Wall crumbles around Sophia Cathedral of Kiev

October – November 2014

A part of the wall of the “Sophia of Kiev” National Preserve (the main component of which is the Hagia Sophia Cathedral complex) has partially crumbled. The Culture and Tourism permanent commission in the Kiev City Council did not rule out the possibility of further destruction in “Sophia of Kiev” National Preserve, reports UNIAN (Ukrainian Independent Information Agency).

On October 18, a part of the 5 meter high wall of “St. Sophia of Kiev” National Preserve collapsed in Kiev. According to residents of the block of flats across the street (Streletskaya Street, 7/6), the crashing noise was so intense that walls of the flats began to shake, report the Ukrainian media.

“This happened at around 11 AM. I was cooking dinner at home. Suddenly a great crashing noise was heard, the walls and dishes in the flat began to tremble! I thought it was an explosion as if a gas leak occurred somewhere. I looked out of the window and saw that the wall between “Sophia of Kiev” National Preserve and our block’s yard had fallen…” Elena Kryukova relates.

According to UNIAN, the Ukrainian minister of culture Eugene Nishchuk has been reported that “this incident can be partly justified by the fact that this wall was built as early as 1960s and 1970s and it is not of historical value.”

At the same time, the minister has noted that the situation when “the wall of the “Hagia Sophia” complex tumbles down is a very serious signal”.

Chairman of the Culture and Tourism commission in the Kiev City Council Igor Lutsenko reported yesterday that destruction occurring on the territory of the “Hagia Sophia” complex, including the latest incident with fall of a part of the wall, were indicative of the existing tendency of failure to adequately guard this UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

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