The church was built under the guidance of the famous Kyiv architect V.V. Gorodetsky according to the competitive project of S.V. Valovsky.

Construction continued for ten years from 1899 to 1909. Such a long construction is explained by the fact that it was built exclusively on private donations from parishioners.

- is considered a true architectural masterpiece. It attracts attention with a stylized Gothic form, which is characterized by such features as slender proportions, soaring towers and spiers, lightness of construction, spectacular exterior decoration of the temple - numerous statues, a round rose-style window and rich decorative molding. The facade of the building is organically completed by two towers - bell towers, which have a height of 64 meters. The building is so magnificent that one can stand endlessly looking at the details of the external facade of the temple.

The interior design of the church was also originally amazing. Forty unique stained-glass windows, beautiful wall paintings of the temple impressed contemporaries.

Unfortunately, none of this splendor has been preserved.

In 1933 the church was closed and looted. In 1943, during the war, during the artillery shelling, the building was badly damaged. The stained glass windows were completely damaged. A fire that broke out during the war destroyed the unique wall painting.

After the war, the church building was used as a regional archive. In 1978, it was decided to convert the church into the House of Organ and Chamber Music. The building was restored. In the Baltics, colored stained-glass windows were made on special order, which adorned the facade and interior of the temple. Special attention was given to comfortable conditions in the hall. Special upholstered stylized furniture was made.

Organ in the Nicholas Church.

The organ, which was created by craftsmen from Czechoslovakia, fits beautifully into the interior of the temple. The building has excellent acoustics. The sound of organ music under the arches of the Nicholas Church captures and impresses even the inexperienced listener. Church of St. Nicholas included in the list of buildings and structures that belong to the state and are not subject to return religious organizations. The Roman Catholic community of the Church of St. Nicholas, which suffered greatly from repression at the beginning of the 20th century and practically disappeared by the middle of the century, at the end of the 20th century obtained permission to hold services that alternate with concert activities of the House of Organ Music. Pope John Paul II visited in 2001.

Unfortunately, Kyiv may lose the Nicholas Church - an architectural masterpiece of the city, which is also one of business cards Kyiv. Metro lines were built right under the church at a shallow depth. It must be admitted that the building is gradually destroyed by the vibrations of moving vehicles, both ground and underground. We must get used to the idea that soon, perhaps, in Kyiv there will not be such a unique and beautiful building as.

Nicholas Church is one of the most beautiful buildings in Kyiv, built in the early twentieth century. And although classical Gothic forms were displayed in the church, nevertheless, this is a completely modern building, built using new technologies for that time. In particular, it was here that stuffed concrete piles were used for the first time.

The church was founded in the summer of 1899 after the petition of the Kyiv Catholics with a request to celebrate the visit of Emperor Nicholas II. So original way a compromise was found. In fact, the reason for the construction of the church was more prosaic - the forty-thousandth community of Catholics in Kyiv, the Alexander Church alone at that time was simply not enough.

The church was built for ten years exclusively on private funds. In total, about half a million rubles were spent on the construction - a huge amount for those times. The history of the creation of the Nicholas Church project is interesting: it was invented by Stanislav Volovsky, who at that time was just a student. Naturally, the experience young man not enough, the project was finalized by the famous Kyiv architect Vladislav Gorodetsky. The long construction of the temple was explained by inconvenient geological conditions - the ground was too weak to support such a majestic building, it was for this reason that the soil was strengthened with piles.

The consecration of the temple, which almost immediately fell into the category of architectural masterpieces, was carried out in December 1909. However, he did not have a chance to fulfill his main functions for long - during the revolution it was closed, later the regional archive was placed in the church. Life began to return to the Nicholas Church only in 1980, when, after restoration, a chamber and organ music hall was opened in it, a large organ specially designed for this.

Nicholas Church is a historical monument of architecture. Built in the Gothic style. It has been preserved to this day. The church is distinguished by the sharp ends of the domes, as well as the spiers in the form of arrows that are present on them. It looks like a very unusual and beautiful building.

