The Church of Boris and Gleb is located in the small village of Kideksha, 4 kilometers east of Suzdal. It was built in 1152 and is one of the oldest churches in Russia that has survived to this day. A bell tower was built in front of the church in the 18th century, which now has a slope, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Nevyanskaya Tower.
Yuri Dolgoruky was the youngest son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh of Kiev. He received the Rostov-Suzdal lands as an inheritance in the 12th century and chose the city of Suzdal on the Kamenka River as his capital. Now this river is shallow, and in the 12th century it was navigable. In the village of Kideksha, the Kamenka River flows into the Nerl River. Yuri Dolgoruky built a fortified country residence at the confluence of the rivers. It allowed to control the trade route from Suzdal to Vladimir.
According to legend, Princes Boris and Gleb met at this place in 1015. They were heading from their principalities to Kiev. This year, Prince Vladimir, who baptized Russia in 988, died in Kiev. However, upon arrival in Kiev, they were killed by their brother Svyatopolk, who wanted to seize his father`s throne. In 1072, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized them. Boris and Gleb became the first saints of the Russian Orthodox Church. They were relatives of Yuri Dolgoruky, so in his estate in Kideksha he decided in 1152 to build a Church of Boris and Gleb.
In 1155, after a stubborn struggle, Yuri Dolgoruky became the prince of Kiev and left Suzdal forever. In 1157 he died and was buried in Kiev. His son Boris remained in Suzdal to reign. The Church of Boris and Gleb in Kideksha became a necropolis. Prince Boris, his wife Maria and their daughter Euphrosyne are buried there.
In the 12th century, the temple was painted by Byzantine masters. However, only fragments of these frescoes have survived to this day. The church of Boris and Gleb has been preserved to this day in a modified form, and nothing remains of the estate of Yuri Dolgoruky. The church in Kideksha was partially destroyed in 1239 during the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Batu Khan. It was restored, but in the 17th century the vaults collapsed again. After the renovation, the church acquired the straight lines that we see now. The masters did not restore the arches and the large dome.
In 1780, the Church of St. Stephen and the bell tower were built next to the Church of Boris and Gleb in Kideksha. After 2 centuries, the bell tower tilted. This is how the architectural ensemble was formed, which has been completely preserved to this day. In 1992, UNESCO included the Churches of Vladimir and Suzdal in the list of cultural heritage. The Church of Boris and Gleb was also included in the UNESCO list. Now there is a museum in the church. Here you can see fragments of frescoes from the 12th century and stone walls from 1152.
