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— The Church of the Protectress of the Holy Mother of God on Kishi Island
One of the most beautiful churches in Kishi Pogost – the Church of the Protectress – is part of the museum-reserve, the Spaso-Kishi Patriarchal Estate, and has the status of a monument of federal significance. The magnificent temple was built in the late 17th century and has remarkably endured thanks to the work of restorers.

It was previously believed that the history of the Mother of God Church began in 1764, but recent research has shown that it is much older. The building of the cell church was erected in 1694. A quarter-century later, it was rebuilt as a hipped-roof church. In the 1750s and 1760s, it was reconstructed after a fire and acquired its modern appearance.

Shortly after the establishment of Soviet power, several churches in Kiji were placed under state protection. In 1920, the wooden Protectress Church also received the status of an architectural monument, although services were still held there. By the late 1930s, when the Soviet government was conducting an active anti-religious campaign, the Church of the Protectress of the Holy Mother of God was finally closed to believers.

The large-scale restoration from 1949 to 1959 in Kiji was led by architect and wooden architecture specialist Alexander Opolovnikov. The workers removed the old wooden cladding from the church and restored the wooden shingle roofing of the towers.

In the 1980s, due to the emergency condition of the old wooden structure, a metal frame had to be installed inside. During the last restoration, which took place from 2009 to 2020, the building was completely restored by gradually dismantling the wooden structure. Old, rotten beams were replaced with new ones. Additionally, the restorers built a new porch for the church.

The Mother of God Church is one of the unique multi-domed temples. The base of the temple consists of a wooden square structure, on which an elegant octagonal structure sits. According to the tradition of 18th-century northern architecture, it was to be crowned with a slender tent roof. However, the builders erected an eight-sided roof with nine elegant towers.

The Protectress Church has a low, elongated refectory and a large five-sided apse in the east. The significantly enlarged altar is covered with a barrel vault and a small tower, making it appear like a fairy-tale Russian terem.

Characteristic of many northern churches are the simply designed facades. At the top of the octagon, one can see a decorative belt made of carved triangular gables with water runs. The carved decoration – the eaves and underbeams of the church – features openwork carving and depicts solar signs, circles, and trapezoidal "drops."

The Kishi Church impresses with a special atmosphere. Inside, it is very cozy. The wooden floors and walls of the church are unpainted, and the natural wood gives the interior warmth and authenticity. Everything reflects the "golden" rule of carpentry – utility, durability, and beauty.

Today, the Protectress Church is used by both believers and the museum-reserve. Since 1990, it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other churches of Kishi. Services mainly take place in the summer.
📍Coordinates of the location (map point) available here

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