Holy Blessed Basil. St Basil's Church

The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, on the Moat, which the people called St. Basil's Cathedral, is a functioning Orthodox church, a museum, one of the main attractions of Red Square and a recognizable symbol of Moscow and Russia for foreigners, a protected UNESCO heritage site.

In its highest part, the temple reaches 65 meters. The Intercession Cathedral includes 11 thrones, and each of them was consecrated in honor of church holidays, during which the decisive battles for Kazan took place. There are no basements, the thrones are located on the basement, divided into rooms almost 6.5 meters high.

In front of the temple, the main sculpture of the square is installed - Monument to Minin and Pozharsky.

Domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral

Bright, "gingerbread" domes of the Intercession Cathedral attract attention in the first place. However, the symbolic meaning of such coloration, which theoretically should exist, remains a mystery.

According to one version, such festivity is associated with the dream of Andrei the Holy Fool about Heavenly Jerusalem.

The brick temple has 11 domes. At the same time, 9 are located directly above it - in accordance with the number of thrones; and the main dome in the center - above the throne of the Intercession of the Virgin. The tenth dome is located above the chapel of St. Basil the Blessed, and the last one is above the bell tower.

Cathedral history

The brick temple in the historical center of the capital was built in 1555-1561 by the will of Ivan the Terrible and in honor of the victory over the Kazan Khanate, which was finally won on the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The architect of St. Basil's Cathedral (historically and now - Pokrovsky, besides, a separate church of St. Basil the Blessed was added later) - Postnik Yakovlev, a Pskov architect. This version is now official, although it was previously assumed that the temple could have several main architects.

St. Basil's Church from the northeast of the cathedral was built in 1588 over a canonized holy fool buried on the territory, was originally a separate building. At the end of the 16th century, already under Fyodor Ioannovich, figured painted domes of the temple were decorated.

The appearance of the famous cathedral changed noticeably in the 17th century: the vault was expanded, porches with tents were equipped, and artistic painting was added.

According to historical evidence of the first third of the 18th century, the cathedral included 18 altars. By that time, the temple had already been restored more than once after each of the fires, and the most extensive restoration was required in 1737 - after a major fire that went down in the history of the capital as "Trinity". Restoration work was led by I. Michurin.

In the early Soviet years, the ancient Pokrovsky Cathedral on Red Square was among the first to be included in the list of state-protected monuments. Already in 1923, a historical and architectural museum was created. In 1929, the bells were removed from the building, while the museum exposition was available on a permanent basis - the building was forced to close only during the Second World War. Under the simultaneous management of the Historical Museum and the church, the cathedral complex has been operating since 1991.

Excursions to St. Basil's Cathedral

Group excursions, including those adapted for children, are conducted in the temple by the employees of the Historical Museum according to a separate schedule. Surcharge for visiting the museum-temple as part of a combined excursion group (in addition to the general entrance ticket) is 200 rubles per person.

How to get there

The temple is part of the Red Square ensemble from the south side, so it is convenient to get to it not only in the classical way, by metro, but also by land transport - by buses No. 158, m5 to the Red Square stop along Varvarka Street. From the stop, it remains quite a bit to go to the temple through Vasilyevsky Spusk.

From Moscow railway stations, it is more convenient to take the metro and get off at one of the many stations within walking distance of Red Square (depending on the chosen metro line): Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya, Revolution Square, Kitay-gorod.

Entrance from Red Square. Panorama from Google Maps

Panorama of St. Basil's Cathedral from Vasilyevsky Spusk

Video "St. Basil's Cathedral". Overview and history

Moscow has a huge number of sights and monuments of antiquity. The oldest and most beautiful of which - St Basil's Church. He is truly a symbol of all of Russia.

This article will focus on one of the sights of Moscow, which is located on Red Square.

History of occurrence

The correct name of this building is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. But because of the church, which is part of the Cathedral complex and named after the blessed one, they began to call him Basil's Cathedral.

In ancient times, when Russia was ruled by Tsar Ivan the Terrible, wooden churches were erected on Red Square (then called Trinity Square) as a sign of victory over enemies. By 1552 there were a lot of churches. It so happened that it was on the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God that Russian soldiers took the Kazan fortress. And then Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the wooden churches to be united into one stone temple. The temple was named Intercession Cathedral.

The construction of the Cathedral ended in 1561. By 1722, there were 18 churches on the territory of the Cathedral, including St. Basil's Church. But in 1737, the Cathedral and most of the churches were almost completely burned out during a strong fire. The cathedral was quickly restored, after which it was built and rebuilt many times.

The temple got its name in honor of the local holy fool. He walked with chains on his naked body at any time of the year. It was a kind of punishment for human sins. The local population considered St. Basil the Blessed to be a miracle worker and clairvoyant. After all, once he accurately predicted a fire that destroyed half of Moscow. And even Tsar Ivan the Terrible revered the holy fool and was a little afraid of him.

Died Basil the Blessed in August 1557 at the age of 82. An interesting fact is that the whole city gathered for the funeral, and the king himself with the princes carried the coffin with the body of the blessed to the church. He was buried near the unfinished church. After 30 years, a building was erected over his grave. In it he set up an altar with a throne for worship. The extension was given the name of the Blessed, and later a church was erected here, and the relics of the blessed were placed here.

