Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Ovruch
Near the end of the 1st millennium A.D., the famous Kyivan prince Volodymyr the Great built a wooden church here. Later on in 1190, his descendants erected a stone cathedral there. The building was an impressive sight to all passersby, and the people called it the “Golden-Domed” church owing to its gilded dome.
Its rich decoration could have been the reason for the church being repeatedly raided in subsequent centuries. Over the years, it became dilapidated and began decaying into ruins. In the middle of the 19th century, most of the building collapsed and three apses and part of the northern wall was all that remained from the Old Rus church. How can we still see this ancient grandeur today?
The current Saint Basil's church is the result of a reconstruction held at the very beginning of the 20th century. The reconstruction became an example of sophisticated workmanship, preceded by thorough excavations and studies. All the remains were collected literally brick by brick, and missing materials were crafted at the local brickyard using old models. Some pieces of 12th-century frescoes were also found and preserved. The cross for the renovated church was found in the attic of another local cathedral.
The following was reported at the meeting of the Archaeological Commission: “No dome elements were found as they possibly fell into the church and were destroyed by subsequent reconstructions. The dome therefore had to be designed based on the four pillars of the building that were found, which allowed its size to be determined. Its height was calculated based on the general proportions of the church.”
However, the monument faced difficult times even after its reconstruction. Given that Soviet authorities were opposed to religion and churches, the restored sacred place was relegated to housing a military unit, an orphanage, a hospital, and a vocational school until the fall of the USSR. The monastery was only fully restored after Ukraine's independence in 1991.
Maryana Klochko
Maryana Klochko is a music producer, singer and a composer. She works with the unconscious, experimenting with the possibilities of combining vocals and electronics. Her work focuses on experimental pop music, inspired by liturgical chants and rave aesthetics.
She is well-known for her music for numerous films: “A Picture to Remember” (2023) by Olga Chernykh, “Stop Earth” (2021) by Kateryna Hornostai, “Utopians” (2022) by Nicole Medvecka (DE), “HORMONAAL” (2023) by Pien van Grinsven (NL), “Break the Circle” (2021) by Elizabeth Smith, “PLUS ONE” (2018) by Myroslava Klochko.
In 2021, she received Golden Dzyga Award from Ukrainian Film Academy’s for Best Original Music Score and Best Song in “Stop Earth” by Kateryna Hornostai.