Cathedral of the Kazan Icon Mother of God (Kazan Cathedral) - restored Orthodox church, located on the corner of Red Square and next to . It has a rather ornate history, dating back to the Battle of Moscow in 1612 and the expulsion of Polish-Lithuanian invaders from Moscow.
The first wooden temple on this site was built back in 1625 with money Dmitry Pozharsky, then rebuilt in stone in 1636. Having gone through a series of reconstructions different years, was demolished in 1936. Modern building The temple was built in 1990-1993 according to the architect's design Oleg Zhurin, Presumably the temple was recreated in its original appearance.
The single-domed temple includes 2 aisles (the northern one in honor of Saints Gurias and Barsanuphius, the southern one - the holy martyrs Hermogenes and Tikhon, Patriarchs of Moscow), repeating the forms of the main volume in miniature, and an elegant hipped bell tower, which are connected by a gallery encircling the building on 3 sides. The facades are decorated in the spirit of Russian patterns; The rows of keel-shaped kokoshniks especially attract attention different sizes, which hide the transition from the main volume of the building to the drum of the chapter. Above the main entrance from Red Square there are mosaic icons of the Virgin Mary and Christ, on the facades from Nikolskaya Street - the Virgin Mary and Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow. The icon case on the eastern facade is decorated with a mosaic image of St. George the Victorious.
History of the Kazan Cathedral
The temple has a glorious history dating back to the Battle of Moscow in 1612 and the expulsion of the Polish-Lithuanian invaders from Moscow by the Second people's militia under the leadership of Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. The copy from the icon of the Kazan Mother of God accompanied the militia during the campaign against Moscow, and when its troops managed to take Kitay-Gorod and recapture the Kremlin from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders, Dmitry Pozharsky, According to urban legend, he made a vow to build a temple in honor of the victory.
The first wooden church was built on this site in 1625 at the expense of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. In 1636 it was rebuilt in stone by decree and at the expense of the king. Mikhail Fedorovich; Despite its rather modest size, the temple became one of the main churches in Moscow.
In the 1760s, the Kazan Cathedral was reconstructed at the expense of the princess Maria Dolgorukova, the chapels were demolished, and in 1802, by resolution Metropolitan Platon The tented bell tower was demolished, and a new two-tier one was erected in its place. In 1865, the building was “renovated”: the facades were redesigned in a classical style according to the architect’s design Nikolai Kozlovsky, and the bell tower was built with a third tier. Not everyone liked the changes in the appearance of the temple - contemporaries compared it with “standard” rural churches, noting that its appearance does not correspond to the role of one of the main Moscow cathedrals.
After the Revolution of 1917 and the establishment of Soviet power, in 1925-1929 the temple began to be reconstructed according to the architect’s design Peter Baranovsky in order to recreate its original appearance, however, in 1929, a decision was made to demolish it, since the religious building did not correspond to the new purpose of Red Square as a place for ceremonial events of secular Soviet Union. Upon learning of the demolition, Baranovsky ordered careful measurements of the building so that it could be restored in the future; in 1936 the cathedral was demolished. In its place, a pavilion was erected in honor of the Third International, then a public toilet was located here.
In 1989, the Moscow City Council decided to restore the "monument military glory", and in 1990-1993 the Kazan Cathedral was again erected according to the architect's design Oleg Zhurin, one of Baranovsky's students, becoming the first of those completely lost in Soviet years temples recreated in their original forms. The temple was opened on November 4, 1993, after the collapse of the USSR.
Currently, the Kazan Cathedral is active Orthodox Church, within whose walls services are held. However, being part of the Red Square ensemble and one of the popular , the church is well known, including to supporters of other religious movements- like a delightful architectural monument.
Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on Red Square located at Nikolskaya street, 3 (on the corner of Red Square and Nikolskaya). You can get to it on foot from metro stations "Okhotny Ryad" Sokolnicheskaya line, "Theatrical" Zamoskvoretskaya and "Revolution square" Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya.
The Kazan Cathedral on Red Square is a functioning Orthodox church, built in memory of the liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders by the Russian army led by Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin. The history of the Kazan Cathedral is tragic and, at the same time, happy: it was destroyed to the ground, and then reborn like a phoenix from the ashes.
