List of buildings of pre-Mongol Rus' explained

This is a complete list of the currently existing buildings created in the Kievan Rus' before the Mongol invasions of the 1230s. Almost all 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 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 that 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 Kyiv) 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.

See main article: Russian architecture, Ukrainian architecture and Architecture of Kievan Rus'.

Kiev Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Saint Sophia's Cathedral, KyivKyiv1017–1022 or before 1037[1] One of the two oldest survived buildings of the Kievan Rus. The exterior was considerably modified in the 17th and 18th centuries.Category
2.The Golden Gate, KyivKyiv1037By 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 Kyiv Pechersk LavraKyiv1073–1089Destroyed in 1941, reconstructed in 2000. The exterior was considerably altered in the 18th century.Category
4.The Trinity Church of the Kyiv Pechersk LavraKyivca 1106The exterior was considerably altered in the 18th century.
5.The Saint Michael Church of the Vydubychi MonasteryKyiv1070–1088Only the western side.
6.The Church of the Saviour at BerestoveKyivBeginning of the 11th centuryOnly the western side.Category
7.The Saint Cyril Church of the St. Cyril's MonasteryKyiv1140–1146Exterior was strongly altered.
8.The Saint George ChurchKaniv1144Exterior altered.
9.The Saint Basil ChurchOvruchca 1190Collapsed in 1846, restored in 1907–09.

Chernigov Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Transfiguration CathedralChernihivBefore 1036[2] One of the two oldest survived buildings of the Kievan Rus. The exterior was considerably modified in the 17th and 18th centuries.Category
2.The Cathedral of Saint Boris and Saint GlebChernihivBetween 1097 and 1123Category
3.The Assumption Cathedral of Yeletsky MonasteryChernihivEarly 12th centuryExterior was considerably altered.
4.The Saint Iliya ChurchChernihivEarly 12th centuryExterior was considerably altered.
5.The Piatnytska ChurchChernihivEarly 13th centuryConsiderably damaged during World War II, subsequently restored.

Novgorod Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Saint Sophia Cathedral in NovgorodVeliky Novgorod1045–1052The oldest surviving building in Northern Russia.Category
2.The Saint Nicholas Cathedral at Yaroslav's CourtVeliky Novgorod1113–1136Category
3.Veliky Novgorod1117–1122The upper parts were altered.Category
4.The Katholikon of the Yuriev MonasteryVeliky Novgorod1119–1130Category
5.The Katholikon of the Ivanovsky MonasteryPskov1140s or earlier
6.The Katholikon of the Mirozhsky MonasteryPskovBefore 1156The exterior was altered, the frescoes are intact
7.The Katholikon of the Dormition MonasteryStaraya Ladoga1160sCategory
8.Staraya Ladogaca 1165Category
9.Veliky Novgorod1179Substantially rebuilt in the 17th century.Category
10.Veliky Novgorod1192
11.Veliky Novgorod1198Destroyed during the World War II, subsequently restored, but the original frescoes have been lost.Category
12.The Katholikon of the Transfiguration MonasteryStaraya Russa1198 Completely rebuilt in the 1442, only the lowest parts of the walls survived. Rebuilt again in the 17th century.
13.The Church of St. Paraskevi of IconiumVeliky Novgorod1207The vaults rebuilt at a later date.Category
14.The Peryn ChapelVeliky Novgorod1220sCategory

Vladimir-Suzdal Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Transfiguration CathedralPereslavl-Zalessky1152–1157Category
2.The Church of Boris and GlebKideksha1152The top part was rebuilt in the 17th century.Category
3.The Assumption CathedralVladimir1158–1160Expanded in 1185-1189Category
4.The Golden GateVladimir1158–1164Considerably altered by later construction.Category
5.Andrey Bogolyubsky PalaceBogolyubovo1158Only fragments, including a tower, survived.
6.The Church of the Intercession on the NerlVladimir1165-1166Category
7.The Cathedral of Saint DemetriusVladimir1191 or 1194–1197Category
8.The Assumption Cathedral of the Assumption Princess MonasteryVladimir1200–1202Completely rebuilt around 1500, only lower parts of the walls survive.
9.The Nativity CathedralSuzdal1222–1225The exterior and the roof have been rebuilt.Category
10.The Saint George CathedralYuryev-Polsky1230–1234[3] The cathedral collapsed in the 1460s and was repaired in a different form.Category

Smolensk Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul on GorodyankaSmolensk1146Restored in 1963Category
2.The Church of Saint John the EvangelistSmolensk1146Only walls survived, everything else was rebuilt in the 18th century.
3.The Saint Michael ChurchSmolensk1180–1197The roof was altered.Category

Polotsk Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Saint Sophia Cathedral in PolotskPolotskBetween 1044 and 1066Only fragments of the original cathedral survived.Category
2.The Transfiguration Church of the Saint Efrosinya MonasteryPolotsk1128-1156Category
3.The Annunciation ChurchVitebsk12th centuryDestroyed in 1961, rebuilt in 1993–1998 incorporating the remains of the walls.Category

Volyn Land

BibNameLocationCreation yearCommentsPhotoCategory on Commons
1.The Assumption CathedralVolodymyr1160Collapsed in 1829, rebuilt in 1896–1900.Category
2.The Stołpie TowerStołpie(near Chełm)12th–13th centuriesPartially ruined

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Rappoport, p.22
  2. Rappoport, p.22
  3. Book: Воронин, Н. Н.. ru:Владимир, Боголюбово, Суздаль, Юрьев-Польской. Книга-спутник по древним городам Владимирской земли.. http://www.rusarch.ru/voronin1.htm. September 16, 2011. 4th. 262–290. 1974. Искусство. Moscow. Russian.