St Sophia Parish (Zhytomyr)

St Sophia’s Church is one of the picturesque architectural and historical monuments of the ancient and beautiful city of Zhytomyr. From 1302, the city was under the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later belonged to the Catholic Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, so most churches here were Catholic. In 1444, the Lithuanians granted Zhytomyr Magdeburg rights, allowing it a coat of arms, self-government and tax privileges. Under the Truce of Andrusovo in 1667, Zhytomyr did not become part of the russian empire but became the administrative centre of Volhynia. In 1731, construction of St Sophia’s Catholic Cathedral began on Castle Hill by order of Bishop S. Ozhyhov. The cathedral, combining Baroque and Renaissance styles, was completed twenty years later. Its two-tiered façade is crowned by towers. Beside it stands a bell tower 26 metres high. The walls are fortress-like, up to two metres thick. The cathedral features Ionic and Tuscan orders and rustication; remarkably, one of its bas-reliefs is attributed to the pianist and composer J. Zarębski. In the nineteenth century, the cathedral was restored in the Classical style. Its interior decoration, including stucco work and wall paintings, has survived to this day.