The temple was consecrated in the name of the Kazan Mother of God, with whose icon in 1612 Russian militia under the leadership of Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, they set out on a liberation campaign against Moscow, occupied by Polish interventionists. In gratitude for the help and intercession of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, in 1625 the prince, at his own expense, built a wooden cathedral in the name of this shrine. In 1636, a stone cathedral was erected on the site of the burnt temple, which became one of the main churches in Moscow.
Under Soviet rule, under the leadership of the architect Pyotr Baranovsky, the Kazan Cathedral was restored, but soon, by order of the authorities, it was closed, and a canteen and then a warehouse were placed in the temple building. In 1936, the year of its 300th anniversary, the Kazan Cathedral was demolished to the ground. In its place, a temporary pavilion of the Third International with a fountain was first built, then summer cafe, and on the site of the altar there was a public toilet.
In 1990-1993, with donations from citizens and funds from the Moscow government, the temple was restored according to the design of Baranovsky’s student Oleg Zhurin, and on November 4, 1993, the Kazan Cathedral was consecrated.
The Kazan Cathedral on Red Square is one of the most notable masterpieces of Moscow church architecture, and the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Kazan Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God is part of the Kremlin architectural ensemble capital Cities. The temple building is relatively small, but its architectural and historical meaning V Orthodox world huge. The appearance of the cathedral is inextricably linked with the name national hero Dmitry Pozharsky and the liberation of the city from Polish-Lithuanian troops.
The history of the famous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
The icon of the Kazan Mother of God is revered more than others in Orthodoxy. Not only the original image, but also its copies have a miraculous effect. There are many copies of the shrine distributed throughout the world, and all of them are held in special esteem by Christians.
The appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is associated with interesting story which occurred in the 16th century, which can be called a miracle. In 1579, a terrible fire occurred in Kazan, which destroyed all the wooden buildings of the city. That same night, the Mother of God appeared in a dream to the ten-year-old daughter of a local merchant, Matrona. She asked the girl to go to the ashes and find her icon there. At the same time, the Mother of God indicated the exact place where the image is located. In the morning, Matrona told her parents about the vision. They consulted with priest Ermolai and decided to check the veracity of the children's words. And, in fact, under the burnt brands, the icon of the Mother of God seemed to be waiting to be found. The image was wrapped in cherry cloth and was completely untouched by fire. The image of the Virgin Mary on the cypress board looked like new.
Christians noticed the miraculous power of the icon already in the first days. Blind people who fell before the image began to see, and deaf people began to hear. Migraine patients were relieved of terrible pain.
After the healings that occurred, the city’s clergy decided to make several lists. The first was sent to Tsar Ivan the Terrible. The remaining lists were donated to churches located in different cities Rus'. The icon was kept in parishes and was revered more than other images. Many cathedrals and monasteries were built in her honor.
History of the Moscow Cathedral
The first Kazan Church in Moscow was intended to store the miraculous icon. Cash for its construction were donated by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. Miraculous power The icons helped liberate captured Moscow and defeat the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. Before the construction of the cathedral, the shrine was located in the church on Lubyanka. The icon was moved to a wooden parish near Red Square in 1625. After 9 years, the temple was completely destroyed by fire, but the image was saved.
Construction of the temple
The foundation of the new stone church took place in 1636. The money was allocated from the state treasury by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. The tented bell tower was added to the north-west side of the main building. The consecration of the temple was carried out in the presence of the sovereign by the main patriarch of Moscow, Joseph I, which is why the church immediately received a high status.
Eleven years later, the Kazan Cathedral was expanded by adding a side chapel. Its consecration in 1647 took place in the presence of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The chapel was consecrated in memory of the wonderworkers of Kazan Guria and Varsanuphia.
In the XVIII-XIX centuries. The cathedral building underwent repeated reconstruction. Princess M.A. Dolgorukova made donations to the needs of the church in the late 1760s. With this money, the building was repaired, the dilapidated chapel of Guria and Barsanuphius was dismantled. Shops for city trade were built along the perimeter of the building. Candles, apples and baked goods were sold there.
Activities in the 19th century
IN early XIX V. it came to the bell tower. In 1802, the old building was dismantled. Three years later, a new bell tower with two tiers was erected in another place.
During the war with Napoleon, difficult times came for the Kazan Cathedral. Before the arrival of the French, Archpriest Moshkov managed to take out and hide the icon of the Kazan Mother of God. When enemy troops captured the capital, all the temples were desecrated and looted. The Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was no exception. The French threw the throne out of the building and put a dead horse in its place.