Description of the Temple

The Orthodox Temple of incredible beauty is especially popular with tourists. It looks like a fairytale palace. Initially, it was white, then, after each restoration, they began to decorate it with bright colors. But the most colorful were the domes. The temple is unique in that on all 10 domes the drawings are different, there is not a single dome similar to another.

St. Basil's Cathedral - the history of creation

The height of the Temple is 65m.

The uniqueness lies in the fact that neither the Cathedral nor the churches have cellars. They are on the basement.

The modern Cathedral houses 10 separate churches, including Basil's Church. Each church has the name of a saint after whom it is named. The central tower is named after the holiday - the Protection of the Mother of God.

Inside the church is painted with unique images of saints and scenes from their lives. In the temple, you can see rare icons combined with frescoes from the 16th century and paintings from the 17th century.

But despite the fires and wars that took place during this time, the Temple managed to survive and avoid complete destruction.

Divine services are held in the modern Cathedral every year on the feast of the Protection of the Day.

Now the Cathedral houses a branch of the State Historical Museum. The museum has an amazing collection of bells cast between 1547 and 1996, as well as a collection of weapons from Russian soldiers.

From Trinity Church to St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral is just a popular name for the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin on the Moat. What kind of moat is this? The fact is that until the 19th century, Red Square was surrounded by a defensive moat, which was filled up in 1813. It was near this moat that the temple was built.

Basil's Cathedral, 1830s

Until the middle of the 16th century, a small church stood on the south side of Red Square. It is not known for certain whether it was stone or wooden, but most researchers still tend to the version of the Trinity Church, cut down from wood.

In the annals there are references to the "son of Postnikov, according to Barma"

This is probably why one of the churches of the temple was consecrated in the name of the Trinity. In the middle of the 16th century, the wooden church was demolished, and a new one, also made of wood, was founded in its place. And only a year later, in 1555, it was dismantled and a stone church was laid in honor of the capture of Kazan.

Who is the architect?

There are several versions of who was the architect of the miracle of Russia. According to one of them, the architects Postnik and Barma worked on the creation of the temple. When they completed the construction, Ivan the Terrible allegedly ordered both eyes to be gouged out so that they could not repeat their masterpiece. However, it is documented that Postnik later participated in the creation of the Kazan Kremlin, which means that he did not lose his sight.

According to another version, Postnik and Barma were one person - the Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma. In the annals, we can find references to both two architects: “... a gift to him [Ivan the Terrible] God of two Russian masters according to Postnik and Barma and was wise and convenient for such a wonderful deed”, and about one: “Postnikov’s son, according to Barma ".

After St. Basil's Cathedral, Postnik worked on the Kazan Kremlin

The third version says that an overseas architect, probably from Italy, worked on St. Basil's Cathedral - hence the unusual appearance of the temple. However, this version has not been confirmed.

10 churches on one foundation

The temple received its popular name thanks to the arrival of St. Basil the Blessed, built at the end of the 16th century. In 1557, the famous holy fool and miracle worker Vasily died, who sat for a long time at the temple and bequeathed to bury himself next to it. By order of Fyodor Ivanovich, a church was built, in which the relics of the saint rest.

View from above

The main advantage of St. Basil's Cathedral is its unusual architecture. If you look at the temple from above, you can see how it was built. In the center is the main pillar-shaped church in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God.

There are 10 churches on one foundation of the Intercession Church

Around it are four axial churches and four smaller ones. Each of them is also consecrated in honor of one of the holidays, which accounted for the decisive battles during the capture of Kazan. All nine churches rise on a common base, a bypass gallery and internal stepped vaults. In addition, the parish of St. Basil the Blessed and the hipped bell tower, built at the end of the 17th century, adjoin.

Napoleon ordered to blow up the temple, but the troops only plundered it

Each church is crowned with an onion dome, traditional for Russian temple architecture. Each onion is unique - carvings, patterns and all kinds of colors create a festive, elegant look. But scientists are still arguing what exactly this or that paint symbolizes. According to one version, such variegated colors can be explained by the dream of Blessed Andrew the Holy Fool, the one who was honored with a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos. Tradition says that in a dream he saw Heavenly Jerusalem, and in it gardens with beautiful trees and fruits of unspeakable beauty.

Basil's Cathedral, 1850s

Out of the frying pan into the fire

During the Patriotic War of 1812, Napoleon ordered to blow up the temple, cutting the eye in the very center of the unconquered capital. But the troops only looted the building and left. Soon St. Basil's Cathedral was restored and re-consecrated. The architect Beauvais, who was rebuilding Moscow after a fire, surrounded the temple with a cast-iron fence. Another danger threatened him in the Soviet years. There is a legend that Kaganovich, demonstrating to Stalin the project for the reconstruction of Red Square, brushed off the model of the temple from the model in order to make room for demonstrations of workers. “Lazar, put it in its place,” said the Secretary General. Whether this tale is true or not, one thing is clear - the authorities really appreciated the temple if they preserved it, not even sparing the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. In 1928 the temple became a branch of the State Historical Museum. Today it is jointly owned by the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church, and divine services are regularly held there.

