AS KYIVSKA RUS PRINCES, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE INTENDS TO RECEIVE AMBASSADORS AND HEADS OF FOREIGN STATES IN THE TERRITORY OF SOFIA CATHEDRAL

Facty, Igor Osipchuk

Yesterday the journalists were shown first two reconstructed halls for reception of high-ranking officials. The other two halls are still under repair.
In addition to Sofia Cathedral there are several splendid buildings in the territory of the National Reserve "Sofia Kyivska". These buildings include a three-floor house where Metropolitan's residence was located in the past centuries. This building is currently reconstructed to open the Architecture Museum there. It won't be quite usual: its four rooms together with the furnishings (luxurious furniture of the XVII-XIX centuries) are planned to be used for the state ceremonies. The President of Ukraine will accept credentials from the Ambassadors of foreign countries, meet the heads of foreign states, bestow government awards. A preliminary presentation of the Architecture Museum took place yesterday. Of course, the hits of the presentation were two comparatively small halls on the first floor designed for reception of the high-ranking officials.
UAH 15 million were allocated for reconstruction of the Metropolitan's Residence
Kiev already has two buildings where the meetings with the heads of foreign states and state ceremonies take place. They are Mariinskiy Palace (soon it will be closed for restoration which may last several years) and House with Chimeras, a masterpiece created in early XX century by architect Horodetskiy. Why was the decision made to use Sofia Kyivska for these purposes?
"The Chronicles tell us that in the territory of Sofia Cathedral the Kyivska Rus princes received foreign ambassadors and signed international treaties," General Director of the National Reserve "Sofia Kyivska" Nelia Kukovalskaya explained. "The idea to give the second birth to this tradition belongs to President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko. At the end of the last year he signed a decree concerning our Reserve. One of items of the decree contemplated the unveiling of halls for the state ceremonies. We will place them in the Metropolitan's Residence."
"Only rooms on the first floor have been reconstructed so far, the reconstruction of the second and third floors and the basement continue," Vitaliy Otchenashko, the Assistant to the Sofia Kyivska General Director, Academic Advisor of reconstruction of the Metropolitan's Residence, said. "The reconstruction works started in the beginning of this year. The expenses are defrayed by SCM's Foundation for Development of Ukraine. The Foundation has already allocated UAH 15 million. But it's just the first phase. We will need about UAH 10 million to complete the reconstruction and UAH 8 to 20 million to purchase antique furniture. The furnishings cost about the same as the reconstruction itself. A company dealing with the antiquities provided us with some part of antique furniture of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Having bought an entrance ticket, any comer can see these splendid tables, armchairs, wardrobes, mirrors?
The newly whitewashed façade delights the eye. We enter a former metropolitan refrectory.  It is one (the smallest) of the four halls for meeting the high-ranking officials. The walls are whitewashed; the hall is covered with new oak parquet. Tête-à-tête talks of the heads of the states accompanied by interpreters and one or two assistants are likely to be held here (there is not enough space for more people). In the hall there are four luxurious armchairs, a sofa and a little table made of polished rock. A special attention should be paid to the candlesticks in the form of marble vases. In these vases there are bronze flowers having the candles in their buds. However, there are come unoriginal things, for example, a bronze chandelier with eight candles is a copy of a chandelier made in the XVIII century (the Metropolitan's Residence was built then). There are several deep arched bays. In the days of old they served as wardrobes. The walls are pretty thick, 1.4-1.8 meters, that's why they had "built-in" furniture. To our regret, there is no data of how the rooms were furbished in the XVIII century, so now we select furniture, chandeliers, pictures which are typical for that period. Reconstruction of antique ovens is in prospect. The same glazed tiles as the ones found by the scientists in the Metropolitan's Residence will be made to tile the ovens.
"Even the locking bars will be the same as in the XVIII century"
- Let’s go to the second hall, it is much bigger than this one, - invited Vitaliy Otchenashko. ? Pay attention that we have installed temporary door locks. Soon we are going to have locking bars ? the copies of those used in the XVIII century. In the second hall you can see a big table, many carved chairs, oak wardrobes, a chest of drawers? We are also going to refurbish the oven in this hall. But we are not going to use firewood; we will install modern heating devices. The same equipment is installed under the floor and along the walls.
So we are proceeding to look at other halls and get to some two adjacent small rooms.
- We are planning to arrange a rest room here for the President, - continued Vitaliy Fedorovich. ? There is a shower room and a toilet next to the room.
On the second floor we looked at two more halls designed for diplomatic receptions. The area of the biggest hall is 130 square meters. There are two buffet rooms nearby, which will serve beverages and snacks.
-And now let’s go to the balcony, - invited Vitaliy Otchenashko. From the balcony you will have a view to the masterpiece of architecture - Zaborovskiy Gate. It used to serve as the front door to the Metropolitan's Residence. As far back as in the XIX century it was bricked up. We are going to move the bricks and refurbish the Gate. As for utility facilities raplacement we are going to lower the land level by 50 centimeters ? to the level of the house in the XVIII century. Now look at the windows of the first floor. We have refurbished them and they look the same as 250 years ago: metal shutters, steel bars. The window frames have corrugated glass with stained glass windows in the form of honeycombs.
- The window grates and metal shutters are installed to protect from thieves, aren’t they?
- For whom else do you think it might be? The temples used to be robbed. For instance, one of the most likely versions of origin of Pritisko-Nikolskaya Church at Kiev Podol is as follows: some robber filled in the sack with church plates and wanted to escape through the window. But in the window opening he got cardiac capture. What could frighten him to death? There was an icon in a heavy frame hanging on a rusty nail over the window. It got hooked on the sack and the icon pinned the thief down?
"I was amazed to see how many beautiful monuments of architecture there are in Ukraine"
Within the framework of presentation of the Architecture Museum there was arranged the Photo Exhibition "Ukraine. Country of Live Architecture". This is a very interesting project on creation of encyclopedia of remarkable monuments of architecture of our country.
- We have arranged the first expedition in Ukraine, professional photographers took pictures of ancient churches, palaces, fortresses in dozens of cities and villages of the country - said the manager on the programs and projects of the Foundation for development of Ukraine Denis Denisenko. You know, I was amazed to see how many beautiful monuments of architecture there are in Ukraine?

24.10.06