St Andrew's Church

In 1762, construction of St Andrew’s Church was completed on a hill in Podil — the work of the well-known Russian architect of Italian origin, Francesco Rastrelli. This is the only building by this architect in Kyiv that has survived to the present day. The church has a cruciform plan, with a large dome above the central part and decorative towers with small domes on four sides. 

It is one of the most expressive and notable Baroque buildings. It is marked by an impressive ceremonial appearance, pictorial quality, dynamic architectural forms, contrasting colors, the use of gilding and rich decoration. The church is set on a two-story building, a stylobate. The height of the building is 47 m, the height of the stylobate is 15 m. 

Interesting facts:

• St Andrew’s Church has no bell tower, since the ringing of bells can cause a landslide and lead to the destruction of the building. 
• St Andrew’s Church is included in the catalog “1000 Wonders of the World”
• The iconostasis, made of linden wood, was also designed by Rastrelli.
• The church is named in honor of Andrew the First-Called, who at one time foretold its construction.