The Church of John the Theologian

The Church of John the Theologian is one of the three surviving Smolensk churches of the pre-Mongol period. The church was built by the will of Prince Roman Rostislavich in 1173 on the banks of the Dnieper and consecrated in the name of John the Theologian. It is believed that it was part of the palace complex of the prince's country yard.

The church was painted with frescoes: in addition to numerous fragments of frescoes, special nails with a wide hat were found in large numbers, with the help of which the frescoes were attached to the walls of the building. The chronicles mention that the icons in the church were generously decorated with finifix and gold.

The temple of John the Theologian was an essential link in the development of Smolensk architecture. It formed a type of temple with galleries and oriental aisles. This type of temple played a major role in the work of Smolensk architects.

During its long existence, the church has undergone numerous restructurings and has come down to our time in a greatly changed form.