№ 7710342000 State good Website Official site Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral) on Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates : 55°45′08.88″ N sh. 37°37′23″ E d. / 55.752467° N sh. 37.623056° E d.(G) (O) (I)55.752467 , 37.623056

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, also called St. Basil's Cathedral- Orthodox churchlocated on the Red Square of Kitay-gorod in Moscow. Widely known monument of Russian architecture. Until the 17th century, it was usually called Trinity, since the original wooden church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity; was also known as "Jerusalem", which is associated both with the dedication of one of the aisles, and with the procession to it from the Assumption Cathedral on Palm Sunday with the "procession on a donkey" of the Patriarch.

Status

St. Basil's Cathedral

Currently, the Pokrovsky Cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum. Included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Russia.

Pokrovsky Cathedral is one of the most famous sights of Russia. For many, he is a symbol of Moscow, the Russian Federation. Since 1931, a bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky has been placed in front of the cathedral (installed on Red Square in 1818).

Story

Versions about creation

The Cathedral of the Intercession was built in 1950 by order of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the capture of Kazan and the victory over the Kazan Khanate. There are several versions about the founders of the cathedral. According to one version, the famous Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma, was the architect. According to another, widely known version, Barma and Postnik are two different architects, both involved in the construction; this version is now obsolete. According to the third version, the cathedral was built by an unknown Western European master (presumably an Italian, as before - a significant part of the structures of the Moscow Kremlin), hence such a unique style, combining the traditions of both Russian architecture and European architecture of the Renaissance, but this version is still never found any clear documentary evidence.

According to legend, the architect (architects) of the cathedral were blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible so that they could no longer build a similar temple. However, if the author of the cathedral is Postnik, then he could not be blinded, since for several years after the construction of the cathedral he participated in the creation of the Kazan Kremlin.

Cathedral at the end of the XVI - XIX centuries.

in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of his Velikoretskaya icon from Vyatka),
in honor of martyr Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of St. Cyprian and Justina - October 2),
St. John the Merciful (until XVIII - in honor of St. Paul, Alexander and John of Constantinople - November 6),
Alexander Svirsky (April 17 and August 30),
Varlaam Khutynsky (November 6 and 1st Friday of Petrov Lent),
Gregory of Armenia (September 30).

All these eight churches (four axial, four smaller ones between them) are crowned with onion domes and are grouped around the ninth pillar-shaped church towering above them in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God, completed with a tent with a small dome. All nine churches are united by a common foundation, bypass (originally open) gallery and internal vaulted passages.

First floor

Basement

"Our Lady of the Sign" in the basement

There are no basements in the Intercession Cathedral. Churches and galleries stand on a single base - a basement, consisting of several rooms. Strong brick walls of the basement (up to 3 m thick) are covered with vaults. The height of the premises is about 6.5 m.

The construction of the northern basement is unique for the 16th century. Its long box vault has no supporting pillars. The walls are cut with narrow holes - products. Together with a "breathing" building material - brick - they provide a special microclimate of the room at any time of the year.

Previously, the basement premises were inaccessible to parishioners. Deep niches-hiding places in it were used as storage facilities. They were closed with doors, from which the hinges are now preserved.

Until 1595, the royal treasury was hidden in the basement. Wealthy citizens also brought their property here.

They got into the basement from the upper central church of the Intercession of the Mother of God along the intra-walled white stone staircase. Only the initiates knew about it. Later, this narrow passage was laid. However, during the restoration process of the 1930s. a secret staircase was discovered.

In the basement there are icons of the Intercession Cathedral. The oldest of them is the icon of St. Basil the Blessed at the end of the 16th century, written especially for the Pokrovsky Cathedral.

The icon "Our Lady of the Sign" is a replica of the facade icon located on the eastern wall of the cathedral. Written in the 1780s. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. the icon was above the entrance to the chapel of St. Basil the Blessed.

Church of St. Basil the Blessed

Canopy over the grave of St. Basil the Blessed

The lower church was added to the cathedral in 1588 over the burial place of St. Basil the Blessed. A stylized inscription on the wall tells of the construction of this church after the canonization of the saint at the behest of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich.

The temple is cubic in shape, covered with a groin vault and crowned with a small light drum with a cupola. The covering of the church is made in the same style with the domes of the upper churches of the cathedral.

The oil painting of the church was made for the 350th anniversary of the beginning of the construction of the cathedral (1905). The Almighty Savior is depicted in the dome, the forefathers are depicted in the drum, the Deesis (the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Mother of God, John the Baptist) is depicted in the crosshairs of the arch, the Evangelists are in the sails of the arch.

On the western wall there is a temple image "Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos". In the upper tier there are images of the patron saints of the reigning house: Theodore Stratilates, John the Baptist, St. Anastasia, the martyr Irina.

On the northern and southern walls are scenes from the life of St. Basil the Blessed: "The Miracle of Salvation at Sea" and "The Miracle of the Fur Coat". The lower tier of the walls is decorated with a traditional ancient Russian ornament in the form of towels.