The temple underwent another alteration sixty years later. A third tier appeared on the bell tower. The façade of the cathedral was decorated in the classical style of churches of that time. The clergy of the temple were dissatisfied with the new appearance, believing that the building began to look like an ordinary rural church.
After the revolution, life in the Kazan Cathedral changed. Divine services continued for some time, then they were banned. In the fall of 1980, the main shrine, the icon of the Mother of God, was stolen from the temple.
In 1920, an initiator was found who decided to return the façade to its original appearance. This was the famous restorer P. D. Baranovsky. In 1929, the walls of the cathedral were transformed, and the keel-shaped kokoshniks were restored. The reconstruction of the building was not destined to be completed, since Soviet authorities decided to demolish it. The cathedral interfered with the holding of special events on Red Square. Baranovsky urgently made the necessary measurements of the building and recorded them on paper. Subsequently, these drawings helped to recreate an exact copy of the temple.
In the early 30s. The Kazan Cathedral was closed and a canteen was set up there. After some time, the building was given to the Metropolitan. IN church building began to store marble for finishing the subway. In 1936, a global redevelopment of Manezhnaya Square took place, and the temple was completely demolished. A pavilion was built on this site, and then a summer cafe with a fountain in the center was opened. The final highlight was the construction of a public toilet.
Restoration of the temple
The Kazan Cathedral on the corner of Red Square in Moscow has a difficult fate. It was completely demolished in 1936 and rebuilt 57 years later. Today it is a functioning temple where services are held. The main shrine of the cathedral, which believers from all over the country come to worship, is the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, revered as miraculous, with its relic guardian. The rector of the temple is Archpriest Nikolai Inozemtsev.
Tourists most often visit the cathedral when visiting the main attractions of the capital - Red Square, Alexander Garden, St. Basil's Cathedral, State Historical Museum and other popular sites near the Moscow Kremlin.
Schedule of services of the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square
Those wishing to receive the Sacrament of Baptism can contact the ministers for a public conversation every Saturday at 15:00.
Religious events take place daily in the temple:
- 09:00 (weekdays) 07:00 and 10:00 (weekends) - liturgy,
- 17:00 - evening services (parastas, all-night vigil).
On the website of the Kazan Cathedral you can see a detailed schedule of events for the current month, as well as find out the names of the clergy who will conduct the rituals and their assistants.
Icon of the Moscow Kazan Cathedral
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered shrines not only in the Kazan Cathedral, but in Christianity in general. It is worth noting that the temple does not store the original icon, but a copy of it, but this does not detract from its significance. There is a copy in the Dmitrovsky chapel.
The first appearance of the icon of the Mother of God happened in 1579 in Kazan. Its location was shown by the girl Matrona, who dreamed prophetic dream. After its discovery, the icon was repeatedly moved to other churches in the country; many copies were made from it, practically indistinguishable from the original.
To avoid damage and theft, copies were often displayed in churches, and the original was carefully guarded. However, in 1904, the icon was stolen; the thief turned out to be the peasant Chaikin, who said that he burned the relic. Later, versions were put forward according to which the destruction of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was called into question. Until now, historians cannot come to a definite opinion whether the original of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has survived and where it may be located.
History of the temple
The first cathedral building, built in the 1620s, was made of wood. The construction of a new temple dedicated to the war of 1612, in which Russia won, was sponsored by Dmitry Pozharsky. The building was damaged in a fire and was rebuilt in the 1630s. Until 1765, on special days of celebration significant events(military victories, finding an icon) religious processions were held before the Kazan Cathedral.
In subsequent years, the temple was rebuilt and repaired several times. The last restoration took place in 1925. Architect Pyotr Baranovsky wanted to return the building to its original appearance. The work lasted for 4 years, and when very little remained, the Moscow City Council decided to demolish the temple. The restoration stopped, the bell tower was destroyed in the same year, and the premises of the cathedral were used as a storage warehouse until 1936 building materials for a metro station. After the demolition of the Kazan Cathedral, a pavilion in honor of the Third International was placed in its place.
In 1990, the Moscow authorities decided to rebuild the cathedral, and therefore began collecting donations. The shrine was restored using photographs and drawings preserved in the archives. Work on recreating the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God ended in 1993.