Nicholas Church: photo, description

In 1899 the construction of the church began. The project was carried out by S. V. Valovsky, a well-known architect. Further development and design was taken up by the Kiev specialist V. V. Gorodetsky. He made many interesting proposals for the construction of the church. At this time, new engineering technologies were introduced. A. E. Straus, an experienced architect, took up their implementation. He proposed several new ideas that had not been used in construction before. First of all, this is the use of concrete piles in the construction of the foundation. They also began to use previously unknown reinforced concrete.

Nicholas Church was distinguished by rich decorations. On the walls were beautiful drawings and murals. In total, there were almost 40 elements of various designs. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to save them up to now. Nicholas Church was consecrated at the end of 1909.

Temporary closure

About 20 years later, reforms took place in the country that affected all sectors of the country. Religion and the spiritual sphere suffered from constant repression. The church had to be closed as a result of such actions. It has been robbed many times. During the Second World War, the building suffered from hostilities. Most of it collapsed from shells. During this time, the church burned several times.

After the war, the building was slightly restored, but it was not possible to preserve the original beauty and architectural values ​​of the sights. For a long time it was restored and tried to be renewed.

70s: what happened to the church during this period

At the end of 1978, the Nicholas Church was transformed into the Republican House of Organ and Chamber Music. The room was converted into a concert hall. Two years later, a new building was opened. The House of Organ and Chamber Music invites guests at the present time.

The most expensive and elegant details were used in the creation of the concert hall. High-quality parquet was chosen, furniture was made to order, walls were decorated with paintings and other unusual elements. This building was to become royal.

How to get to the Nicholas Church?

Kyiv - A lot of tourists go to this city. Everyone wants to get acquainted with local attractions. interesting place for tourists is the Nicholas Church in Kyiv. How to get to this building? There are many transport interchanges in Kyiv.

There are several ways: taxi, own car, subway, bus, tram, fixed-route taxi. It all depends on where the person is. The fastest way to get there is by subway. The stations are named "Palace "Ukraine"" or "Olympic". The city is very large, and almost always and at any time there are traffic jams. Because of this, it is difficult to get to the desired point.

Due to the Gothic style and antiquity, the Nicholas Cathedral has a mystical and fabulous look, which has been preserved until today. Its history has gone through a lot - it succumbed to restoration and construction. Thus, it carries with it the historical spirit and the memory of many events from generation to generation. This building is very popular among tourists. Many people go to Kyiv to see this wonderful historical monument.

House of Organ Music

On this moment there is a full-fledged House of Organ and Chamber Music. Concerts are held regularly. The music there sounds very unusual. Some people claim that after attending concerts they feel much better. In fact, organ music tends to soothe and bring spiritual satisfaction to a person. You can order tickets without even leaving your home.

Many people come from different countries listen to this kind of music. Schoolchildren from all over Ukraine are taken there on excursions. Kievans also attend concerts, but most of the audience is tourists. Ticket prices depend on the day of the week and the concert program. Basically, the prices are accessible to everyone.

Nicholas Church is also popular among photographers. The pictures are original and unique. The Gothic style gives them a special look. At the present time, such buildings are no longer being built. We can safely say that the House of Organ and Chamber Music is the hallmark of the city of Kyiv.

Organ

It is worth noting the organ itself. It was made specifically for this building in Czechoslovakia. The main goal was to bring as close as possible appearance tool to the architectural style of the church. And this idea came true. The organ occupied about three floors. By itself, it is unique and one of the best musical instruments in Europe. Thanks to him, the room has unusual acoustics, which allows you to enjoy the unusual sound of music as much as possible. The organ consists of very high quality pipes. They are made from both expensive types of wood and the highest quality metals. There are about four thousand of them in total. They have different lengths, sizes and diameters.

A small conclusion

For a long time there was a struggle for the Nicholas Church between the government and the clergy. Since religion suffered from frequent repression, it became the property of state power. In turn, she could not take care of the preservation of the church. In the near future, there is a huge risk of losing a historical landmark. Since one of the metro lines passes under the building itself, this significantly affects the condition of the church. Constant vibrations emanating from the subway gradually destroy the building. It is sad to know that soon it may no longer be. But the Nicholas Church in Kyiv will always be remembered, the photo will not let you forget its beauty. Every person should visit this place at least once in their life. Nicholas Church (House of Organ and Chamber Music at the present time) will appeal to every connoisseur of beauty.