The iconostasis was completed in 1895 according to the project of the architect A.M. Pavlinov. The icons were painted under the guidance of the famous Moscow icon painter and restorer Osip Chirikov, whose signature is preserved on the icon "The Savior on the Throne".

The iconostasis includes earlier icons: “Our Lady of Smolensk” of the 16th century. and the local image "St. Basil the Blessed against the backdrop of the Kremlin and Red Square" XVIII century.

Above the burial of St. Basil the Blessed, an arch decorated with a carved canopy was installed. This is one of the revered Moscow shrines.

On the southern wall of the church there is a rare large-sized icon painted on metal - “The Mother of God of Vladimir with selected saints of the Moscow circle “Today the most glorious city of Moscow flaunts brightly” (1904)

The floor is covered with cast-iron plates of Kasli casting.

St. Basil's Church was closed in 1929. Only at the end of the 20th century. its decoration was restored. On August 15, 1997, on the feast day of Saint Basil the Blessed, Sunday and holiday services were resumed in the church.

Second floor

Galleries and porches

Along the perimeter of the cathedral around all the churches there is an external bypass gallery. It was originally open. In the middle of the XIX century. the glazed gallery became part of the interior of the cathedral. Arched entrances lead from the outer gallery to the platforms between the churches and connect it with the internal passages.

The central church of the Intercession of the Mother of God is surrounded by an internal bypass gallery. Its vaults hide the upper parts of the churches. In the second half of the XVII century. the gallery was painted with floral ornaments. Later, narrative oil painting appeared in the cathedral, which was repeatedly updated. Currently, tempera painting has been uncovered in the gallery. Oil paintings of the 19th century have been preserved in the eastern section of the gallery. - images of saints in combination with floral ornaments.

Carved brick entrances leading to the central church organically complement the decor. The portal has been preserved in its original form, without late plastering, which allows you to see its decoration. The relief details are laid out from specially molded patterned bricks, and the shallow decor is carved on site.

Previously, daylight entered the gallery from windows located above the passages to the promenade. Today it is illuminated by mica lanterns of the 17th century, which were previously used during religious processions. The multi-headed tops of the remote lanterns resemble the exquisite silhouette of the cathedral.

The floor of the gallery is made of bricks "in the Christmas tree". Bricks from the 16th century have been preserved here. - darker and more resistant to abrasion than modern restoration bricks.

Gallery painting

The vault of the western section of the gallery is covered with a flat brick ceiling. It demonstrates a unique for the XVI century. engineering method of the flooring device: many small bricks are fixed with lime mortar in the form of caissons (squares), the edges of which are made of figured bricks.

In this section, the floor is lined with a special rosette pattern, and the original painting imitating brickwork has been recreated on the walls. The size of the drawn bricks corresponds to the real one.

Two galleries unite the aisles of the cathedral into a single ensemble. Narrow internal passages and wide platforms give the impression of a "city of churches". Having passed the labyrinth of the inner gallery, you can get to the platforms of the porches of the cathedral. Their arches are "flower carpets", the intricacies of which fascinate and attract the eyes of visitors.

On the upper platform of the right porch in front of the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the bases of pillars or columns have been preserved - the remains of the decoration of the entrance. This is due to the special role of the church in the complex ideological program of the consecrations of the cathedral.

Church of Alexander Svirsky

Dome of Alexander Svirsky Church

The southeastern church was consecrated in the name of St. Alexander of Svir.

In 1552, on the day of memory of Alexander Svirsky, one of the important battles of the Kazan campaign took place - the defeat of the cavalry of Tsarevich Yapanchi on the Arsk field.

This is one of four small churches 15 m high. Its base - a quadrangle - turns into a low octagon and ends with a cylindrical light drum and vault.

The original appearance of the interior of the church was restored during the restoration work of the 1920s and 1979-1980s: a brick floor with a herringbone pattern, profiled cornices, and stepped window sills. The walls of the church are covered with paintings imitating brickwork. The dome depicts a "brick" spiral - a symbol of eternity.

The iconostasis of the church has been reconstructed. Icons of the 16th - early 18th centuries are located close to each other between the wooden beams (tablas). The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with hanging shrouds skillfully embroidered by craftswomen. On velvet shrouds - the traditional image of the Calvary cross.

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Royal doors of the iconostasis of the Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

The southwestern church was consecrated in the name of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky.

This is one of the four small churches of the cathedral with a height of 15.2 m. Its base has the shape of a quadrangle, elongated from north to south with the apse shifted to the south. The violation of symmetry in the construction of the temple is caused by the need to arrange a passage between the small church and the central one - the Intercession of the Mother of God.

Four turns into a low octagon. The cylindrical light drum is covered with a vault. The church illuminates the oldest chandelier in the cathedral of the 15th century. A century later, Russian craftsmen added a pommel in the shape of a double-headed eagle to the work of the Nuremberg masters.

The table iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. and consists of icons of the XVI - XVIII centuries. The peculiarity of the architecture of the church - the irregular shape of the apse - determined the shift of the Royal Doors to the right.

