In Beryslav, Kherson region, an event occurred that became a tragedy for Ukrainian cultural heritage. As a result of a Russian attack, the Holy Presentation Church burned down — a unique architectural monument of national significance. The church, built three centuries ago, was known for its exceptional construction: the masters did not use a single metal nail during its erection.
Strike against history: how the church burned down
The church destroyed by fire was built in 1726 out of oak. Its main engineering feature was that all structures were fastened exclusively with wooden dowels. This is a rare example of the Middle Dnipro architectural school and one of the few surviving examples of Zaporizhian church architecture.
The Holy Presentation Church burned down on August 2 following another attack by Russian troops on Beryslav. According to preliminary data, the cause of the fire was a drone strike. Until this moment, the church, known to locals as the "wooden church," remained one of the few religious structures in the de-occupied part of the Kherson region that had not suffered serious damage from shelling.
Journey along the Dnipro and the fate of the church
The history of the building is full of drama. In 1785, Poltava Cossacks transported the structure along the Dnipro in a disassembled state on rafts from Perevolochana to the fortress of Kizikermen, which later became the city of Beryslav. Initially, the church was installed in the center of the city and consecrated in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. In 1853, it was moved to the Presentation Cemetery, after which the church received its modern name — the Holy Presentation Church.
During the Soviet period, the church was closed and used as a warehouse. At one point, it was even planned to dismantle it for firewood. Divine services were resumed only during World War II, when German military personnel organized a military cemetery around the church.
Difficult fate during the war
After the start of the full-scale invasion, the church remained under the administration of the Novokakhovka Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). According to local authorities, the church's rector, Alexander Mykhailenko, collaborated with the Russian administration during the occupation, and after the liberation of the right-bank part of the Kherson region, he left together with the Russian troops. Later, Father Nikolai Ponych became the rector of the church.
In August 2023, the Beryslav City Military Administration appealed to the Ministry of Culture with a proposal to return the monument to state ownership, however, this issue was not resolved until the tragic finale.
Last look at the masterpiece
A photograph of the Holy Presentation Church, taken by photographer Oleksandr Marchuk, was included in the list of best works in the special nomination "Sights of Wooden Architecture of Ukraine" of the international photography contest "Wiki Loves Monuments" in 2025. Now this masterpiece exists only in photographs.
Currently, Beryslav is practically destroyed by constant Russian shelling. According to the head of the city military administration, Oleksandr Alchiev, only about 300 residents remain in the city. The destruction of the church became another loss in the series of devastations that the city is experiencing, as well as other cultural objects, for example, the National Museum of Folk Architecture in Kyiv or historical monuments in Sloviansk.
