The Roman Catholic parish of St. Nicholas noted that the cathedral was already in poor condition before the attack but miraculously survived complete destruction, as nearby structures suffered significantly more damage.
The Ministry provided details about the destruction.
“The facade and the central Gothic ‘rose’ stained glass window were damaged. The concrete frame and both outer and inner glazing were severely impacted. Additionally, the blast wave destroyed the window frames of the staircases leading to the spires — known as the Northern and Southern ‘Khrestocvity (Crossflowers).’”
A Neo-Gothic treasure in Kyiv
St. Nicholas Cathedral is one of two Roman Catholic churches built in Kyiv in the early 20th century. Constructed over a decade, from 1899 to 1909, it was designed in a Neo-Gothic style by Ukrainian architect Vladyslav Horodetsky. Funding for the cathedral was provided by Count Vladyslav Branicki.
The cathedral’s history has been tumultuous. It was closed in 1917, repurposed as a storage facility by Soviet authorities in 1936, and later housed jamming equipment for Western radio stations and an archive. During World War II, it suffered significant damage.
In 1978, the USSR government converted it into the Kyiv House of Organ and Chamber Music. A Czechoslovak-made organ was installed, and the venue opened as a concert hall in 1981.
A Shared Space in Independent Ukraine
After Ukraine gained independence, the cathedral served both as a concert venue and a place of worship for the Roman Catholic parish. Attempts to transfer full ownership to the Church were delayed due to the need to preserve the rare organ and relocate it.
A devastating fire in September 2021 destroyed much of the organ and caused significant damage to the structure. Although companies donated ₴18 million ($486,000) for restoration, the total damage was estimated at ₴75 million ($2 million). The cathedral was included in the Ministry of Culture’s "Great Restoration" project in 2021.
In February 2024, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal ordered the transfer of the cathedral to the religious community by May 1, 2024. The National House of Organ and Chamber Music was offered relocation to the October Palace. However, as of December 2024, the transfer had not been finalized.