Trinity Cathedral, Samar

The Trinity Cathedral (Ukrainian: Троїцький собор) is a church and architectural monument in Samar, Ukraine, the center of the Samara Palanka [uk] of the Zaporozhian Sich. It was built in 1772–1781 by the folk architect Yakym Pohribnyak [uk] out of wood.

Trinity Cathedral
Троїцький собор
The cathedral in 2023 after the renovations
48°37′40″N 35°15′49″E
Location	Samar, Samar Raion, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
Address	Soborna Square, 1
Country	Ukraine
Denomination	Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)
Architecture
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Ukrainian Baroque
Groundbreaking	1772
Completed	1781
Specifications
Number of domes	9
Immovable Monument of National Significance of Ukraine
Official name	Троїцький собор (дер.) (Trinity Cathedral (wooden))
Type	Architecture
Reference no.	040049

In its construction and composition, the Trinity Cathedral stands out among wooden churches of Ukraine, as it is the only surviving wooden nine-domed church in the country.

History

The founders of the Trinity Cathedral are kish otaman I. Chepiha, polkovnyk Antin Holovaty, Sich Cossacks, elder M. Petrenko and others.

The building is a nine-domed symmetrical composition, with the tallest dome in the center (around 65 meters), four lower domes in facing cardinal directions, and four even lower ones between them. It has three thrones, dedicated to the Trinity, apostoles Peter and Paul, and the Three Holy Hierarchs.

The Trinity Cathedral was renovated in 1830. In 1887–1888, it was rebuilt according to the old style^{[clarification needed]} with some changes by the restorer Oleksiy Pakhuchy [uk]. The bell tower of the cathedral was built after the reconstruction.^[1]

During the Soviet period, the cathedral was used as a storehouse. The attitude of the authorities towards the cathedral at the time is reflected in Oles Honchar's novel The Cathedral.

As of 2012, the monument was in need of renovation, as it was not renovated for over 130 years. The restoration begun in August of 2012.^[2] The building underwent another restoration in 2021.^[3]

Gallery

• 
  Aerial view of the cathedral
• 
  Bell tower
• 
  The cathedral in 2012
• 
  The cathedral and the bell tower in 2010
• 
  Plaque commemorating 240th anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral
• 
  Interior during restoration