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

In the north-western part of the country there is an ancient city of Vologda. Despite the increase in the number of shopping centers, modern office buildings, it continues to store a stamp of history. It can not be said that the city is very large, but there are enough sights in it. One of them is the St. Sophia Cathedral. Vologda was founded in the middle of the 12th century, it stands on a river with the same name. Linguists suggest that the name of the city came from the Finnish word "fiber", which literally translates as "clear water".

Vologda: sightseeings

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

Vologda Architectural Museum-Reserve

It includes a whole complex of buildings of the old Kremlin. The Resurrection Cathedral is amazing with its beauty. However, it is noteworthy not only for its architecture, but also for the fact that it houses paintings of the Vologda region. This museum also includes several museums, for example the Peter the Great's House Museum or the Vologda Museum at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries, etc. All sorts of museums, exhibitions and exhibitions will help you to better understand the history of the city.

Bishop's court

It is also called the small Kremlin. It is located next to the Vologda Kremlin, but is fenced with a fence. The building appeared in the 16th century. It is named so because of its purpose: all Vologda bishops resided there. The buildings that are included in this architectural complex are dated by different time. Of particular interest is the Christmas Church and the Cathedral of the Resurrection. In addition to the church and cathedral, the complex consists of seven buildings, some of which have preserved an ancient interior.

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

General information about St. Sophia Cathedral

St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is a landmark on a federal scale. This stone structure has reached our days almost unchanged, in terms of construction time - the oldest in the city. The cathedral is located in the center of the city, outside the Bishops' courtyard, but very close to it.

History of the Cathedral

One of the oldest buildings is the St. Sophia Cathedral in Vologda. Its history began with the reign of Ivan the Terrible (since 1567), then it began its construction. From the very first years the cathedral became the main one in the city and for six centuries now it is not inferior to this position. Initially it was summer, cold. Two centuries later the Resurrection Church was attached to it in a couple, however this did not affect the status of the St. Sophia Cathedral in any way.

Simultaneously with the construction of the cathedral in Vologda, the construction of the Kremlin was conducted. He was to become the residence of the king. Therefore, St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) looks like the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. In 1587 the consecration of the cathedral took place. In 25 years during the Lithuanian invasion the temple 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, he underwent two restorations, so now tourists can see it in all its glory. True, the doors of the temple are open only in the summer, and the services are very rare there.

Description

St. 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 must be avoided from all sides to inspect the stunning frescoes, and, of course, you need to get inside to admire the stunning painting of the walls of the temple. The bell tower of the St. Sophia Cathedral deserves special attention, it is the highest in the entire diocese. The height of this bell tower is 78 meters.

Wall painting

It was here for the first time in Vologda was made a wall painting. To paint the building of steel in 1686. The best Yaroslavl masters, headed by Dmitry Plekhanov, worked on the project. He was one of the best painters of the time. Coming from Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Plekhanov took part in the painting of many church buildings. For example, the Trinity Church in Nikitin, the Church of St. Gregory of Neocaesaria, the Church of the Rostov Kremlin , etc. - all this is the work of his hands.

The Cathedral of St. Sophia in Vologda was painted for two years. The area of the wall painting is five thousand square meters. The work was very complex and delicate, consisted of several stages. So, the walls were first primed with a special solution of lime, all the constructions were strengthened with nails. The main icon-painter determined how the walls of the temple should look like, he delineated the drawing, scratched it on the non-dried plaster. And then the other masters applied the drawing with paints. Some wrote clothes, they were called dolichniki. Those who painted vegetation, patterns and ornaments, were called masters of letter writing. The inscriptions were painted by the charterers, but the faces were painted for the drawing of the saints' faces.

St. Sophia Cathedral (Vologda) is painted in the same technique as the others, this is Russian monumental painting (when the painting is applied to a non-dried primer, and then worked through tempera and glue paints). Whichever technique was, the result was terrific. And to this day the painting of the St. Sophia Cathedral impresses with its grandeur.

Location:

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

Museums of Vologda

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

For example, the house of Puzan-Puzyrevsky. This is the mansion of a local nobleman, now it houses the Museum of the diplomatic corps. Interestingly, the building is mystical rumors that the ghost of the master still lives in it. These rumors are backed up by the fact that whatever institution was located in the house, from there it would inevitably move out of the fire, flooding or for some other reason. Another interesting historical and memorial complex Mozhaisky, dedicated to the life and achievements of the famous researcher Mozhaisky.

Theaters

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 scenes. In the constant repertoire of the theater classic - "Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky, Shakespearean tragedy, "Christmas Eve" by Gogol.

In the city there is another dramatic theater - Chamber, but it's quite young. The Chamber Theater in Vologda was opened in 1999.

There is also entertainment for small spectators in Vologda - the puppet theater "Teremok". It is relatively small. It was built in 1937. The repertoire of the theater is mainly 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, "My Theater" was established. Its founder Vsevolod Chubenko is an actor and scriptwriter. Another young theater studio is Sonnet. It was founded in 2011. There is a children's variety theater in the city, in which even the smallest actors can manifest themselves, this is the studio "Sofit".