The Uspensky (Assumption) Cathedral is situated at the central part of the University Hill. It is one of city's wonderful architectural monuments built in 1771-1777 in the style of Russian Baroque. To commemorate victory of Russian troops over Napoleon, architect Ye.Vasilyev designed a new bell tower built in 1821-1844. The gold-domed bell tower attracts attention with its simplicity, stateliness, and austere forms. This is the highest building in Kharkiv rising 89.5 meters tall. The bell tower has a chiming clock, whose melodious signal is heard hourly over the city.

An organ has been installed in the cathedral and now it is also known as an organ music hall, hosting prominent Kharkiv and guest performers of chamber and organ music. Thanks to its good acoustics, the organ music hall is a popular concert venue for classical music performers and folklore groups.

The Uspensky Cathedral was built in Kharkov in 1657. The Cathedral wasn't large (about 8s5 m); it wasn't decorated with traditional icons and was rather cold. The name of the Cathedral is connected with a great Christian holiday - Uspenie Bogoroditsi which belongs to the 12 greatest Christian holidays. People usually celebrate it in August as a day of memories of God Mother and the end of her life way. In Russia this holiday coincides with the last day of harvest, thafs why some of the rites became the part of the holiday.

This holiday was very popular among people, because God Mother was well known as "peopless defender". Thafs why main Cathedrals in all the cities were dedicated to God Mother. The building of a new Uspensky Cathedra' began in 1658 and in 1688 it was already finished. The main peculiarity was its Bell Tower. In 1689 the Pokrovsky Cathedral was built, and it also had a Bell Tower .And exactly this Cathedral kept till our days. Now ifs the oldest building in Kharkov. One of the greatest fires took place on the 3 of May in 1733. A part of the city was destroyed. Only stonewalls of the Uspensky Cathedral left after the fire. Though it was already restored in 1734~ there soon appeared a lot of cracks so it couldn't be used any longer. In 1770-s the city changed very much~ so the Uspensky Cathedral didn't correspond to its surrounding.

There were built a lot of bigger and more beautiful Cathedrals) and the Uspensky Cathedral was too old and decayed. So in 1771 the building of the new Uspensky Cathedral began. And all the building was going on because of many people) who wanted and could help. The government didn't have money for the buildings because at that time a lot of other constructions were built. People from different regions helped to build Uspensky Cathedral giving money. The building lasted for 12 years. The new Cathedral was much bigger then the previous one: 27,5x25 m. The Uspensky Cathedral belonged to the oross-dome Cathedrals. The central main nef (from the Latin word nevos -ship, steamer) -axial, the largest part of the Cathedral, which was separated from the northern and southern side- galleries with great pylons, -was directed from the west to the east. But in 1930-s all this was lost.

The unique iconostas was divided into several parts and brought to the Art Museum in Kharkov, where the fire destroyed it some time later. Five domes of the Cathedral were destroyed either. There was the first radio station in Kharkov before the Great Patriotic War. The Baroque style first appeared in Ukraine in XVII century. It mixed with the Ukrainian culture and got a specialJ straight and stylistic directionJ which later was called the Ukrainian Baroque . The building of the new Uspensky Cathedral began on the2 of May in 1821 the work lasted for 2 years and from 1825 to 1831 it couldn't go on as the main engine of the process" Prokopovich died. The building went on in 1821 but it stopped a year later, as "the main architecture" Vasiliev died. The building went on in 1840. On the 1 of October in 1841 across (500kg and 5 m) was set at the top of the Cathedral. The building was finished in 1844 and it was 89,5 m high. The building began in 1687 and lasted for more than 150 years. But the old Bell Tower didn't correspond to new Cathedral, thafs why the parliament decided to built a new one.

In architecture the Bell Tower was an example of Chassidism and national many-store ness. An austere and magnificent belfry of the Uspensky Cathedral can be viewed from any point in downtown. The Cathedral was built in 1777 while the belfry was added in 1844 to commemorate the victory of he Russian army over Napoleon. In 1780 a chorus began singing in the Uspensky Cathedral almost every day. Many people enjoyed it and so they visited the Cathedral more often, not just on Sundays and Saturdays. The chorus existed 23 years but in 1803 it disintegrated. So the government decided to build an organ concert hall in the Cathedral. The Uspensky Cathedral is a Christian church but in the19th century there was no such a tradition to set organs in the Christian churches.

This activity started spreading in the country in 1980-s to give churches some more functions. Organ is one of the most ancient musical instruments it appeared in the third era BC, and at that time it was called "gidravlos". This instrument was called so, because it played with the help of water (without it organs were silent). Organ was so popular in the Ancient Rome, that even some organ competitions were held there. Pneumatic organs with the air bellows appeared in the 8th -9th centuries. At first they were spread in Europe. Later organs like this were well known all around the world. The organ music could be heard in Kharkov in the early 19th century .The very first organ appeared in 1851 when a German university was opened. The other organ was in a catholic church; another big one was in a private house but they I unfortunately I disappeared.

The organ from the Uspensky Cathedral was made by the firm "Rigger Kloss" which was in the Czechoslovak city Krnov. It was a special order so the organ was made carefully. Its force air mechanism sets in motion by the motor. The organ consists of 3574 trumpets of different diameter and length. There are three keyboards for hands and a pedal keyboard for legs. There are also registry handles and levers, and a lot of buttons. It is very difficult for one person to operate the organ1 that is why the assistant helps the organist during the play. The organ concert hall seats five hundred men.

It was opened on the first of June in 1986 and since that day almost every day the surrounding streets are filled with the wonderful tunes of the organ. A lot of concerts, festivals, literature evenings are held there. Famous musicians. choruses and ensembles perform there. Due to the organ the Uspensky Cathedral found its second life . The whole day people pass by and listen to the tunes reverberating under the vaulted ceiling of the newly restored Uspensky Cathedral.

Visit Kharkiv and plan your holidays in Ukraine. You can get there via flight to Kharkiv.