Golden Gate description and photo - Ukraine: Kiev (Topic)

Golden Gate description and photos - Ukraine: Kiev. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

The majestic and inaccessible Golden Gate of Kiev is an architectural monument of the XI century, one of the main fortifications of the city.

History of construction

First mention about the construction of the gate - 1037, "The Tale of Bygone Years". The construction of the gate within one year raises reasonable doubts, since Nestor describes the construction of a number of other monumental structures in the same year. There were about 30 thousand residents of Kiev during this period, and there simply would not be enough workers for all the current construction projects. According to the manuscript "Word about the Law and Grace" by Hilarion, in the interval 1019-1037. a church was erected over the Great Gate under Prince Yaroslav, after which they began to be called Golden. This construction period looks more credible.

According to the decree of Yaroslav the Wise, the city was surrounded by rather high (up to 12 m) and wide (up to 27 m) ramparts of hewn logs, covered with soil, with a total length of about 3.5 km. The second line of fortification was a ditch. Powerful fortifications were at three entrance gates of the city - Lviv, Lyadsky and the main ones - Zoloty.

The architecture of the ceremonial Golden Gates differed from everything that had been built earlier, their role was not only a gateway, they served as a ceremonial, festive entrance to the city. Above the gate tower was the Church of the Annunciation with shining golden domes, and the passage from the gate went straight to the ensemble of the Hagia Sophia.

The main material for the construction of the fortification was flat fired brick, laid on a solution of slaked lime and stone chips with a sandy admixture. This led to the centuries-old strength and stability of the fortification. Despite numerous attacks, the Golden Gate is very strong, although it suffered during the destruction of the city in 1240 by the army of Batu.

Decline and destruction

For several hundred years, the Golden Gate fulfilled its main function, but in 1594 were destroyed. According to Erich Lasota, these were majestic ruins, by which it was still possible to judge the power of the former fortification, and they were still the gate. Their condition is clearly visible in the sketches of the Dutch artist Abraham van Westerfeld, who accompanied the Lithuanian hetman Janusz Radziwill on his campaigns. Westerfeld recorded the ruins of the Church of the Annunciation, the ruins of the fortress walls and the remains of the entrance structures.

In the 18th century, the architect Debosket submitted a report on the complete emergency state of the gates, and according to his plan, they were finally covered with a huge layer of earth along with the remains of the gate church in 1755-1766.

And in 1832, conducting excavations in the area of Yaroslavov Val, Kondraty Lokhvitsky discovered the remains of walls 13.25 meters long. The find reached 8 m in height. The vaults and crypts did not survive. Attempts were made to preserve the gates - by erecting a fence around them, strengthening the cracks with lime, plating and adding new masonry in some places and strengthening the walls. But precipitation and time continued to have a destructive effect.

Reconstruction of the Golden Gate

Only in 1972 was it decided to restore the Golden Gate in the form as close as possible to the original. The basis was the plans-drawings of the Vladimir gate of von Berk in 1779, built on the principle of Kiev.

The architect Lopushinskaya developed a project that allowed preserving the ancient ruins, strengthening them and adding to the upper part. The one-bath gate church with three naves was also restored. Elements of the floor drawing of an ancient temple from the Sofia Architectural Reserve became a model for the reconstruction of mosaic floors.

Now there is a museum here. Guests are invited to inspect the remains of two beams preserved from the original structure, traces of sun loungers are also visible and the masonry of the outer part of the driveway arches has survived.

Notes

• Location: Vladimirskaya, 40-a, Kiev.
• Nearest metro station: "Golden Gate".
• Opening Hours: The museum is open every day except Monday. Wednesday - Sunday 10.00-18.00, Tuesday 10.00-17.00.
• Tickets: for adults - 15 UAH, for children - 8 UAH.

Topic: Golden Gate description and photo - Ukraine: Kiev.