Church of St. John the Baptist (Kerch)

Being on the east coast of the Crimean peninsula, look at the city of Kerch. Due to its favorable location and seaport located this city during the time of the Byzantine Empire was one of the main eastern trade of the country. Here from all over the great power and Merchants selling their outlandish items, and after he crossed to Constantinople. In the heyday of the Byzantine state was then built a church in honor of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist, or, as it is called, John the Baptist was the last of the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah, and later baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. There is a legend that during the reign of the Byzantine Empire port city was referred to as Saint John. The same name and wore Strait near him. All merchants and sailors just so called Kerch. Therefore not surprising that the Church of St. John the Baptist was built here.

The temple in honor of the Prophet is one of the outstanding monuments of Byzantine architecture in the Ukrainian lands. For individual architectural details of the building can be argued that it was created by craftsmen from Constantinople.

St John the Baptist has a double age. It was built in 8 - 9 centuries, but the kind that has now created thanks to the annexe in the mid 19th century. Famous Italian architect Alexander Digby designed these annexes. Some scholars argue that the construction of the temple began much earlier. Another disciple of Jesus Christ - Andrew gave his blessing to the construction of this shrine.

Now the church of St. John is divided into two parts belonging to different epochs. When you're next to the church, note the bell tower, west facade of the building and the northern limit. These details have been added to the old church, which significantly increased it in size. Remained untouched eastern side of the shrine. She has an unusual for Slavic architecture cladding. This alternating four rows of white stone and four rows of red brick. This technique effectively allocates masonry church building on the background of the usual Eastern European city built Kerch. Additionally, this increases the strength of the multilayer building and its resistance to seismic activity. In the church of St. John the Baptist narrow lancet windows, columns with Corinthian orders and ancient tombstones placed in the walls of the temple. These elements relate to architecture basilica type of building. At the same time the church has A cross structure.

Go inside the shrine. Interior of the Church of John the Baptist is not less bright than its appearance. Marble columns with Byzantine capitals, the same alternating masonry, only a small exhibition of relics, gilded iconostasis - all this you can see in the church. Just imagine how many saints are buried in the crypt of the temple from the 8th century ...

If you decide to visit the church of St. John the Baptist in Kerch, the best time of the year, of course, will be the summer. For example, June 24 celebrated the Nativity of John the Baptist, which is one of the great feasts, and on August 29 set post - the day of the Beheading of the Prophet.

Church of St. John is located near the coastal zone on Lenin Square. To him you can get from any part of the city by bus routes 5 and 19.