Church of Our Savior of Berestove

2002 World Monuments Watch

Listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Church of Our Savior was built within a monastery complex in Berestove Village, the one-time seat of Kyiv’s royal family. The sanctuary was modified over time, the most radical revisions undertaken in 1752, when it became a five-domed edifice. The narthex is the only part of the church that remains unmodified – within it, a fresco cycle dating to the time of its construction. Today, rising damp and leaking roofs are damaging brick, mortar, and interior finishes. There are numerous cracks in the walls and across the vaults in the eastern apse and the narthex – most likely caused by rotted wood pilings in the foundation – which threaten the integrity of the overall structure. For the church to survive, its structural problems must be addressed and a plan for long-term conservation implemented.