Information
Landmark: Church of the ResurrectionCity: Chernihiv
Country: Ukraine
Continent: Europe
Church of the Resurrection, Chernihiv, Ukraine, Europe
Overview
In Chernihiv, the Church of the Resurrection stands as a striking landmark, its Ukrainian Baroque curves mingling with crisp classical lines.It rises as a proud marker of Chernihiv’s faith and resilience, weathering centuries of change like stone warmed by the morning sun.The address is 46 Remisnycha Street, Chernihiv, Ukraine, built long ago on cemetery grounds just a short walk from the city’s historic center.They broke ground in 1772, and by 1775 the building stood finished, its fresh timber still smelling of pine.Yekaterina Borkovskaya, a noblewoman and landowner, commissioned the church as a burial chapel for her family, envisioning it with quiet stone walls to guard their memory.The church rose during Ukraine’s cultural revival, a period when Baroque-style spires and gilded domes defined its sacred skyline.For more than a hundred years, it guided burials and mourning rites, its quiet presence lingering like incense in the air.The church has a rectangular floor plan, topped by a single dome that catches the afternoon light.Rectangular porches wrap around several sides, and at the eastern end, a wooden apse catches the morning light.Triangular pediments crown the facades, a clear nod to classical style, while the sweeping curves and ornate trim reveal the flair of late Ukrainian Baroque.The windows are set with a careful balance, their size and spacing echoing the formal symmetry seen in 18th‑century church architecture.The bell tower, built between 1772 and 1779, rose on its own yet matched the building’s style, its stone glowing warm in the afternoon sun.Layers rise one above the other, each angled and distinct, crowned by a smooth dome with a spire that pierces the sky.The style feels much like the work of architect Ivan Hryhorovych-Barskyi, the Ukrainian Baroque master known for ornate curves and gilded details.Back in the Soviet era, a road cut straight through the cemetery, leaving the bell tower stranded apart from the main church.It drastically changed how the church complex was laid out, shifting walls and walkways from their original positions.After the Bolshevik Revolution, the church’s doors were shut, its cold stone steps left empty.It reopened during World War II and stood as Chernihiv’s cathedral, its bells ringing across the city, until the 1970s.During that time, the interior suffered heavy damage; its original furnishings and painted icons vanished.In the 1990s, after Ukraine gained independence and religious freedom returned, the church’s doors swung open again, freshly restored and ready for worship.Today, it’s still an active parish within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with candles flickering softly in the nave.Right now, the Church of the Resurrection stands on Ukraine’s national register of architectural monuments, listed under number 250115.National heritage laws protect it, and it’s honored as a place of deep religious meaning and rich history-its weathered stone steps still echo with centuries of footsteps.You can join a service or simply step inside to admire the church, often included in Chernihiv’s architectural and cultural tours.The Church of the Resurrection still hums with spiritual life, its towering stone arches standing as a striking monument to its architectural brilliance.Though battered by centuries of turmoil, it still stands-carefully restored, stone by stone-carrying Chernihiv’s steadfast faith and rich cultural heritage.
