Interior decoration

The elegant interior of the church is close to the rococo style. The carved golden three-tier central icons are magnificent. They were created by a special group of painters. Among the artists who did the work was the leading master of those times Alexey Antropov (One of Antropov’s works in the church – the icon “The Last Supper” was for a long time attributed to Leonardo da Vinci).

Keeper of the sanctuary

Looking at the present magnificence of the church, it is hard to believe that these were times when it was deserted and unattractive. The Empress Elizabeth planned to take personal care of the church. Therefore the church serves no parish, and there is no bell tower to call the congregation to divine service. But the empress died before the works were completed. After her death the court took no interest in the Kyiv church. The church was at last consecrated in 1767. But there was not enough money to maintain it. All that was left was to hope for help from voluntary keepers of the sanctuary. Such a keeper was Andrii Muraviov. He was known for his essays about Christian churches, including those of Kyiv. His efforts made it possible to collect funds for the reconstruction works. After Muraviov died, his remains were interred in the socle building of Saint Andrew’s, in the Sergiivska church developed by him.

Restitution of the lost image

From time to time temple needed reconstruction. The repair works altered the appearance of the church, and after two centuries the church did not look much like the author’s plan. But in 1963 Rastrelli’s original drafts were found in Vienna. This made it possible to reestablish the initial image of the fronts. This plan was carried out during the restoration in the 1970s (architect-restorer V. Korniiva).

3. Choose the best variant to complete each sentence.

1. “The Chronicle of Bygone Times” contains an ancient _______________ about the Apostle Andrew.

story	legend
poem	tale

2. The idea to construct the church ___________ by the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.

born	imagined
originated	made

3. The carved golden three-tier central ___________ are magnificent.

symbols	drafts
pictures	icons

4. Match the words.

modest	work
rococo	times
famous	style
picturesque	architect
bygone	proportions

5. Find the synonyms in the text.

situated
scenic
well-known
neglected, left
exterior

6. Find the opposites in the text.

exterior
desparation
disgrace
failed
disappear

7. Fill in the words, complete the sentences.

The church was originally ___________ by the famous _________Johann-Gottfried Schedel. But the empress ___________ her favourite, even more famous architect Rastrelli. The _________ architect of the court, Franchesco Bartholomew Rastrelli (in Russia he was called Varpholomey Varpholomeevich), was _________ numerous ____________ in the baroque style – ________ palaces and churches in Petersburg, Petergof, Tsarske Selo. But Church of Saint Andrew with its modest proportions is perhaps the most harmonious and ___________ work he left behind.