Kiev Pechersk Lavra

The Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Ukrainian Києво - Печерська лавра; Russian Киево - Печерская лавра; German: Holy Assumption Monastery ) is situated on the hilly west bank of the Dnepr towering south of the present center of Kiev. The large walled monastery complex is divided into two sections: the upper and lower Lavra. Both parts include a variety of culturally significant churches, monasteries and museums as well as monk caves in the lower Lavra, which form the historic core of the system.

History

The Kiev Pechersk Lavra is one of the oldest Russian Orthodox monasteries of Kievan Rus. The demonstrably oldest mentions of the caves are found in the major " Chronicling the past years" ( Повесть временых лет ) Nestor (also called " Primary Chronicle ", in early 12th century ) and in the " Paterikon " the cave monastery.

The records after the hermit Antony from Ljubetsch 1013 settled in the Varangian caves on the banks of the Dnieper. Together with the monk Theodosius, the 1062 head of Asketengemeinschaft was, he founded in 1051 to an Orthodox monastery. In the late 11th century, the first construction of the Assumption Cathedral was ( Успенский собор ). In the following centuries, the entire area of ​​the monastery became the leading monastery in the Kievan Rus. This tradition was not interrupted by the Mongol rule in the 13th century, although its importance Kiev forfeited as an important trading city with Konstantin Opel at this time. The cave monastery in 1688 the honorary title of " Lavra " was awarded. This prestigious award given only a few significant monasteries in Orthodox Russia.

The present-day church and monastery buildings are characterized by the Ukrainian Baroque from the 18th century. Important buildings from this time are the Assumption Cathedral, the Dreifaltigkeitstorkirche, the Church of All Saints, the Exaltation of the Cross Church and the Mother of God Church of the Nativity. The construction of the large bell tower was from 1731. As the last great church was built 1893-95 the refectory.

After the Russian Revolution and the turmoil of the Civil War, the cave monastery was converted into a state museum reserve of the young Soviet power in 1926. The caves were closed in 1929. 1941 was blown up during the German occupation, the Assumption Cathedral ( Uspensky Cathedral ). Reich Commissioner Ukraine Erich Koch gave as reason that subject peoples should have no identity places of worship that strengthen their independence.

1988, when the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev began a reorientation, the monastic life was revived in the cave monastery. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the separation of Ukraine from Russia, the lower area of ​​the monastery of the Orthodox Church has been returned. Here also resettle monks in traditional caves. The Assumption Cathedral was rebuilt from 1998 to 2000.

The monastery got its name from extensive artificial caves which were used as hermitages of the monks since the founding period. Here in the utmost seclusion tried from the world ( and try again) monks to approach God through prayer. The long cave passages include at certain intervals smallest monk cells and underground churches. The caves were used as burial but deceased monks. Along all gears are in niches the coffins of many monks, whose bodies mummified in the coffins over the centuries. Even the famous chronicler Nestor is buried in the caves. The cave system, which is partly open to tourists today is divided into two regions: the near and the distant caves, both of which are accessible from the lower Lavra.

Importance

The cave monastery is one of the main sights of Kiev. The high value is also supported by the fact that the monastery complex is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1990. More than a million tourists a year visit the extensive facilities and their museums. The main museum is the " Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine ". Here Craft is issued from the territory of modern Ukraine. The focus is on precious gold from the period of the Scythians, including a golden " pectoral " ( pectoral ) from the 4th century BC, and from the times of the Kievan Rus and Cossacks. Other museums include the " museum of Ukrainian folk art " and an exhibition of miniature works of art that are to be considered under magnifying glasses and microscopes.

The poem "You know of those Saints" by Rainer Maria Rilke refers to the monks of the cave monastery.