Of particular interest is the separately hanging icon "The Vision of Sexton Tarasius". It was written in Novgorod at the end of the 16th century. The plot of the icon is based on the legend about the vision of the Khutynsky Monastery's sexton of disasters that threaten Novgorod: floods, fires, "pestilence".

The icon painter depicted the panorama of the city with topographical accuracy. The composition organically includes scenes of fishing, plowing and sowing, telling about the daily life of the ancient Novgorodians.

Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

Royal Doors of the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

The Western Church is consecrated in honor of the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem.

One of the four large churches is an octagonal two-tiered pillar covered with a vault. The temple is distinguished by its large size and the solemn nature of the decoration.

During the restoration, fragments of the architectural decoration of the 16th century were discovered. Their original appearance has been preserved without the restoration of damaged parts. No ancient painting was found in the church. The whiteness of the walls emphasizes the architectural details, executed by architects with great creative imagination. Above the northern entrance there is a trace of a shell that hit the wall in October 1917.

The current iconostasis was transferred in 1770 from the dismantled Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. It is richly decorated with openwork gilded pewter overlays, which give lightness to the four-tiered structure. In the middle of the XIX century. the iconostasis was supplemented with wooden carved details. The icons of the lower row tell about the Creation of the world.

The church presents one of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral - the icon "St. Alexander Nevsky in his life» of the 17th century. The image, unique in terms of iconography, probably comes from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

The right-believing prince is represented in the middle of the icon, and around him there are 33 hallmarks with plots from the life of the saint (miracles and real historical events: the Neva battle, the prince's trip to the khan's headquarters, the battle of Kulikovo).

Church of St. Gregory of Armenia

The northwestern church of the cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Gregory, Enlightener of Greater Armenia (d. 335). He converted the king and the whole country to Christianity, was the bishop of Armenia. His memory is celebrated on September 30 (October 13, N.S.). In 1552, on this day, an important event of the campaign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible took place - the explosion of the Arskaya tower in Kazan.

One of the four small churches of the cathedral (15m high) is a quadrangle, turning into a low octagon. Its base is elongated from north to south with the apse shifted. The violation of symmetry is caused by the need to arrange a passage between this church and the central one - the Intercession of the Mother of God. The light drum is covered with a vault.

The architectural decoration of the 16th century has been restored in the church: ancient windows, semi-columns, cornices, a brick floor laid out “in a Christmas tree”. As in the 17th century, the walls are whitewashed, which emphasizes the severity and beauty of the architectural details.

The tyabla (tyabla - wooden beams with grooves between which icons were fastened) iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. It consists of windows of the XVI-XVII centuries. The royal gates are shifted to the left - due to the violation of the symmetry of the internal space.

In the local row of the iconostasis is the image of St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. Its appearance is connected with the desire of the wealthy contributor Ivan Kislinsky to re-consecrate this chapel in honor of his heavenly patron (1788). In the 1920s The church was given back its original name.

The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with silk and velvet shrouds depicting Calvary crosses. The interior of the church is complemented by the so-called "skinny" candles - large painted wooden candlesticks of the old form. In their upper part there is a metal base, in which thin candles were placed.

In the display case there are items of priestly vestments of the 17th century: surplice and phelonion, embroidered with gold threads. The 19th-century kandilo, decorated with multi-colored enamel, gives a special elegance to the church.

Church of Cyprian and Justina

Dome of the Church of Cyprian and Justina

The northern church of the cathedral has an unusual dedication for Russian churches in the name of the Christian martyrs Cyprian and Justina, who lived in the 4th century. Their memory is celebrated on October 2 (N.S. 15). On this day in 1552, the troops of Tsar Ivan IV stormed Kazan.

This is one of the four large churches of the Intercession Cathedral. Its height is 20.9 m. The high octagonal pillar is completed with a light drum and a dome, in which Our Lady of the Burning Bush is depicted. In the 1780s oil painting appeared in the church. On the walls are scenes from the lives of the saints: in the lower tier - Adrian and Natalia, in the upper tier - Cyprian and Justina. They are complemented by multi-figure compositions on the theme of gospel parables and stories from the Old Testament.

The appearance in the painting of images of martyrs of the 4th century. Adrian and Natalia is associated with the renaming of the church in 1786. A wealthy contributor Natalya Mikhailovna Khrushcheva donated funds for repairs and asked to consecrate the church in honor of her heavenly patrons. At the same time, a gilded iconostasis in the style of classicism was also made. It is a magnificent example of skillful woodcarving. The bottom row of the iconostasis depicts scenes of the Creation of the World (day one and four).

In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities in the cathedral, the church returned to its original name. Recently, it appeared before the visitors updated: in 2007, the wall paintings and the iconostasis were restored with the charitable support of the Russian Railways Joint-Stock Company.

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

The southern church was consecrated in the name of the Velikoretsky icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The icon of the saint was found in the city of Khlynov on the Velikaya River and subsequently received the name "Nikola Velikoretsky".

In 1555, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the miraculous icon was brought in procession along the rivers from Vyatka to Moscow. An event of great spiritual significance determined the dedication of one of the chapels of the Intercession Cathedral under construction.

One of the large churches of the cathedral is a two-tiered octagonal pillar with a light drum and vault. Its height is 28 m.

