The Greek Church of St. Sofia Photo: the Greek Church of St. Sofia

The Greek Church of St. Sofia is one of the oldest surviving churches of Kherson, located on a street is red-Navy. In addition, it is the only constructed in the form of a Basilica city temple. A Church with a wooden head was built by the Greeks who settled here in the 18th century, and consecrated in 1780

Kherson Basilica is divided by two rows of columns into three aisles. In the courtyard of the temple erected magnificent bell tower, the third tier which is decorated with carved wooden statues of the four apostles: Mark, Matthew, John and Luke. Service, divine Liturgy, baptism, weddings were held in the temple in the Greek language. For Russian-speaking residents of the city later was erected the Cathedral of the assumption.

Due to the economic crisis, it's in the early 18th to late 19th century, the Greeks left the city, resulting in 1808 Sophia Church was consecrated in the Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the virgin. But despite this, the current appearance of the Church is no different from a Greek temple article 18

In its architectural form of the Greek Sophia Church and now stands out among all the churches of Kherson. The drum of the temple has remained wooden. Four niches in the upper part of the drum, the bell tower with painted sculptures of the evangelists give the temple a peculiar look.

Special attention deserves carved iconostasis ebony, made in the style of the Italian Renaissance. The iconostasis was brought from Greece. General view of the wonderful carved Royal doors of the iconostasis and spoiled supplied later by white columns which are not combined with the black iconostasis.

To date, the Greek Church of Saint Sophia is a monument of history and architecture of Kherson.

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The Greek Church of St. Sofia
Kherson Museum of local lore
Kherson fortress
Cathedral of the assumption