The Cossack St. Nicholas Church is a masonry church in Putyvl, near the Transfiguration Cathedral. It was founded in 1735 and consecrated in 1737 at the expense of local townspeople, who were called Cossacks here — hence the popular name. It is also known as St. Nicholas of the Stone, the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, or St. Nicholas of Velikoretsk. The church is an architectural monument of national importance.
Two Churches in One
The church combines the traditions of Ukrainian and Russian architecture. In plan, it is a classic Ukrainian three-part church, to which a fourth volume — a five-tiered bell tower on the west — was added in 1770. However, in its spatial layout, the church has two tiers: the lower tier houses the warm winter church of St. Nicholas, while the upper tier houses the cold summer church in honor of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
After the bell tower was added in 1770, the church was reconsecrated. It was repaired in 1838, restored in 1959, and restorers from Sumy worked here in 1966–1967 and 1983–1991. In the late Soviet era, there were plans to open a museum of the „Tale of Igor's Campaign“ in the church, but in the early 1990s, the church was returned to the religious community.
Putyvl — City of Yaroslavna
Putyvl on the Seym is one of the oldest cities in Sivershchyna. In the 12th and early 13th centuries, it was an appanage principality, and its fortress defended Rus from the Cumans. It was in Putyvl, according to the „Tale of Igor's Campaign“, that Yaroslavna wept on the city ramparts for her husband, Prince Igor Svyatoslavych, who went on a campaign against the Cumans. In 1186, the Cumans unsuccessfully besieged the Putyvl fortress. On February 24, 2022, near Putyvl, the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped the advance of Russian tanks, and on April 2, the city was liberated.
How to Get There
Putyvl is in Konotop Raion on the Seym, 60 km from Konotop. The church is in the old part of the city, near the Transfiguration Cathedral and the Holy Spirit Monastery.
What to Keep in Mind
Putyvl lies about 25 km from the border with Russia, and the community is regularly shelled. Before your trip, check the security situation and the restrictions of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration.