Nicholas Church is one of the architectural gems of Kyiv. It is worth visiting not only for religious people who want to visit the service, but also for connoisseurs of architectural art. And especially - to lovers of German Gothic and Vladimir Gorodetsky.

The Nicholas Church, or the Church of St. Nicholas, has experienced a lot in its hundred years. Changing the original project, looting, KGB meetings - and new life. More recently, the building was again in a deplorable state, but now it is gradually returning to its original appearance.

Start of construction

In 1898, a competition was held to design a Roman Catholic cathedral in Kyiv. The winner was the architect S. Volovskoy. His participation in the competition included the construction of a Gothic type with two towers 60 m high. The final revision and project management were assigned to the chief architect of Kiev, architect Vladislav Gorodetsky - the authorities were afraid to entrust such a project to the inexperienced Volovsky. Emilio Sala, who had long ago formed a strong and productive tandem with Gorodetsky, had a hand in decorating the cathedral. This time he added a sculptural decoration in fake diamond for construction.

In the process, the builders encountered a problem for which they had to look for the most innovative solutions. The fact is that this part of Kyiv is located on fragile, wet soil, which could not withstand the majestic church. To increase the stability of the structure on the uneven ground of Kiev, it was reinforced with drilled piles, a new invention by Anton Strauss. Construction works were carried out exclusively at the expense of voluntary donations (mainly representatives of the wealthy Polish gentry) and lasted ten years (1899-1909).

In 1909, the cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas, but the construction was not yet completed. In the 1930s it was plundered. In 1938, the Soviet authorities closed the cathedral after its Catholic priest was "absent" for two years due to persecution of Christians. For some time after its closure, the building was used by the punitive authorities for technical purposes and at some point served as the building of the KGB service. In 1979-1980, by order of the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR, architects O. Grauzhys and I. Tukalevskiy restored the building. The church was transformed into the National House of Organ and Chamber Music of Ukraine. For the reconstruction and restoration of a badly damaged church in the Baltics, stained glass windows were made, furniture was created in Lviv, and high-quality wooden floors were created in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.

Nowadays

Since 1992, Catholic masses and concerts have been held in the Nicholas Church. Bishop Jan Purvinsky consecrated the cathedral, and on January 4, 1992, mass was celebrated there. It currently belongs to the Kyiv Municipal Department of Culture, but the Roman Catholic Church hopes the church will be returned to the community. The Kiev city municipality refuses to transfer the building until the problem of transferring the House of Organ Music is resolved. The building has been in disrepair since 2009.

Today the cathedral is officially divided between the community catholic church and the House of Organ Music. On weekdays, rehearsals are held here, and concerts are given in the evening. At this time, an underground room is reserved for Catholics for prayers. Services are held in the main hall on weekends.

Architectural style

The original project was rough, so Gorodetsky put his hand to it. So his style approached the classical German Gothic, as indicated by the side lancet towers. In particular, another turret was added, and the entire cathedral took the stylized form of the Gregorian cross. Three portals and a large stained-glass rose window were added to the front western facade. Religious bas-reliefs were placed in the tympanums, and portraits of Polish magnates, on whose money the church was built, were placed in the galleries. The design is crowned with a triangular pediment. The rest of the building is decorated much more modestly. The height of the cathedral, excluding the turrets, is 55 meters, and with them - 64 meters.

Organ

An organ was made for the Nicholas Church in Kyiv. They were taken up by Rieger-Kloss (Czechoslovakia). The tool has become another decoration of this place. Made of ebony and mahogany, this 55-bar organ is suitable for playing any genre of music. Concerts of both classical composers and contemporary performers were given with him.

The creator tried to architecturally connect the organ with the building itself, and he did it in a rather unusual way. Since the instrument was created not for the temple, but for the house of organ music, it was placed in the altar.

