- Title: UKRAINE: Road construction threatens Kiev's unique medieval church
- Date: 11th November 2010
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (RECENT, NOVEMBER 2010) (REUTERS) VIEW OF KIEV FROM HILL WITH ARCHANGEL MIKHAIL CHURCH IN FRONT OF BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION CUPOLA IN FRONT OF BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION WITH CRANE MOVING CHURCH AND BRIDGE WITH CONSTRUCTION IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF CONSTRUCTION SITE CHURCH SEEN BEHIND BRIDGE, WORKER WELDING ON BRIDGE ARCHANGEL MIKHAIL CHURCH VARIOUS OF MONK PRAYING AT ICON MOSAIC ICON OF ARCHANGEL MIKHAIL (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) MONK, FATHER MIKHAIL, SAYING: "The road construction is threatening the monastery." CHURCH CUPOLA DAMAGED BRICKS IN WALL UNDER CUPOLA (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) MONK, FATHER MIKHAIL, SAYING: "Day by day it's getting closer and closer. Now it's just about 100 metres away and the vibrations are getting stronger." MONASTERY COURTYARD WITH ARCHANGEL MIKHAIL CHURCH IN BACK RESTORERS WORKING IN CHURCH HAND-WRITTEN SIGN OVER SMALL FISSURE IN WALL WITH DATE INDICATING WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED RESTORER TAKING PICTURE OF FRESCO VARIOUS OF FRESCO OF THE LAST JUDGEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) RESTORATION EXPERT, VALENTINA MARAMPOLSKAYA, SAYING: "This church has paintings from that period [11th century]. There is a picture of the Last Judgement which dates back to that year and it is unique on the territory of the [former] Kievan Rus and maybe in the whole CIS territory. That's why it is our duty to protect it." MONASTERY CHURCH CROSS ON CHURCH TOWER VARIOUS OF CHURCH BELLS IN BELL TOWER PANORAMIC VIEW OF ARCHANGEL MIKHAIL CHURCH AND MONASTERY CUPOLA WITH CROSS CROSS OVER DOME VIEW OF ARCHANGEL MIKHAIL CHURCH ON HILL WITH HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION SITE BENEATH IT
- Embargoed: 26th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine, Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVAEGF01KHFP3KEUO28GEJCS48W2
- Story Text: Monks at the Vydubitsky monastery in Kiev say a nearby highway construction is threatening their medieval church of Archangel Michael which dates back to the 11th century.
Road and overpass construction is being carried out in the neighbourhood of the monastery and monks say the vibrations from the construction works have caused cracks in some of its buildings.
"The road construction is threatening the monastery," said one of the senior monks, Father Mikhail.
"Day by day it's getting closer and closer. Now it's just about 100 meters away, and the vibrations are getting stronger," he added.
Inside the monastery complex is the medieval church of Archangel Michael, which was founded by Vsevolod, son of the famous 'Kievan Rus' (the first eastern Slavic state, seen as the origin of modern day Russia and Ukraine) prince Yaroslav Mudry (the Wise) in 1070.
The church was founded in 1088 and has frescoes dating from that period, according to restorers currently working inside the building.
"This church has paintings from that period [11th century]. There is a picture of the Last Judgement which dates back to that year and it is unique on the territory of the [former] Kievan Rus and maybe on the whole CIS territory. That's why it is our duty to protect it," said restoration expert Valentina Marampolskaya.
The other monastery buildings were constructed around the church of Archangel Michael and comprise the George Church and the Church of the Savior, built in the style of Ukrainian Baroque.
The Vydubitsky Monastery is one of Kiev's main tourist destinations and is still a working community of monks. It was chosen by the daughter of Ukraine's opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, Yevgenia, as the venue for her wedding to British rock singer Sean Carr.
The road and overpass being built near the monastery will connect to a bridge which is designed to link the two banks of the Dnepr river in Kiev and relieve the roads in the centre of the city which suffers from chronic traffic congestion. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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