The ancient interior of the church was badly damaged during a fire in 1737. In the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries. a single complex of decorative and fine arts was formed: a carved iconostasis with full ranks of icons and a monumental narrative painting of the walls and vault. The lower tier of the octagon contains the texts of the Nikon Chronicle about bringing the image to Moscow and illustrations for them.

In the upper tier, the Mother of God is depicted on the throne, surrounded by prophets, above - the apostles, in the vault - the image of the Almighty Savior.

The iconostasis is richly decorated with gilded stucco floral decorations. Icons in narrow profiled frames are painted in oil. In the local row there is an image of "St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in his life" of the 18th century. The lower tier is decorated with gesso engraving imitating brocade fabric.

The interior of the church is complemented by two remote double-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. With them they made religious processions around the cathedral.

At the end of the XVIII century. The floor of the church was covered with white stone slabs. During the restoration work, a fragment of the original covering made of oak checkers was discovered. This is the only place in the cathedral with a preserved wooden floor.

In 2005-2006 The iconostasis and monumental painting of the church were restored with the assistance of the Moscow International Currency Exchange.

Church of the Holy Trinity

The eastern one is consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is believed that the Pokrovsky Cathedral was built on the site of the ancient Trinity Church, by whose name the entire church was often called.

One of the four large churches of the cathedral is a two-tiered octagonal pillar, ending with a light drum and a dome. Its height is 21 m. In the process of restoration in the 1920s. in this church, the ancient architectural and decorative decoration was most fully restored: semi-columns and pilasters framing the arches-entrances of the lower part of the octagon, a decorative belt of arches. In the vault of the dome, a spiral is laid out with small-sized bricks - a symbol of eternity. Stepped window sills in combination with the whitewashed surface of the walls and vault make the Trinity Church especially bright and elegant. Under the light drum, “voices” are mounted in the walls - clay vessels designed to amplify sound (resonators). The church illuminates the oldest Russian chandelier in the cathedral from the end of the 16th century.

On the basis of restoration studies, the form of the original, so-called “tabla” iconostasis (“tabla” - wooden beams with grooves between which the icons were fastened close to each other) was established. The peculiarity of the iconostasis is the unusual shape of the low royal doors and three-row icons that form three canonical ranks: prophetic, Deesis and festive.

"The Old Testament Trinity" in the local row of the iconostasis is one of the most ancient and revered icons of the cathedral of the second half of the 16th century.

Church of the Three Patriarchs

The northeastern church of the cathedral was consecrated in the name of the three Patriarchs of Constantinople: Alexander, John and Paul the New.

In 1552, on the day of memory of the Patriarchs, an important event of the Kazan campaign took place - the defeat by the troops of Tsar Ivan the Terrible of the cavalry of the Tatar prince Yapanchi, who was marching from the Crimea to help the Kazan Khanate.

This is one of the four small churches of the cathedral with a height of 14.9 m. The walls of the quadrangle pass into a low octagon with a cylindrical light drum. The church is interesting for its original ceiling system with a wide dome, in which the composition "The Savior Not Made by Hands" is located.

The wall oil painting was made in the middle of the 19th century. and reflects in its plots the then change in the name of the church. In connection with the transfer of the throne of the cathedral church of Gregory of Armenia, it was re-consecrated in memory of the Enlightener of Great Armenia.

The first tier of the painting is dedicated to the life of St. Gregory of Armenia, in the second tier - the history of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, bringing it to King Avgar in the Asia Minor city of Edessa, as well as scenes from the life of the Patriarchs of Constantinople.

The five-tiered iconostasis combines baroque elements with classical ones. This is the only altar barrier in the cathedral from the middle of the 19th century. It was made especially for this church.

In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities, the church returned to its original name. Continuing the traditions of Russian patrons, the leadership of the Moscow International Currency Exchange contributed to the restoration of the interior of the church in 2007. For the first time in many years, visitors were able to see one of the most interesting churches of the cathedral.

Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

Iconostasis

Interior view of the drum of the central dome

Bell tower

The modern bell tower of the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of an ancient belfry.

By the second half of the XVII century. The old belfry was dilapidated and fell into disrepair. In the 1680s it was replaced by a bell tower, which still stands to this day.

The base of the bell tower is a massive high quadrangle, on which an octagon with an open area is placed. The site is fenced with eight pillars, connected by arched spans, and crowned with a high octagonal tent.

The ribs of the tent are decorated with colorful tiles with white, yellow, blue and brown glaze. The edges are covered with figured green tiles. The tent is completed by a small onion dome with an eight-pointed cross. There are small windows in the tent - the so-called "rumors", designed to amplify the sound of the bells.

Inside the open area and in the arched openings, bells cast by outstanding Russian masters of the 17th-19th centuries are suspended on thick wooden beams. In 1990, after a long period of silence, they began to be used again.

