Chernihiv can be read through several layers of time: the Anthony Caves lie beneath the Boldin Hills, while churches and architectural ensembles reveal a building history dating back to the 11th century. Museums have their own focus—from the history of the region to memories of a single city district. This opens up a choice for a cultural trip between architecture, the underground history of the monastery and museum collections.
The Anthony Caves and the Boldin Hills
The Anthony Caves are a monastery complex founded in the second half of the 11th century by Anthony the Cave Dweller with the support of Prince Sviatoslav Yaroslavich of Chernihiv. Inside the Boldin Hills, the caves contain 350 metres of underground passages. They reach a depth of up to twelve metres and extend over four levels. The complex includes three underground churches dedicated to Anthony the Cave Dweller, Theodosius of Totma and Nicholas Sviatosha. The dimensions and levels give the complex a distinctive spatial character; its origins also connect it to the city’s early monastic history.
Above ground, too, the Boldin Hills shape the historic setting: the area is marked by hills more than 30 metres high. Those interested in the landscape will find a different way to experience Chernihiv here than through its churches and museum collections.
Churches from different centuries
The Transfiguration Cathedral was built between 1030 and 1034 and is one of the oldest surviving stone buildings in Eastern Europe. It is among the landmarks on the Chernihiv Rampart and is described as one of the oldest temples of Rus. St Elias Church dates from the 11th century. Its single-apse, pillarless design is unique on Ukraine’s Left Bank. The Pyatnytska Church was built much later, with its origins dating to the late 12th or early 13th century. Together, these buildings showcase different historical periods and architectural forms.
The Borys and Hlib Church and the Chernihiv Collegium are also landmarks on the Rampart. The Collegium is considered the first higher education institution on Ukraine’s left bank. The Borys and Hlib Cathedral houses an exhibition on the history of the church complex, as well as two permanent exhibitions: “Frescoes of the Churches of Chernihiv” and “Architecture and Crafts of Chernihiv in the 11th–13th Centuries”. The Chernihiv Ancient National Architectural and Historical Reserve, which includes the Rampart along with other architectural ensembles, contains 26 architectural monuments of national importance.
Another building on the historic Rampart is the former site of a girls’ gymnasium, which now houses the Chernihiv Regional Art Museum named after H. P. Galagan. St Michael’s Church of the Chernihiv Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a newly built rotunda with a circular plan. The Church of the Holy Martyrs Prince Michael of Chernihiv and Boyar Fyodor, meanwhile, was built in 1808 above the Stryzhen River.
Monastery complex and frescoes
The Dormition Cathedral is the main church of the Yeletsky Convent and an important architectural monument. Its interior preserves frescoes depicting, among others, the Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace, the Mother of God, the Evangelists, saints and angels. The monastery also includes a bell tower, a monastic cell, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and a stone enclosure. The frescoes and buildings offer different ways to explore religious art and monastic architecture.
Museums with different areas of focus
The Vasyl Tarnovskyi Chernihiv Historical Museum’s historical exhibition covers the history of the region from the Palaeolithic period to 1992. There is also a separate military history exhibition. The Chernihiv Military History Museum has more than 11,000 exhibits, and military equipment is on display in its courtyard. A broad historical span and a collection focused on a specific theme can thus be explored side by side.
The History Museum of the historic Liskovytsia district displays old photographs and documents, as well as rare household items and furniture from the neighbourhood. The Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky Museum-Reserve offers a different perspective: it preserves the writer’s house, with a recreation of family life, and a garden with trees he planted himself. Check the current visitor regulations before visiting the museums and exhibitions mentioned here.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Myhove, Sedniv, Yerkiv, Khotyn, Petrivka, Korop, Pryluky, Zelenyi Hai.
For the broader travel overview: Chernihiv Oblast.
