About This Site

St. Andrew's Church is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, built in 1747–1754 atop the historic Andriyivskyy Descent. The church is one of Kyiv's most prominent architectural landmarks with an unparalleled view of Podil.

St. Andrew's Church is a rare example of Elizabethan Baroque in Ukraine and the only surviving work of the great Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli on Ukrainian soil. Built between 1747 and 1754 by order of Russian Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the church stands on a steep hill where, according to legend, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called prophesied the great future of Kyiv as the cradle of Christianity in Slavic lands. The church impresses with its architectural perfection. It is built on a 15-meter foundation-stylobate that faces downhill from the eastern side. The exterior facade is decorated with Corinthian columns and rich ornamental details. The central dome and five decorative spires create a unique silhouette that dominates the historic Podil. The church's interior is close to Rococo style with rich gilded decorations. The iconostasis, designed by Rastrelli himself, was made in St. Petersburg and brought to Kyiv. 1,028 gold plates were used for gilding the interior. The church has a preacher's pulpit unique to Orthodox architecture — an element more characteristic of Catholic churches. Since 1968, the church has functioned as a museum, part of the National Sanctuary 'Sophia of Kyiv'. Since 2018, it has belonged to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Historical Significance

The history of the site dates back to 1086, when Prince Vsevolod I built a small church in honor of Saint Andrew's erection of the cross. In 1215, Prince Mstyslav of Halych built the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross nearby, but it did not survive the Mongol invasion of 1240. Construction of the current church began on September 9, 1744, with a foundation stone ceremony by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Initially, the project was entrusted to German architect Gottfried Johann Schädel, but his project was rejected in 1745. Instead, Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the chief architect of the imperial court, executed the project, whose plan was based on a St. Petersburg institute church. Construction was led by a team of Russian and foreign masters under the direction of architect Ivan Michurin. External works were completed in 1754, but the interior and decorations were finished only in 1767. Icons were painted by Alexei Antropov and Ivan Vishnyakov, and frescoes were created by Ukrainian masters I. Romenskyi and I. Chaikovskyi. In 1815, a strong storm tore off the church's cupolas, after which restoration was carried out in 1825–1828. In 1978, the original appearance of the cupolas was restored based on Rastrelli's original drawings found in Vienna.

Highlights

• ✓Rastrelli's only work in Ukraine
• ✓18th-century Elizabethan Baroque
• ✓Panoramic view of Podil and Dnipro River
• ✓Unique preacher's pulpit
• ✓Gilded iconostasis by Rastrelli
• ✓Location on Andriyivskyy Descent
• ✓Part of National Sanctuary 'Sophia of Kyiv'

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