Notes

Literature

Gilyarovskaya N. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow: A monument of Russian architecture of the 16th-17th centuries. - M.-L.: Art, 1943. - 12, p. - (Mass Library).(reg.)
Volkov A. M. Architects: Roman / Afterword: Doctor of Historical Sciences A. A. Zimin; Drawings by I. Godin. - Reissue. - M .: Children's literature, 1986. - 384 p. - (Library series). - 100,000 copies. (1st edition - )

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(St. Basil's Cathedral) - a bright monument of Russian architecture, located on Red Square. The magnificent and solemn appearance of the cathedral with unusual multi-colored domes, which was loved by Muscovites and well remembered by foreigners, made it one of the main symbols not only of Moscow, but of all of Russia.

The temple was built in 1555-1561 by an unknown architect (there are different versions) on the orders of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the victory over the Kazan Khanate and the capture of Kazan, which fell on the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Subsequently, it was rebuilt several times.

The peculiarity of the temple is that in fact it is 9 separate churches, united by a common foundation. In the center is the pillarless Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, 8 smaller churches are grouped around it: the Trinity, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of the Velikoretskaya icon), the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the martyrs Adrian and Natalia, St. John the Merciful, Alexander Svirsky, Varlaam Khutynsky, Gregory of Armenia . The thrones of the churches were consecrated in honor of the Orthodox holidays and the days of memory of the saints that fell on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan.

Architecture

The architectural appearance of the Intercession Cathedral is unique. Pretentious and solemn, like a painted gingerbread, at first glance it seems like a random heap of multi-colored domes, but in reality it is not. The cathedral building has a clear structure and is a rhombus inscribed in a square, forming an eight-pointed star in plan. In fact, these are 9 separate churches, united by a common base (basement): in the center there is a pillarless Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, ending in a high tent with a small gilded dome, 8 smaller churches are grouped around it, topped with relief onion domes of different colors. On the south side there is a two-tier hipped bell tower, and on the east side there is a chapel in honor of St. Basil the Blessed. The building is encircled by a closed gallery, which is adjoined by two massive porches with hipped roofs.

The height of the cathedral is 65 meters.

In total, the Intercession Cathedral is decorated with 11 domes, 9 of which are located above the churches, one - over the aisle of St. Basil the Blessed, and another (very small) - above the bell tower. Of these, 9 domes are distinguished by a unique relief and coloring: colored spikes, rhombuses, ornaments; the meaning of their flowers is not known for certain, but it is believed that the temple symbolizes Heavenly Jerusalem. According to the assumption of the Russian writer Nikolai Chaev (1824 - 1914), the color of the domes is explained by the dream of Blessed Andrei the Holy Fool (of Constantinople), who dreamed of Heavenly Jerusalem with gardens with many flowering trees and fruits of unspeakable beauty.

The decorative design of the temple looks magnificent, but laconic: it includes fly, semi-columns, kokoshniks and weights, traditional for Russian temple architecture. The gallery along the entire perimeter is painted with images of flowers and floral ornaments. The walls are decorated with facade icons of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos with the upcoming Basil and John the Blessed (southern wall of the bell tower) and Our Lady of the Sign with the saints in the fields (eastern facade).

History of the Intercession Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, on the Moat, got its name from its location nearby, which passed along Red Square along the eastern wall of the Kremlin in the 16-19 centuries. However, in colloquial speech, the official name of the temple is practically not used: it became better known as St. Basil's Cathedral - in honor of the most famous Moscow holy fool and miracle worker. - a legendary figure in the history of Moscow; in the past, on the site of the Pokrovsky Cathedral, there was a wooden Trinity Church (which is on the Moat), in the cemetery at which the holy fool was buried. After his canonization in 1588, a chapel in his honor was added over the burial place of the miracle worker to the Pokrovsky Cathedral. Subsequently, the people began to call the whole cathedral the name of the miracle worker.

The temple was built in 1555-1561 by order of Ivan the Terrible in memory of the capture of Kazan.

The history of St. Basil's Cathedral is full of mysteries and white spots: in particular, it is not known for certain who was its architect. According to the most common version, it was built by architects Ivan Barma and Postnik Yakovlev, however, it is considered outdated. There is a version that the legendary Barma and Postnik are the same person (Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma), as well as a theory that the cathedral could have been built by an unknown Italian architect (since Italians built a significant part of the Kremlin’s buildings), which has not yet been found convincing confirmation. A common urban legend says that after the construction, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, struck by the beauty of the cathedral, ordered the architects to be blinded so that they would not build anything like this again, however, in reality this is unlikely: if Postnik Yakovlev really was one of the architects, then after the Intercession Cathedral he took participation in the construction of the Kazan Kremlin and, obviously, could not be blinded. Although, again, there is a version that these were different Postniks.

The walls of the temple were built of red brick, which was quite an innovative building material for Moscow at that time. In order to protect the rare material from exposure to atmospheric precipitation, the outside walls of the building were painted in red and white tones, emphasizing the masonry. In 1588, by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, a chapel of St. Basil the Blessed was added to the temple, made in the form of an independent pillarless church with a separate entrance.

