Of the buildings of XVII century in Sumy has survived only one - Holy Resurrection Cathedral. It was built due to the first colonel of Sumy - Gerasim Kondratyev since XVII century to 1702. The architects who designed Holy Resurrection Cathedral took into account the situation of that time and created the cathedral of a defensive character.

Holy Resurrection Cathedral with massive walls and narrow windows could withstand any siege. In ancient times the cathedral was surrounded by a high fence.

There is a legand connected with Holy Resurrection Cathedral. It tells that Gerasim Kondratyev had the sister which was a robber. Gerasim Kondratyev tried many times to stop his sister of robbery but she still continued to do what she liked. Then one day Gerasim Kondratyev caught her while she robbed a merchant convoy and walled up alive in a wall of Holy Resurrection Cathedral.

With this legend goes back a mysterious discovery made in 1936 by students of engineering college. With teacher of history they came to Holy Resurrection Cathedral for guided tour and while looking around have found crack in the wall in which was a hidden niche with a human skeleton. Maybe it really was the remains of sister-robber of Gerasim Kondratyev?

Holy Resurrection Cathedral witnessed the magnificent celebrations during Great Northern War. During New Year on 1st of January 1709 the cathedral was visited by Peter The Great. On the square in front of Holy Resurrection Cathedral held a military parade and in the evening there were salute and colorful fireworks.

Holy Resurrection Cathedral is not only the most ancient building of Sumy but also a unique architectural monument built in the style of the best examples of Ukrainian and Russian architecture. The bell tower of the cathedral that was built in the early XX century repeats the architectural form of Holy Resurrection Cathedral.

In 50-60 years during Soviet Union (USSR) and its antireligious politic authorities of Sumy managed to save Holy Resurrection Cathedral from destruction. According to legend the main architect of Sumy convinced the commission to avoid the cathedral destruction by popular saying: "If you shoot by handgun in the past - the future will shoot at you from a cannon". And the popular saying was right because in 1991 Soviet Union (USSR) as a huge state collapsed.

You could visit Ukraine Sumy Sights | Holy Resurrection Cathedral with Ukraine Tour East Ring