Kyiv archaeologists have made a unique discovery in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary of Pyrohoshcha on Kontraktova Square. Under the stairs of the religious building, they discovered the remains of an ancient stove, which in the past served as a kind of "heater".
As reported by the State Historical and Architectural Reserve "Ancient Kyiv", initially researchers assumed that the underground structure could be a burial crypt, since the temple and its surroundings are known for numerous burials of prominent Kyivans. However, careful analysis proved that it is the basement of a 19th-century bell tower, where a heating system was built.
Archaeologists note that it was in the 19th century that large stone temples in Europe began to be systematically heated. To do this, huge furnaces were built in the basements, which were heated with wood or coal. From the heating chamber, hot air passed through channels under the floor and came out through grilles in the floor or walls, providing relative comfort in winter.
"We actually have proof that the Pyrohoshcha temple was equipped with such a system. This discovery allows us to take a new look at the history of heating Kyiv temples. Whether other shrines in the capital had similar stoves is currently unknown, because a significant part of them was destroyed during Soviet times," the reserve noted.
Researchers emphasize that the find requires further detailed study. It may shed light on how 19th-century Kyivans tried to make worship more comfortable even in the cold season.