Panorama of the temple from Red Square:
Architecture
The Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a typical example of the temple architecture of the first half XVII century. This is a single-domed temple with two chapels. The northern and southern aisles are united by a gallery that surrounds the structure on three sides.
The exterior of the cathedral is decorated with mosaic icons in the Russian style. They depict the Mother of God, Jesus Christ, St. George the Victorious, the Patriarch of Moscow and other saints.
How to get there
The Kazan Cathedral is located in the center of Moscow on Nikolskaya Street. Getting to it is not difficult - several metro stations and public transport stops are within walking distance from the shrine. You can also take a taxi or go by car.
Metro
The metro is perhaps the most convenient transport in the capital. From the station closest to the cathedral, “Okhotny Ryad” (red line), walk only about 100 meters from exit No. 7. In addition, the Teatralnaya station (green line) is nearby, and a little further “Revolution Square” (blue line).
View of the cathedral from Nikolskaya street:
Public transport
300 meters away, near the Okhotny Ryad metro station, there are stops: Okhotny Ryad Metro and Manezhnaya Ploshchad. Buses and minibuses run here: No. M2 (to Rizhsky Station), M3, M10, M27, N1 (night to Sheremetyevo Airport), N2 (night), H11 (night to Vnukovo Airport), 101, 144, 904 .
A little further (on the opposite side of Red Square, near St. Basil's Cathedral) there is another bus stop - “Red Square”. Buses No. M5 and 158 depart from it.
Automobile
Considering that the cathedral is located right in the city center, traveling by car will not be the most convenient option. In addition to the fact that all parking is paid, finding a free space is very problematic. Therefore, if a trip to public transport not suitable, it is better to use a taxi or transfer. There are many people working in the capital mobile applications to order a taxi - Yandex. Taxi, Vezet, Uber, Gett, Maxim and others.
Video about the Kazan Cathedral in Moscow:
The name “Kazan Cathedral” probably evokes in most travelers associations with the majestic and handsome temple, which is located on the square of the same name in St. Petersburg.
However, in Moscow, on Nikolskaya Street, very close to it there is a cathedral with the same name and an equally rich past. Both churches received their name from the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, with which many events in the history of Russia are connected.
There is such a legend about its acquisition: 27 years after the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, a fire broke out in the city, as a result of which many houses burned down, including the archer Onuchin. The Mother of God appeared to his little daughter Matrona in a dream and asked him to dig up the icon under the ruins of the house. This request was fulfilled.
And so the miraculous icon appeared to the world, which became in some way the savior of the Russian land. Many lists (copies) were made from it, with one of which the militia of Prince Pozharsky set off to liberate Moscow from the Poles. On November 4 (October 22), 1612, a prayer service was served in front of this icon, and the assault began, ending in triumph.
13 years later, Prince Pozharsky, as a token of gratitude to the miraculous image for the victory granted, built a wooden cathedral at his own expense, which became known as Kazan Cathedral. However, soon another Moscow fire destroyed it, and from 1635 to 1636 the temple was restored using brick as a building material.
The result was a small cathedral. They decorated it with unique kokoshniks, thanks to them it looked elegant and solemn.
The color scheme of the temple (a combination of gold, red and white flowers) was chosen according to Byzantine Orthodox aesthetics. In it, gold symbolizes Divine radiance, red – fire that cleanses from sin, white – purity and holiness. This fully reflected main meaning Kazan Cathedral - the temple of military valor of Orthodox Moscow. Miraculous icon helped expel the Polish invaders, Peter I prayed before her on the eve Battle of Poltava, and Kutuzov - before the decisive battle with Napoleon. In this cathedral the memory of all soldiers who laid down their lives for the Russian land is sacredly revered.
However, the fate of the temple was truly martyrdom; it was remodeled, demolished and restored. So in late XIX century, under the leadership of the architect N. Kozlovsky, the facade was changed, the kokoshniks were removed, resulting in a standard, in the words of Metropolitan Leonty, “rural church.” This alteration was not to the taste of not only the clergy, but also the parishioners, who raised funds to return the temple to its original appearance. From 1925 to 1930, the architect P. Baranovsky carried out reconstruction, but 6 years later the Kazan Cathedral was demolished, and in its place, first a pavilion in honor of the International was built, and then a public latrine.
In 1990-1993, according to photographs and drawings by P. Baranovsky, the cathedral was restored. The miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God returned to it and continues to protect Russia from troubles.
