Description of the attraction
One of the most beautiful buildings in Kiev - the Elias Church - has a long history. This temple is the heir to, perhaps, the most ancient church in the entire territory of Kievan Rus. At least in the annals it is stated that this was the name of the temple, which was built by the legendary princes Askold and Dir, in any case, not only the name coincides, but also the location indicated in the “Tale of Bygone Years”. There is also a completely logical version that it was near the Elias Church that the baptism of the Kievites took place in 988.
Unfortunately, we cannot know what the church looked like initially: no drawings and descriptions of it have survived. Experts suggest that the reason for this was the material from which the church was built - wood. The church of St. Elijah received its present appearance thanks to the efforts of the petty bourgeois Gudima, who at his own expense built the stone building of the temple. The church has developed close relations with representatives of this family for many years, it is not surprising that the descendants of this bourgeois were more than once church donors. At first it was a small building, with laconic and clear forms, as well as restrained decor. However, at the beginning of the 18th century, the building underwent reconstruction: a two-tier bell tower was added to it, church gates were installed, made in the typical for Ukraine style of “Cossack” or “Ukrainian baroque”. This work is already remarkable in that it was carried out under the guidance of the famous Ukrainian architect I. G. Grigorovich-Barsky.
At the beginning of the 19th century, due to the small number of its flock, the church fell into decay, but later funds were found for reconstruction and the Elias Church acquired the look that, after the restoration carried out in the 90s of the 20th century, we have the opportunity to enjoy.
