Archaeological excavations of theTemple of St. Mary Magdalene

When, long before the erection of the building of the Drama Theater, the magnificent Temple of St. Mary Magdalene, the second largest after the Harlampievsky Cathedral, was built on its place. This temple crowned Alexander Square and was located almost on the western border of the city. Its construction was begun in 1862 and lasted 35 years. In 1897, the temple was consecrated and opened its doors to parishioners. However, he was destined to serve Orthodox Mariupol people not for long. In 1934, under Soviet rule, the temple, like other religious buildings of the city, was destroyed. And on its foundation, thirty years later, the building of the Dramatic Theater was erected. Only in 2018, during the reconstruction of the Theater Square to the 240th anniversary of Mariupol, archaeological excavations were carried out on the site of the church, which opened the foundations of temple buildings for residents and visitors of the city. Incredibly, according to local historians who participated in the excavations, the found foundation hides the remains of an even more ancient structure dating from the 16th century.