St. Joseph`s Church, Nikolaev

Nikolaev was founded in 1789 on the initiative of Prince Grigory Potemkin. After 3 years after the founding of the city then it begins to function the Catholic community. She became the first Christian community, which appeared in the city. The bishops were active in the cultural, spiritual and educational work among the townspeople. In 1794 one of the buildings was transferred to Nikolaev Catholics to build a temple. The house was rebuilt and opened St. Joseph`s Church. Consecrated the church May 20, 1796. Today the old church is located in the courtyard of the modern church.

In the late 19th century, it was decided to erect a new temple. Construction work lasted from 1891 to 1895 years. Consecrated the church in the presence of the most respected members of the Catholic Church of Kherson and Odessa . The main architectural style of the cathedral - the eclectic with neo-Romanesque and neo-gothic elements. The facade is decorated with stone architectural details. Stained-glass windows were made by special order in Germany and sculptures - in Poland.

In 1904, at the entrance to the Cathedral placed a commemorative plaque in honor of the 110th anniversary of the existence of the parish. She immortalized the names of the bishops, abbots, and community members who have been actively involved in the construction of the temple. There was also an organ, which was brought from Germany.

In the days of the revolution the church was badly damaged, it was closed and the building was handed over to the local history museum. After World War II there functioned club for the soldiers. In 1956 he conducted the reconstruction of the temple, set the partitions, built the second floor. Up until 1991, the cathedral served as the House of Culture. After Ukraine gained independence, it was decided to return the cathedral to believers. We held a large-scale reconstruction. Church of St. Joseph - the main Catholic church of modern Nikolaev, its architectural feature.