Not much information has been preserved about how the Intercession Cathedral looked originally. It is known that in the past the bypass gallery encircling it was open and did not have massive hipped porches and paintings with floral ornaments: the vault above the gallery and two porches above the stairs were built on in the second half of the 17th century, when the building underwent significant restructuring. In the same period, new churches were added to the cathedral: the Deposition of the Robe of the Virgin, the Holy Virgin Theodosius and others. According to the Russian historian Peter Khavsky, by 1722 there were 18 thrones in the cathedral: the Life-Giving Trinity, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky, the Beheading of John the Baptist, Paraskeva-Friday, Varlaam Khutynsky, Apostle Andronik, Gregory of Armenia, Cyprian and Justinia, the Deposition of the Robe Theotokos, Sergius of Radonezh, Basil the Great, Alexander Svirsky, Virgin Theodosius, Mary of Egypt, All Saints, Theophany and the Three Patriarchs.

The domes also looked different: those colored figured domes, according to which St. Basil's Cathedral is known today, appeared only at the end of the 16th century; the former ones were probably helmet-shaped, and one of the city fires destroyed their covering. Even their original number is doubtful: it is known that during the restoration of 1784-1786 under the guidance of the architect Ivan Yakovlev, 8 small cupolas at the base of the tent were dismantled, which were recognized as later additions.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, the cathedral was plundered by the French, but immediately after the war it was repaired and consecrated. In 1817, when Red Square was reconstructed according to the project of Osip Bove, the retaining wall of the temple from the side of Vasilyevsky Spusk and Moskvoretskaya Street was lined with stone, and a cast-iron fence was installed at the top.

In the Soviet years, St. Basil's Cathedral escaped demolition (although divine services were still banned in it) and became one of the first architectural monuments taken under state protection. Since 1918, its museumification began, and in 1923 it was decided to create a historical and architectural museum in it, which later became part of the State Historical Museum. Initially, the building was in a deplorable state, but since the 1920s, repair and restoration work began in it, designed to return the cathedral to its original appearance and partially recreate the interiors of the 16-17th centuries. In 1931, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, previously erected in the central part of Red Square, was moved to the cathedral.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union - since 1991 - the building of the temple is in the joint use of the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Myths and legends

Being one of the most famous sights of Moscow and having at the same time a rather vague history, St. Basil's Cathedral simply had to acquire urban legends.

The most common legend concerns the construction of the temple: allegedly, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, struck by the incredible beauty of the building, ordered his architects - Barma and Postnik - to be blinded so that they could never build a temple more beautiful than in Moscow. In reality, this is unlikely: firstly, it is not known for certain which architects erected the building. In addition, it is not clear whether the legendary Barma and Postnik were different people - Ivan Barma and Postnik Yakovlev - or whether it was one person - Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma. Be that as it may, after the construction of the Pokrovsky Cathedral, Postnik Yakovlev participated in the construction of the Kazan Kremlin, which means that he could not be blinded - if, again, these were not different people.

There is a legend that the image of the historical Kul-Sharif mosque, destroyed by Russian troops during the capture of Kazan in 1552, is "encrypted" in the structure of St. Basil's Cathedral: 8 of its heads allegedly symbolize 8 minarets of the destroyed mosque, and the 9th dominates them to commemorate the victory .

They say that St. Basil the Blessed, anticipating a victory over Kazan, collected money for the construction of the Pokrovsky Cathedral and, shortly before his death in 1552, gave it to Ivan the Terrible. However, this legend has no evidence.

Not without the library of Ivan the Terrible! According to one of the legends, it was hidden just in the cellars of the Intercession Cathedral. Unfortunately, in reality this is impossible: the building simply has no basements. The cathedral was erected on a massive basement, which rests on an artificial hill, and its foundation is not so deep. However, in the basement there were rooms for storing valuables; another urban legend says that the royal treasury could be stored in them.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, when the French troops were leaving Moscow, Napoleon ordered the cathedral to be blown up, however, the French failed to do this: the allegedly starting rain extinguished the wicks and prevented the building from being blown up. They say that Napoleon gave such an order in his hearts: he liked the cathedral so much that he wanted to move it to Paris, but he was informed that this was impossible (what a surprise!).

In the 1930s, Lazar Kaganovich suggested that the Intercession Cathedral be demolished so that Red Square would have more space for parades and demonstrations. According to urban legend, he made a model of Red Square with a removable cathedral building and brought it for demonstration to Stalin to show how the cathedral interfered with the passage of cars and columns. Showing the model, he unexpectedly tore off the Pokrovsky Cathedral from it in order to clearly show how much better it would be without it, but the surprised Stalin exclaimed: "Lazar, put it in its place!" - and the cathedral was saved.

Today, St. Basil's Cathedral is one of the most popular attractions in Moscow, a must-see point on the maps of tourists coming to the capital. Its unusual and memorable appearance has made it one of the wonders and symbols of Russia - and even those who have never been to Moscow can easily guess its domes, which are often printed on postcards and souvenirs, in books, textbooks and encyclopedias. If somewhere they say or write about Moscow and Russia, the words will most likely be illustrated with a photograph of the Pokrovsky Cathedral.

At the same time, the townspeople really love him.

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat located on Red Square, house 2. You can get to it on foot from metro stations "Okhotny Ryad" Sokolnicheskaya line, "Revolution square" Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya, "Theatrical" Zamoskvoretskaya and "China town" Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya and Kaluga-Rizhskaya lines.