Sviato-Blahoveschenskyi kafedralnyi sobor - Kharkiv, Blahovischenskyi maidan, 1

Description of the sight

This stunningly beautiful temple - the Cathedral of the Annunciation - was built in the 60s of the 17th century. It possessed the characteristic architectural forms of Orthodox objects in Ukraine: a detached bell tower, a wattle fence. After a fire in 1789, a single-domed stone temple was erected on this site according to the project of architect P.A. Yaroslavsky. The consecration of the cathedral took place only in 1794. In subsequent years, the temple only expanded and improved: capital construction work was carried out, side chapels were erected in honor of the Holy Great Martyr John the Warrior and the Holy Great Martyr Barbara. Many works were carried out at the expense of patrons and voluntary donations from parishioners. So, in 1888, a large-scale restoration of the cathedral was carried out on the donations of merchants according to the project of M. Lovtsov. As a result, believers could pray in the temple - in a real work of art, where the Byzantine-Russian style and exquisite painting were noticeable. Unfortunately, the era of atheism did not pass by this temple. They tried to close it several times, and then they still used it as a stable and storage of oil products. Church life in this temple resumed only at the time of the German occupation and continues to this day. Today you can not only admire the beauty of the temple, but also touch the relics of St. Meletios, Patriarch of Constantinople St. Athanasius Patelarius.