Last updated on January 2, 2024.

Saint Sophia Cathedral is one of the most important and well-known landmarks in Kyiv. The cathedral complex is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list along with Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

 

Admission

The entrance to the complex is through the bell tower on Sofiyska Square. Tickets can be purchased after entering the bell tower. A full ticket costs ₴200 (as of June 2023). It provides admission to the cathedral, Metropolitan’s Residence, exhibitions in the bakery and refectory, and the bell tower. Admission to the grounds only is ₴20, and there are also other tickets and packages for individual buildings.

Exterior of the complex at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Exterior of the complex
Bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Bell tower

 

Saint Sophia Cathedral

I first visited the Saint Sophia Cathedral. It’s the oldest cathedral in Kyiv, founded in 1011 by Vladimir the Great. It was named after Hagia Sophia of Constantinople (now Istanbul). The cathedral has had a long history, being turned into a Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for a brief period after the Union of Brest in 1596, and slated for destruction by the Soviets in the 1920s. When the Soviets promised to return the cathedral to the Orthodox Church in the 1980s, claims by the Catholic Church and schisms within the Orthodox Church caused several problems (see the end of this post). Since 1995, the cathedral has remained a museum.

Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Saint Sophia Cathedral

The cathedral was intended to be a burial place for Ukrainian royalty. Buried inside were Yaroslav the Wise and possibly his wife Ingegerd Olofsdotter of SwedenVladimir II Monomakh and his first wife, Gytha of WessexVyacheslav I; and Vsevolod I. Not all of the graves survive to this day.

Saint Sophia Cathedral

The mosaics and frescoes inside are original and spectacular. Photos aren’t allowed, and several very large and gruff old Ukrainian women were watching like hawks and barking at those who tried to snap one in secret.

Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Saint Sophia Cathedral

 

Metropolitan’s Residence

Next, I went to the Metropolitan’s Residence.

Metropolitan’s Residence
Metropolitan's residence at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Metropolitan’s Residence

On display inside were some works of art and antique furniture.

Metropolitan’s Residence
Metropolitan's residence at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
A room in the Metropolitan’s Residence
Metropolitan’s Residence
Metropolitan's residence at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Metropolitan’s Residence

 

Other Buildings

Then it was off to wander the grounds. I saw the monastic cells, school, the bakery, and two gates to the complex. The Zaborovskyi Gate, which is behind the Metropolitan’s Residence, was built in 1746.

Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Saint Sophia Cathedral complex
Bakery at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Bakery
Zaborovskyi Gate at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Zaborovskyi Gate
Southern Gate at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Southern Gate

The Consistory, which served as an ecclesiastical office, had a small exhibit that was of no interest to me. Across from it is the Refectory Church, which wasn’t open.

Consistory at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Consistory
Refectory Church at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Refectory Church
Refectory Church

 

Bell Tower

Finally, I climbed the bell tower for some great views of Kyiv. It was built in the 17th century.

Bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Bell tower
Bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Looking up inside the bell tower
Looking up inside the bell tower
Bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Bell tower

Once at the top, I was able to get fantastic views of some of the buildings in the complex.

Saint Sophia Cathedral from the bell tower in Kyiv, Ukraine
Saint Sophia Cathedral from the bell tower
Refectory Church from the bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Refectory Church from the bell tower

I was also able to see several Kyiv landmarks, including Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) and St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery.

View of Sofiyska Square from the bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
View of Sofiyska Square
View of Kiev from the bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
View of Kyiv
View of Maidan Nezalezhnosti from the bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
Looking towards Independence Square
View of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery from the bell tower at Saint Sophia Cathedral complex in Kyiv, Ukraine
View of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery

 

Sofiyska Square

Saint Sophia Cathedral is located on the beautiful Sofiyska Square. A monument of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, a Cossack hetman, is at the end of the square opposite the cathedral.

Sofiyska Square in Kyiv, Ukraine
Sofiyska Square
Bohdan Khmelnytskyi monument at Sofiyska Square in Kyiv, Ukraine
Bohdan Khmelnytskyi monument

 

Tomb of Patriarch Volodymyr

Also on the square, to the right of the bell tower, is the tomb of Patriarch Volodymyr of Kyiv (1925-1995). He was the patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate, which was founded in 1992 after a schism with the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The original plan was to bury him next to Saint Sophia Cathedral, but violent confrontations took place between clergy, people of different denominations, and right-wing nationalists during the funeral. Two people were killed in the clashes, and the decision was made to bury him outside of the complex.

Tomb of Patriarch Volodymyr of Kyiv in Kyiv, Ukraine
Tomb of Patriarch Volodymyr of Kyiv

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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