Saint Nicholas Prytyska Church

The Saint Nicholas Prytyska Church is one of the oldest churches in Kyiv, which has an interesting history. One of the versions of the origin of the name “Prytyska” delves into the history of the temple all the way back to princely times, when one of the first churches dedicated to St. Nicholas was built in the territory of Rus at the mouth of the Pochaina River near prytyka (harbour), that is, the port on the way from the Varangians to the Greeks. This church has survived many historical events, particularly that it was repeatedly damaged during fires in the XVIII and XIX centuries, after which it was restored by projects of famous architects. In the twentieth century, the church was damaged during World War II, but was eventually reconstructed and reopened to the faithful. Today, the church combines elements of the Ukrainian Baroque and classicism. Its interior is decorated with paintings and a gilded iconostasis. An important element is a memorial board on the facade of the church that honours Metropolitan Ivan Pavlovsky, who served here in 1934-1935.