The Kievans always cherished idea to rear a cathedral in honor of the Great Prince Vladimir who introduced Christianity in 988 and who was later canonized.  In 1852, metropolitan Philaret of Moscow suggested that a large cathedral should be built in Kiev to commemorate the 900^th anniversary of the baptism of Kievan Rus.  The Cathedral was entirely financed by charitable donations, its construction and interior deco took more than 30 years to be completed (1862-1896). The solemn dedication of the cathedral took place in the presence of the Russian Tsar Nickolas II and his wife, on August 20, 1896. The cathedral is designed in Old Byzantine style, which makes the cathedral similar to temples of Old Rus in the times of Prince Vladimir. The cathedral is topped with seven domes (49m high). The door of the cathedral is decorated with the bas-relieves that depict Princess Olga, who was the first one in Old Rus to adopt Christianity, and her grandson prince Vladimir. Of special interest is its colorful interior that strikes the eye. Mosaics were created by masters from Venice, wall paintings were made by outstanding Russian painters of the day: V. Vasnetsov, M. Vrubel, M. Nesterov, M.Pimonenko, iconostasis is carved from white marble brought from Carrara. Multicolored marbles from Italy, France, Belgium and Spain decorate the walls and the floor of the temple. It is quite surprising that the cathedral remained intact to this day though there were many attempts to destroy it. The cathedral was threatened on some occasions: in 1929, when the Bolsheviks requisitioned all of its bells (18 tons of metal) with the intent to melt them. For some decades in Soviet era it was an “antireligious museum”. In 1941 it had to be destroyed but German engineers removed the mines that the Red Army had placed in the foundations before leaving the city. Nowadays, Saint Vladimir cathedral is the most important religious building of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It is the headquarters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kiev Patriarchate where the frequently celebrated services differ in their solemnity. During your visit, you'll most likely hear the Orthodox choirs and you'll certainly admire its interior decoration.