The modern St. Michael's Cathedral and Monastery, named in honor of Archangel Michael, stands on the site of an earlier cathedral erected in the early 12th century. Historical records mention the founding of the church dedicated to St. Archistrategist Michael on July 11, 1108, by Prince Svyatopolk-Mykhailo Izyaslavych. At that time, it was the only church in Kyiv adorned with golden domes, earning it the name "Zolotoverkhyi," or "Golden-Domed." St. Michael's Cathedral served as the family tomb for the princes and was one of the largest monasteries in ancient Kyiv, housing the relics of the holy great martyr Varvara. It held special significance for the people of Kyiv as it was dedicated to Archangel Michael, the city’s heavenly patron.
In the 1930s, following the transfer of Ukraine's capital from Kharkiv to Kyiv, nearly the entire monastery complex was demolished to make way for a government district. However, due to the onset of World War II, only the construction of what is now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine was completed as planned, with plans for a mirror image of the building to be erected on the site of the monastery left unfulfilled.
Between 1997 and 1998, St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery was meticulously reconstructed, including the cathedral and belfry. In the early 2000s, original 12th-century frescoes that had been saved from the medieval cathedral before its demolition were returned to the church. Today, a modern electric chime clock and a carillon—an instrument designed to play complex melodies—adorn the monastery bell tower.