Reconstruction of the Dormition Cathedral (1998-2000)

Dear friends!

Following our last week announcement, we begin telling you the detailed story about the process of reconstrution of the Dormition Cathedral, the Great Pechersk Church, which lasted during 1998-2000.

For almost sixty years, from November 3, 1941 until the end of the 20th century, the only thing left from the Dormition Cathedral and for the eyes of the visitors were its mutilated remains. Lavras’s architectural ensemble continued existing without one of its main elements. After the Second World War representatives of different areas of the scientific community, including architects, conservationists, historians, started disputing on the technological issues of reconstrucing the Dormition Cathedral. Some did not see any sense in doing that, saying that the monument had already been destroyed. Others had different point of view on the matter. In the mid-1980s, when discussions over the fate of the Great Pechersk Church reached the periodicals, it became the subject of general public discussion. Nevertheless, the reconstruction of the main shrine of Lavra began only during the years of Independence.

On January 27, 1996, the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma signed the Order “On priority measures dealing with the reconstruction of the complex of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and Dormition Cathedral of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv”. It is from that time that the countdown of concrete steps in this direction began. It was deemed necessary to use a comprehensive restoration approach during the reconstruction to preserve the ancient remains of the Cathedral. On August 25, 1998, by order of the Kyiv City State Administration, the Ukrainian Special Research and Restoration Design, Construction and Production Corporation “Ukrrestavratsiya” was appointed the direct executor of works on the reconstruction of the monument. Thus, the restoration of the Cathedral began. It ended on August 24, 2000 with the consecration of the shrine.

Employees of the Preserve, in particular, Maksym Strykhar and Oksana Chobitko, photographed the course of work for two years. Due to this, several hundred photo negatives have been preserved. They chronologically record the stages of reconstruction of the Cathedral.

Today we bring to your attention photo chronicle of the events of autumn 1998, when there appeared scaffolding constructions and works on strengthening foundations began.

The next issue of “Memories of Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra’ photo project will tell you about the event that was on November 21, 1998 and was dedicated to the solemn laying of the symbolic capsule and the first brick that symbolised the beginning of the reconstruction of the Dormition Cathedral.

Captions to the illustrations:
1. September 1998. Workers start working. They install scaffolding in the southern nave of the Kyivan Rus core of the temple. The photo is taken from a pillar crane installed on the north side of the construction site
2. The first pillar crane, which was installed on the north side of the ruins
3. View on the lower territory of Lavra from the pillar crane 
4. Clearing St. Stephen’s Chapel
5-8. Clearing south-western corner of the temple (above the burial place of the Olelkovych Princes)
9-11. Clearing the north-western corner of the temple (John the Baptist Chapel)
12-14. Works in the main nave - clearing heat-conducting channels
15. Installation of the drilling piles under wall foundations
16. Laying foundation for the future floor
17. October 1998: cupolas of the only surviving chapel of the Dormition Cathedral - St. John the Theologian and the Church of St. Anthony and Theodosius of Pechersk