Metropolitan’s Residence
Metropolitan’s Residence
The Metropolitan’s Residence is located in the western part of the courtyard of the Sophia Architectural Complex, opposite the main entrance to the cathedral. Several Kyiv metropolitans made efforts to create this pearl of Ukrainian Baroque. Built in 1722–1730 during the reign of Metropolitan Varlaam Vanatovych, the House was originally one-story. His successor, Metropolitan Raphail Zaborovsky (1731–1747), built the second floor, in the construction of which, probably, the talented architect J.G. Shedel took part. The completion of the construction dates back to the times of Metropolitan Tymophiy Shcherbatsky (1747–1757) at the Kyiv Department, who involved the architect S. Antonov in the works. During this period, the third, mansard floor was built, a new roof with a bend was arranged, the eastern and western facades of the House were decorated with magnificent baroque pediments.
In the future, the house was repeatedly rebuilt, completed and repaired. In the 1880s, according to the project of the famous Kyiv architect V. Nikolaev, an extension was made on the western side, and a balcony with stairs was arranged, which could be used to descend from the second floor to the metropolitan garden. New wide granite stairs have appeared in the interior.
After the October Сoup, the Metropolitan’s Residence was nationalized, and various organizations were located here.
Large-scale repair and restoration works in the Metropolitan’s House were carried out during 2005-2008 (the authors of the restoration project are architects S. Yurchenko and V. Otchenashko; the patron is the Foundation for Development of Ukraine. In the course of the works, an authentic painting of the 18th century was discovered and restored, which has been preserved in the interior of the monument. Specialists have studied the closest analogues of furniture, thanks to which a museum exposition has been formed on the ground floor of the house, which recreates the interior and utensils of the metropolitan rooms of the 18th-19th centuries. On the second floor there are exhibition halls and a large conference hall equipped with modern technical means, where conferences, seminars and other cultural events take place.