Church of St. Catherine on the Hill

The former regimental Church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Bronnitsa was built in 1828–33 to a joint design by V. P. Stasov and Ya. Maksimovich. An ancient fortress once stood here; its earthworks were found during excavations in the early 20th century, though modern archaeologists can no longer locate clear traces. In the 14th–16th centuries a small wooden church stood on the site. By order of Empress Catherine 2 it was rebuilt in stone in 1769. The 30-meter hill was specially raised for the church, with a parade ground on top for military units and a tree-lined road leading up. Under Soviet rule the church was closed in the 30s and its bell was thrown down and broken. During World War II it returned to military use when a communications observation post operated in the bell tower. In 1960 the building was entered on the protected architectural-monument list under the name “Church of St. Catherine on the Hill.” It was restored with heritage-fund support in the 1970s. The source states that today the church is abandoned, without windows or doors and deteriorating. In July 2019 the building was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church, but restoration or conservation had not yet been carried out.