Sophia Cathedral, Vologda. The oldest stone building in Vologda is an architectural monument of the 16th century

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The ancient city of Vologda is located in the northwestern part of the country. Despite the increase in the number of shopping centers, modern office buildings, it continues to keep the imprint of history. It cannot be said that the city is very large, but there are enough sights in it. One of them is St. Sophia Cathedral. Vologda was founded in the middle of the 12th century; it stands on the river of the same name. Linguists suggest that the name of the city comes from the Finnish word "volok", which literally translates as "bright water".

Vologda attractions

Photos taken in the city show that there is something to see in it. This city has a pronounced national flavor with an admixture of antiquity. One of the main attractions is the Vologda architectural reserve.

Vologda architecturalmuseum-reserve

It includes a whole complex of buildings of the old Kremlin. The Resurrection Cathedral strikes with its beauty. However, it is remarkable not only for its architecture, but also for the fact that paintings by artists of the Vologda region are collected within its walls. This reserve also includes several museums, for example, the House-Museum of Peter the Great or the museum "Vologda at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries", etc. All kinds of museums, expositions and exhibitions will help you get to know the history of the city better.

Bishops Court

It is also called the small Kremlin. It is located next to the Vologda Kremlin, but is surrounded by a fence. The building appeared in the 16th century. It was named so because of its purpose: all Vologda bishops lived in it. The buildings that make up this architectural complex date back to different times. Of particular interest is the Nativity Church and the Cathedral of the Resurrection. In addition to the church and the cathedral, the complex has seven buildings, some of which have preserved the old interior.

Just on the territory of the Kremlin in the 16th century, St. Sophia Cathedral was built. Vologda is proud of this architectural monument. Those who visit the city certainly go on a tour to see the beauty and grandeur of this cathedral.

General information about St. Sophia Cathedral

Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is a landmark of the federal scale. This stone building has survived to this day almost unchanged, according to the time of construction - the oldest in the city. The cathedral is located in the city center, outside the Bishop's Court, but very close to it.

History of the Cathedral

One of the oldest buildings - St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda. Its history began during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (since 1567), it was then that its construction began. From the very first years, the cathedral became the main one in the city, and for six centuries now it has not yielded to anyone in this position. Initially, it was summer, cold. Two centuries later, the Resurrection Church was added to it, but this did not affect the status of St. Sophia Cathedral in any way.

Simultaneously with the construction of the cathedral in Vologda, the construction of the Kremlin was also underway. It was to become the residence of the king. Therefore, the St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) outwardly resembles the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. In 1587 the cathedral was consecrated. After 25 years, during the Lithuanian invasion, the church was damaged and later restored. During the Soviet era, the cathedral was closed, like many others. In 1935 it was declared a monument of national importance. Until 2000, it underwent two restorations, so now tourists can see it in all its glory. True, the doors of the temple are open only in summer, and services are held there quite rarely.

Description

Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is a rectangle. It has five chapters, each of which is crowned with a dome. The temple is divided into three naves. It certainly needs to be walked around from all sides to see the stunning frescoes, and, of course, you need to get inside to admire the stunning wall paintings of the temple. The bell tower of St. Sophia Cathedral deserves special attention; it is the highest in the whole diocese. Heightthis bell tower - 78 meters.

Wall painting

It was here that wall painting was made for the first time in Vologda. The building began to be painted in 1686. The best Yaroslavl masters worked on the project, led by Dmitry Plekhanov. He was one of the best painters of that time. A native of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Plekhanov took part in the painting of many church buildings. For example, the Church of the Trinity in Nikitin, the Church of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea, the Church of the Rostov Kremlin, etc. - all this is the work of his hands.

The St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda took two years to paint. The mural area is five thousand square meters. The work was very complex and delicate, consisting of several stages. So, the walls were first primed with a special solution of lime, all structures were strengthened with nails. The chief icon painter determined how the walls of the temple should look, he outlined the drawing, scratching it out on wet plaster. And then the rest of the masters applied the drawing with paints. Some wrote clothes, they were called dolichniks. Those who drew vegetation, patterns and ornaments were called masters of p alt writing. The inscriptions were applied with a brush by the scribes, but the personal officers were responsible for drawing the faces of the saints.

Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is painted in the same technique as the others, this is Russian monumental painting (when the drawing is applied to a wet primer, and then worked out with tempera and glue paints). Whatever the technique, the result is amazing. To this day, the painting of St. Sophia Cathedral is striking in its grandiosity.

Location

To find the St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda, you don't need to know the address. It stands in the center of the Kremlin, on the main city square.

Museums of Vologda

There is something to see in the city. You can visit numerous theaters, or go to one of the museums that Vologda can boast of. Attractions (photos clearly reflect this) in most cases are architectural. The buildings themselves are very attractive, mostly old.

For example, the house of Puzan-Puzyrevsky. This is the mansion of a local nobleman, now it houses the Museum of the Diplomatic Corps. The building is interesting with mystical rumors that the ghost of the owner still lives in it. These rumors are supported by the fact that no matter what institution is located in the house, it will certainly move out due to fire, flooding, or for some other reason. The historical and memorial complex of Mozhaisky, dedicated to the life and achievements of the famous researcher Mozhaisky, is also interesting.

Theatres

The Vologda State Drama Theater is of interest to tourists. It was founded in the middle of the 19th century and is one of the oldest theaters in Russia. This is the largest theater in Vologda, it has three stages. The theater's permanent repertoire includes classics such as Ostrovsky's Thunderstorm, Shakespeare's tragedies, Gogol's The Night Before Christmas.

There's another one in towndrama theater - Chamber, but he is very young. The Chamber Theater in Vologda was opened in 1999.

Vologda also has entertainment for little spectators - the puppet theater "Teremok". It is relatively small. It was built in 1937. The theater's repertoire mainly consists of Russian folk tales. Creative youth in Vologda does not sit idle. Already in the 2000s, several theaters and studios were created in the city. For example, in 2009 "Own theater" was created. Its founder Vsevolod Chubenko is an actor and screenwriter. Another young theater studio is Sonnet. Was founded in 2011. The city has its own children's variety theater, where even the smallest actors can prove themselves, this is the Sofit studio.