Ukrainian legacy buried under Soviet monument

Archeologists found ruins of an old chapel buried under a square in the Ukrainian city of Krivyi Rih. The building was destroyed by the Soviet authorities. They put a statue of Lenin on top of the debris. After the Maidan revolution, the monument was toppled. And during the square reconstruction in 2016, the truth was "unearthed," according to Ukraine Today.

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Historians say the ruins date back to the 18th century. Around 7000 people used to visit the church. But when the Soviets came to power, they closed it down, Ukraine Today reported.

The Soviets turned the church into a storehouse. Later they decided to destroy the building. So in 1932, they blew it up. And sentenced the priest to prison in Siberia. Later they installed the statue of Vladimir Lenin.

The Soviet dictator stood in the city centre for almost 60 years. Until activists took down all his statues in Krivyi Rih in 2014.

So far the museum workers have dug out around a half of the foundation. They have also found various artefacts: old coins, sconces, and spoons. These showpieces will be displayed at the city museum.

See unian.info’s video section for more of the latest news from Ukraine in video from Ukraine Today, Ukraine’s 24-hour English-language news channel.

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