industry...
neighborhood, situated on a steep hill to which the church gave its current name Andriyivska Hill
Andriyivskyy Descent
Andriyivskyy Descent is a historic descent connecting Kiev's Upper Town neighborhood and the historically commercial Podil neighborhood. The street, often advertised by tour guides and operators as the "Montmartre of Kiev", is a major tourist attraction of the city.The descent, totalling in...
. It is currently one of four architectural landmarks of Ukraine, which were put down on the List of Mankind Treasures of Five Continents by the world society.
As the church sits atop a hill, foundation problems have been one of the main concerns of preservationists. More recently, the foundation below the church has started to shift, causing some concerns that the church's foundation might collapse. Cracks have already appeared in the foundation, and some of the church's falling decor has been found in neighboring areas.
History
Location
St Andrew's Church was built in honor of Saint AndrewSaint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
who is recognized as the "Apostle of "Rus". According to the chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years
Primary Chronicle
The Primary Chronicle , Ruthenian Primary Chronicle or Russian Primary Chronicle, is a history of Kievan Rus' from about 850 to 1110, originally compiled in Kiev about 1113.- Three editions :...
," Saint Andrew came to the Dnieper
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
(Dnipro) River's slopes in the first century A.D. and erected a cross on the current location of the church. He prophesied that the sparsely inhabited area would become a great Christian city. As he predicted, the site arose to become the city of Kiev, a center of the Eastern Orthodox faith.
In 1086, the Grand Prince of Kiev Vsevolod I
Vsevolod I of Kiev
Vsevolod I Yaroslavich , ruled as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1078 until his death.-Early life:...
constructed a small church, dedicated to the erection of the cross by Saint Andrew. In 1215, Prince Mystyslav of Halych
Halych
Halych is a historic city on the Dniester River in western Ukraine. The town gave its name to the historic province and kingdom of Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, of which it was the capital until the early 14th century, when the seat of the local princes was moved to Lviv...
built the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross nearby. However, the church did not survive after the Mongol invasion
Mongol invasion of Rus
The Mongol invasion of Russia was resumed on 21 December 1237 marking the resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked the medieval powers of Poland, Kiev, Hungary, and miscellaneous tribes of less organized peoples...
of Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
in 1240. From that point after, wooden churches were constructed in the place where the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross had been located, although, were too destroyed and again replaced with another one. In 1690, a wooden church consecrated to Saint Andrew was moved from the Brethren's cloister in the Podil to the Andriyivska Hill. It too did not last long, only until 1725, when it was pulled down.
Church beginnings and construction
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, consisting of a palace and a church. The palace was to be located in the Pechersk
Pechersk
Pechersk Raion is a larger administrative district of the city which lies majorly within the historical neighborhood, while also including some other historical areas. Pechersk neighborhood is located on the hills adjoining the right bank of the Dnieper River. The two geographic entities are...
neighborhood while the church was to be on the Andriyivska Hill. The commencement of construction took place during an official ceremony on September 9, 1744 which consisted of the Empress laying the first three founding stones herself.
The Petersburg Building Chancellery first hired German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
architect Johann-Gottfried Schedel and engineer De Bocket to draft out the plans for the church. However, when Schedel presented his project in 1745, the Chancellery rejected it. He was replaced by head architect of the imperial court, Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Bartolomeo Rastrelli
Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli was an Italian architect naturalized Russian. He developed an easily recognizable style of Late Baroque, both sumptuous and majestic...
, who worked out a plan which was closely based on a church of a Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
institute.
The construction itself was conducted by a team of Ukrainian, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n, and foreign masters under the direction of architect Ivan Michurin
Ivan Fyodorovich Michurin
Ivan Fyodorovich Michurin was a Russian architect whose designs marked a transition of Russian architecture from early Muscovite Baroque to mature Rastrelliesque style....
, who was previously successful in replacing the older Church of the Resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
, on the Women's Market Square (Babiy Torzhok) in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Michurin was responsible for carrying out all of the engineering and geological researches of the site and found out that a hard subsoil ground lies at a depth of 13-14 meters and above - made grounds penetrated by subterranean waters. With this information, Michurin developed the construction of a stone foundation and connected it with the two-storied building of the Priest's apartments, planned by Rastrelli.
I. Vlasiev and the Kiev governor-general
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
M. Leontev were placed in charge of hiring masons, carpenters, and carvers from territories now located in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, and Ukraine. White and red bricks for the church were made at the brick fields of the Sophia
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev is an outstanding architectural monument of Kievan Rus'. Today, it is one of the city's best known landmarks and the first Ukrainian patrimony to be inscribed on the World Heritage List along with the Kiev Cave Monastery complex...
, Pechersk
Kiev Pechersk Lavra
Kiev Pechersk Lavra or Kyiv Pechersk Lavra , also known as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery which gave its name to one of the city districts where it is located in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine....
, and Cyril cloisters
St. Cyril's Monastery
St. Cyril's Monastery is a medieval monastery in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The monastery contains the famous St. Cyril's Church, an important specimen of Kievan Rus' architecture of the 12th century, and combining elements of the 17th and 19th centuries. However, being largely Ukrainian...
. The foundation stone was delivered by the Kiev garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
soldiers from the neighboring towns of Rzhyschiv
Rzhyschiv
Rzhyschiv is a city in Kiev Oblast of Ukraine. The population is 7,611 as of 2010....
and Bucha
Bucha, Ukraine
Bucha is a city in Ukraine's Kiev Oblast. Population: 28,533 of inhabitants .Bucha was assigned city status on February 9, 2006...
