Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Kolodne

Brief description.

The oldest and most prominent monument of Ukrainian church building. It was built in 1470. The church stands on a hill in the center of the village. According to local legend, the Church of St. Nicholas was the main church of an Orthodox monastery located in the Odariv tract. It stood for 330 years, and in 1800, by order of the Austrian authorities, the monastery was closed and moved to its current location. The monastery served as a prototype for the construction of domeless churches. This type of building appeared in the 12th and 13th centuries. During the restoration of the building in 1969-1976, the icons and the throne were taken away and never returned. The old bells were moved to the new church, and the Tsar's Gate remained.

Architecture.

The church is a three-dimensional structure - the larger log house includes a nave and a pews. The walls and nave are painted. A bell tower with an open arcade for bell ringing rises above the Babinets. In the 17th century, a gallery was added, and the tower was moved to stand above the narthex. The nave and altar are covered with a vault. The foundation of the church is stone, the roof and tower are covered with shingles. The current appearance of the church was the result of reconstructions that took place over three centuries. The interior of the church is laconic and simple. The iconostasis, which was restored in 1737 , gives the church its character. There are also wall paintings that cover the wall surfaces and the altar wall. In the last years of the 20th century, the church fell into disrepair, the roof rotted, the roofs leaked, and water washed away the wall paintings. In 2007 , the church was restored by the US Embassy (40 thousand dollars). With the donations of the village community (47 thousand UAH), the walls were strengthened and a gate was installed. The opening of the reconstructed church was attended by US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor.

Comments.
A spiritual place, you can feel the grandeur and antiquity. The doors are open, but there is a gate at the entrance. The church has a unique history and is a living witness to the formation of Kolodne village.