Saint Vladimir Cathedral is one of the most beautiful temples in Kiev. It was built in the 19th century to commemorate the 900th anniversary of Russian baptizing. Russian Emperor Nicolas I himself approved the project of the cathedral and ordered to collect money all over Russia. By 1859 more than 100,000 rubles were donated by people of different regions of the country. Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra donated one million bricks for the cathedral construction.

Original design of the cathedral was elaborated by Saint Petersburg architect Strom and Kiev eparchy architect Sparro. Later the project was completed by architect Beretti. Eventually, Beretti was removed from the building process. The works have stopped, because no one dared to take the responsibility to continue the building. The walls could hardly stand, so they were strengthened using buttresses. This sad procrastination kept on until the Emperor Oleksandr II arrived in Kiev and on his way from the railway station to the apartments saw the unfinished site. Immediately extra money was found, and Kiev welcomed another master with a world-famous name – Rudolf Berngard. His figures became the basis for the future building. About the responsible builder – there was such a post at the time – he proposed his 28-year-old student Volodymyr Nikolaev who had just taken the post of Kiev eparchy architect. Young architect perfectly coped with difficult tasks. In 1882 the building was actually over. What was left to do was to paint the interior of the cathedral.

Famous art-critic and archaeologist Adrian Prahov was crazy at turning the cathedral into the treasury of contemporary religious art. Almost none took his idea seriously. However, Prahov, using his Petersburg friends and comrades, managed to become the head of the decoration department of Saint Volodymyr Cathedral in 1885. He invited best specialists: Viktor Vasnetsov, Michael Nesterov, brothers Oleksandr and Pavlo Svedomski, Wilhelm Kotarbinsky, Michael Vrubel, Ukrainian artists Mylola Pymonenko and Sergiy Kostenko. And the impossible happened! Even though the constant shortage of money, blames in the fact that the artists are too brave in their works and very long period of the works (11 years!), Prahov’s intention came true. The painting of the cathedral owing to the talent of artists, enormous emotional tension and the true historical environment soon became a significant monument to religious art of the XIX century.

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Prince Vladimir, who baptized Russia and made Christianity official state religion. Interiors and exteriors of the cathedral are designed in Old Byzantine style, which makes the cathedral similar to temples of Old Russia in the times of Saint Prince Vladimir. The cathedral topped with seven domes is 49 meters high. The door of the cathedral decorated with relieves is a masterpiece. Relieves depict Princess Olga, who was the first one in Russia to adopt Christianity, and her grandson prince Vladimir, who baptized Russia.

Saint Vladimir Cathedral was put up in 1862-1896. In 1896 it was solemnly consecrated at presence of Emperor Nicolas II and his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna.

Saint Vladimir Cathedral is world famous for its unique frescos and mosaics. Outstanding Russian artists, such as Vasnetsov, Vrubel, Nesterov and others, as well as Venetian masters, participated in the cathedral decoration. Salvation and symbolic history of Russian Orthodox Christianity is the main subject that unifies all the frescos and mosaics of the cathedral, including those treating the Gospel subjects, depicting martyrs, apostles and saints.

Among the most precious frescoes of Saint Vladimir Cathedral are Vasnetsov's works The Baptizing of Kievers, Virgin with the Child, The Baptizing of Vladimir and others. Many compositions that were created in Saint Vladimir Cathedral for the first time later were repeated in other churches and temples all over the country.

The iconstand of the cathedral is made of gray carrara marble. Multicolored marbles from Italy, France, Belgium and Spain decorate the walls and the floor of the temple.

Brilliant work of artists and special meaning of the temple explain why Saint Vladimir Cathedral is such a popular place for pilgrimage. Contemporaries called Saint Vladimir Cathedral "the first inspired example of Russian religious art", and it still attracts visitors with its majesty and beauty.

Saint Vladimir Cathedral is mostly known as temple-museum. Actually, the architecture of the cathedral is comparatively not very rich, but the decoration inside is immensely magnificent and of high artistic merit. The interior of the temple is painted by famous artists Vasnetsov, Nesterov, Vrubel etc. Their creatures reflect the human vision of the divine.

Founded in 1862, Saint Vladimir Cathedral’s construction was finished only in august 1896. It was built to commemorate the 900th anniversary of Kiev Rus baptizing. It brings the name of St. Vladimir – a famous Kyiv prince, who introduced the Christianity in our city. That’s why there are so many images of Vladimir, and also of Saint Olga, his grandmother, who was one of the first Christians among Kiev princes.

In 1852, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow suggested a large cathedral should be built in Kiev to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the baptism of Kievan Rus' by prince Vladimir (Volodymyr) the Great of Kiev (St. Vladimir). People from all over the Russian Empire started donating to this cause, so that by 1859 the cathedral fund had amassed a huge sum of 100,000 rubles. The Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Monastery of the Caves) produced one million bricks and presented them to the cathedral as well. The design was executed in neo-Byzantine style initially by the architects I. Schtrom, P. Sparro, R. Bemhardt, K. Mayevsky, V. Nikolayev. The final version of the design belongs to Alexander Vikentievich Beretti. It is a traditional six-piered, three-apsed temple crowned by seven cupolas. The height to the cross of the main dome is 49 m (161 ft).

The entrance door is adorned with relief bronze sculptures of St. Olga (Princess Olga of Kiev) by sculptor R. Bakh and St. Vladimir (sculptor H. Zaieman) against a blue background. The iconostasis is carved from the white marble brought from Carrara. The cathedral was completed in 1882, however, the paintings were fully completed only in 1896.

It is the cathedral's colourful interior that particularly strikes the eye. Mosaics were executed by masters from Venice. Frescoes were created under the guidance of Professor A. Prakhov by a group of famous painters: S. Kostenko, V. Kotarbinsky, Mikhail Nesterov, M. Pymonenko, P. Swedomsky, Viktor Vasnetsov, Mikhail Vrubel, V. Zamyraylo, and others. The painting of the Holy Mother of God by Vasnetsov in the altar apse of the cathedral impresses by its austere beauty.

In the years of 30 of 20 century the church was transformed in atheistic museum. Fortunately, it wasn’t destroyed like dozens of other religious buildings in Kiev. Today two important sacred things repose in St. Vladimir Cathedral – holy relics of Saint Barbara and Saint Makarii. The cathedral is always open for visitors and masses are often held there.