. The wood came from the nearby Puscha-Vodytsia
Puscha-Vodytsia
Puscha-Vodytsia is a historic neighbourhood and climate resort in the northwestern part of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine....
forests. Also, infantry regiments from Kiev, Chernihiv
Chernihiv
Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast , as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion within the oblast...
, Starodub
Starodub
Starodub is a town and the administrative center of Starodubsky District of Bryansk Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Babinets River , southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 .-History:...
, and Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
were involved in the church's construction. Apart from workers from the neighboring villages, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra
Kiev Pechersk Lavra
Kiev Pechersk Lavra or Kyiv Pechersk Lavra , also known as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery which gave its name to one of the city districts where it is located in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine....
sent 50 of its best masons to work on the church.
Both the external and internal decoration on the church was carried out at the same time. Cast iron floor slabs were delivered from Moscow. Also, forms were made for the church's windows, doors, walls, and for space under the cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
. The planned iconostasis
Iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...
, designed by Rastrelli, was also added. The wood for the iconostasis, altar canopy, pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
, and tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
's place were carved out in Saint Petersburg in order to consume time. The iconostasis' icons were carried out by Petersburg artists. For gilding, 1,028 slabs of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
were used in the interior.
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es were done by Ukrainian masters I. Romenskyi and I. Chaikovskyi. A planned ramp that was to be installed to provide access to the church, was later changed to a wooden staircase due to the steepness of the hill. The wooden ramp was later (in 1844) changed to a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
one.
Restoration and current use
As the Empress planned to take personal care of the church, the church has no parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, and there is no bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
to call the congregation to divine service. But she died before the construction ended, so the church was never cared for by Elizabeth. After her death, the imperial court took no interest in the church, and the church was left without any funding. For some time, the church existed off of private and voluntary funds, from people such as Andrey Muraviov.
Kiev City Council
Kiev City Council or Kyivrada is the city council of Kiev municipality, the highest representative body of the city community. The members of city council are directly elected by Kievans and the council is chaired by the Mayor of Kiev .The council meets in a 1950s City Council building...
took control over the church, and later reorganized into the Kiev Council in 1785. In 1815, a strong storm tore off the church's cupolas. After the storm, the church was in need of a full restoration. In the next year, architect A. Melensky made a plan of the building's facade and sent them for consideration to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. In 1825-1828, the St. Andrew's Church was restored, based on Melensky's plans. The red mission tiles
Tile
A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
was replaced by metal, resulting in the fact that the cupolas lost some decor and changed their form.
From 1917 to 1953, many restorations were conducted on the foundations of the St. Andrew's Church. In addition, the restoration of the church's facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
, interior, and decor was also conducted. From the time of the church's opening till 1932, when the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Council ordered that the church be closed down, regular services were held. In 1935, the St. Andrew's Church was included into the Historical and Cultural Conservation "All-Ukraine Museum Area." For some time after 1939, the Kiev St. Sophia
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev is an outstanding architectural monument of Kievan Rus'. Today, it is one of the city's best known landmarks and the first Ukrainian patrimony to be inscribed on the World Heritage List along with the Kiev Cave Monastery complex...
Anti-religious Museum was located within the premises of the church. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, regular church services were restored, only to be closed down again in 1961.
From time to time, the church's stylobate
Stylobate
In classical Greek architecture, a stylobate is the top step of the crepidoma, the stepped platform on which colonnades of temple columns are placed...
was rented to different organizations up until 1992, when the stylobate was taken up by the Kiev Ecclesiastical Seminary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate
Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate
Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate is one of the three major Orthodox churches in Ukraine, alongside the Ukrainian Orthodox Church , and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church...
. On January 10, 1968, the church was included into the State Architectural and Historical Conservation area "St. Sophia Museum." On September 10 of the same year, the church was opened as a historical and architectural museum.
During the early 1960s, original plans of Rastrelli's baroque cupolas were uncovered in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria. In 1970, the St. Sophia Museum requested photocopies of the originals from the Albertina Museum
Albertina, Vienna
The Albertina is a museum in the Innere Stadt of Vienna, Austria. It houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately 1 million old master prints, as well as more modern graphic works, photographs and architectural drawings...
located in Vienna. In 1978, restorers headed by architect V. Korneyeva restored the church's domes based on drawings by Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Since 1987, the church is included into the National Conservation area "St. Sophia of Kyiv." It is sometimes used for church services by the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is one of the three major Orthodox Churches in Ukraine. Close to ten percent of the Christian population claim to be members of the UAOC. The other Churches are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kiev Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Russophile Orthodox...
. On the 255th anniversary of the construction, the Ukrainian Presidential Administration
President of Ukraine
Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the...
transferred the ownership of the Saint Andrew's Church from the government to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church is one of the three major Orthodox Churches in Ukraine. Close to ten percent of the Christian population claim to be members of the UAOC. The other Churches are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kiev Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Russophile Orthodox...
.
Architecture and preservation
The St. Andrew's Church was constructed on a 15 meter foundation-stylobate, which from the eastern side faces downhill and from the western—has a two story construction. The church consists of a single dome and five small decorative spires. From the outside facade, CorinthianCorinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
columns decorate the church, accompanied by additional decorations. The windows and doors of the church are decorated with ornamental details.
As the church sits atop a hill, foundation problems have been one of the main concerns of preservationists. More recently, the foundation below the church has started to shift, causing some concerns that the church's foundation might collapse. Cracks have already appeared in the church's foundation, resulting with the fact that a special committee was set up by the Minister of Emergency Situations Nestor Shufrich.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, they will conduct research on the building's foundation and its construction with the help of Ministry of Construction, Kiev City Administration, and the division of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Kiev City.