Sofia Cathedral is the oldest stone building of Vologda. The cathedral was laid in 1568, during the time of Ivan the Terrible. From 1578 to 1924 it was the cathedral of the Vologda diocese.
Ivan the Terrible personally watched the construction of the cathedral, often came to Vologda with an inspection, could not wait for the completion of construction. And so, when the cathedral was almost finished, the king examined it … and cooled. The chronicler vaguely hinted that some object fell from the ceiling on the king.
The king thought it was a bad omen. In Vologda did not come, the cathedral was not interested and the construction was abandoned. Only under his son, Fyodor Ioannovich, in 1587 they decided to complete the temple.
The matter progressed slowly, and at first they consecrated not the whole temple, but its southern limit of John the Forerunner. The temple was consecrated in 1612, during the difficult time of the Polish invasion. The invaders looted the cathedral. It caught fire and in the fire burned the roof, with the heads and the cross.
Throughout the 17th century the cathedral was completed and decorated. The roof has been restored, the iconostasis. Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich gave a huge panic, and 3 more bought in Arkhangelsk.
There was a fire again. In 1698, the onions were restored incorrectly, the central sank, damaged the neighboring ones. I had to rebuild the roof again.
In the middle of the 18th century, the iconostasis burned down and was replaced by a new one. He was five-tiered, richly decorated.
In the 19th century the temple was reconstructed. Expanded the windows, painted the roof. At all entrances made stone porches, and around the temple – stone fence.
In 1924, the temple was closed, and the building was transferred to the Museum of Religion and Atheism, as one of the exhibits in the building installed the Foucault pendulum.
In the middle of the 20th century, a large-scale restoration was carried out in the cathedral. Tore down all the stone porches, put the walls in order, renovated the domes. Inside, the walls were updated, frescoes of the 17th century were fixed.
Another restoration was carried out at the beginning of our century. Updated masonry, treated brick moisture-resistant composition. To preserve the frescoes, a warm floor was made. The iconostasis was restored.
The cathedral is part of the Vologda Museum-Reserve, services here are held only on church holidays. It is open to visitors every day.
Charitable Foundation Holy Land
Russian Temples and Monasteries