Schedule of services of the Nicholas Church in Kyiv

Now the Nicholas Church is open to the public. The visit is held according to a set schedule in four languages.

In Ukrainian:

  • Sunday: 8.45; 10.00; 13.15; 18.00.
  • Monday: 18.30.
  • Tuesday: 7.00; 18.30.
  • Wednesday: 7.00.
  • Thursday: 7.00.
  • Friday: 7.00; 18.30.
  • Saturday: 7.00.

In Latin:

  • Thursday: 18.30.

In Polish:

  • Sunday: 11.45.
  • Friday: 8.00.

In Spanish:

  • Sunday: 11.00.

How to get there

  1. By personal transport to the address: Ukraine, Kyiv, st. Velyka Vasylkivska, 75. The coordinates are as follows: 50°25′37″ s. sh. and 30°31′03″ E. d.
  2. On public transport or on foot. Nicholas Church is located between two metro stations: "Olympic" and "Palace of Sports". From any of them you can walk within 10 minutes. Also accessible from railway station: by bus No. 5, trolleybus No. 12 or minibus No. 539. Go to the stop "Fyodorova Street", and from there it is a 5-minute walk to the church.

The construction of the Church of St. Nicholas began in 1899 according to the competition project of the architect S.V. Valovsky. The development and construction of the building was carried out under the guidance of the famous Kyiv architect V. V. Gorodetsky. The church, built in stylized Gothic forms with high lancet towers and spiers, is distinguished by slender proportions, lightness, and clarity of compositional structure. The difficult conditions of construction and architectural solutions prompted architects to apply innovative engineering technologies at that time. For the first time in the then construction practice, engineer A.E. Straus proposed laying the foundation on concrete piles, and reinforced concrete, a new building material, was widely used in structures. The church was richly decorated with both wall paintings and stained-glass windows, of which there were 40 (not preserved).

In 1909 the church was consecrated.

The church was closed and looted around 1933, the clergy were subjected to repression. Warehouses were located in the building. In 1943, during the war, the temple was badly damaged by artillery fire, burned.

IN post-war years the building of the church was partially restored and rebuilt for the needs of the Kyiv State Regional Archives.

In 1978, the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR decided to establish the Republican House of Organ and Chamber Music in Kyiv and re-equip the premises of the former St. Nicholas Church into a concert hall. Simultaneously with the restoration, a partial reconstruction of the building was also carried out. Since 1980, the Nicholas Church began to function as a concert hall of the House of Organ and Chamber Music.

Organ

[Organ (musical instrument)|Organ]] of the Kyiv House of Organ Music was specially created by the masters of the Rieger-Kloss firm in the city of Krnov in Czechoslovakia. When designing, the organic combination of instrument shapes with the interiors of the former St. Nicholas Church was taken into account as much as possible. The organ has 55 registers distributed over three manual keyboards and a pedal, 3846 pipes of various diameters and lengths (from 13 millimeters to 6 meters), made of metal and expensive breeds wood (used black and red). The organ has a wide timbre palette and works of various styles and directions from ancient music to modern authors are successfully performed on it. The organ, which was created not for a functioning temple, but for a concert hall, is located in an unconventional way: not in the choirs, but in the altar part of the cathedral, turned into a stage.

Creative teams

The creative team of the House of Organ and Chamber Music consists of: the B. Lyatoshinsky Classical Music Ensemble, the Ravisan Trio, the Lysenko Quartet, the Kiev Chamber Ensemble, the Kiev Brass Chamber Ensemble, organists, instrumental soloists and singers.

Catholic community of Saint Nicholas

The Imsko-Catholic community of the temple, formed at the beginning of the 20th century, suffered greatly during the events of 1917, the repressions of the 30-50s of the 20th century and practically disappeared by the middle of the century.

rebirth church life communities began in the late 1980s. Since 1992, worship services have been regularly held in the temple, alternating by agreement with the concert activity of the House of Organ Music. However, the building itself, included in the list of structures not subject to return to religious associations, belongs to the state. On June 25, 2001, the church was visited by Pope John Paul II. In 2003-2006, the rector of the church was Radoslav Zmitrovych, Missionary Oblate of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.