Home Vegetables The correct name of St. Basil's Cathedral. The main symbol of Russia is the St. Basil's Cathedral. Is it true that Napoleon wanted to move the temple to Paris

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The correct name of St. Basil's Cathedral. The main symbol of Russia is the St. Basil's Cathedral. Is it true that Napoleon wanted to move the temple to Paris

One of the most interesting and beautiful sights of the Russian capital is St. Basil's Cathedral (photo below), also known as the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, built in the 16th century by order of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible. Almost every person in the country knows that it is on Red Square, but not everyone knows the history of its construction and the legends associated with it. But still it will not be enough to learn only about the cathedral. The saint, in whose honor the chapel was built, and later the temple itself began to be called, bore the name Basil the Blessed. The story of his life, deeds and death is no less interesting than the story of the construction of the cathedral.

Creator versions

(a photo of it is decorated with many postcards for tourists) was erected in the period from 1555 to 1561 in memory of the capture of the fortified city of Kazan by Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. There are many versions of who was the real creator of this architectural monument. Let's consider only three main options. The first of them is the architect Postnik Yakovlev, who bore the nickname Barma. It was a well-known Pskov master at that time. The second option is Barma and Postnik. These are two architects who participated in the construction of this temple. And the third - the cathedral was erected by some unknown Western European master, presumably from Italy.

The latter version is supported by the fact that most of the buildings in the Kremlin were built by immigrants from this particular country. The unique style in which the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed was created (photos show it perfectly), harmoniously combined the traditions of Russian and European architecture. But it should be noted right away that this version has absolutely no documentary evidence.

There is also a legend according to which all the architects who worked on the project of the temple were deprived of their eyesight on the orders of Ivan the Terrible - with the goal that they would never be able to build anything similar again. But there is one problem. If the author of the temple is still Postnik Yakovlev, then he could not be blinded in any way. Just a few years later, he also worked on the creation of the Kremlin in Kazan.

Temple structure

The cathedral has only ten domes: nine of them are located above the main building, and one is above the bell tower. It includes eight temples. Their thrones were consecrated only in honor of those holidays, on the days of which the decisive battles for Kazan took place. All eight churches are located around the highest ninth, which has a pillar structure. It was built in honor of the Protection of the Mother of God and ends with a tent with a small dome. The rest of the domes of St. Basil the Blessed look traditional at first glance. They have a bulbous shape, but differ from each other in their design. All nine temples stand on a common foundation and are interconnected by vaulted internal passages and a bypass gallery, which in the original version was open.

In 1558, a side-altar was added to the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God, which was consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed. It was erected in the place where the relics of this saint were previously located. Also, his name gave the cathedral a second name. Approximately 20 years later, the temple acquired its own hipped bell tower.

Ground floor - basement

It must be said that St. Basil's Cathedral (the photo, of course, does not show this) does not have a basement. All of its constituent churches stand on one foundation, called the basement. It is a structure with rather thick (up to 3 m) walls, divided into several rooms, the height of which is more than 6 m.

The northern basement has, one might say, a unique construction for the 16th century. Its vault is made in the form of a box without supporting pillars, despite the fact that it is long. There are narrow openings in the walls of this room, called air vents. Thanks to them, a special microclimate is created here, which remains unchanged throughout the year.

Once upon a time, all the premises of the basement were inaccessible to parishioners. These deep niche caches were used as storage facilities. Previously, they were closed by doors. But now only loops are left of them. Until 1595, the royal treasury and the most valuable property of wealthy citizens were kept in the basement.

To get into these previously secret rooms of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, one had to walk up a white-stone staircase inside the wall, which only the initiates knew about. Later, as unnecessary, this move was laid and forgotten about, but in the 30s of the last century it was accidentally discovered.

Chapel organized in honor of St. Basil the Blessed

It is a cubic church. It is covered with a cresting vault with a small drum of light topped with a dome. The very covering of this temple is made in the same style as the upper churches of the cathedral. There is a stylized inscription on the wall here. She reports that the Church of St. Basil the Blessed was added in 1588 right above the saint's burial immediately after his canonization by order of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich.

In 1929, the temple was closed for worship. Only at the end of the last century was its decoration finally restored. The memory of St. Basil the Blessed is honored on August 15. It was this date in 1997 that was the starting point for the resumption of services in his church. Today, over the very burial of the saint there is a shrine with his relics, decorated with fine carvings. This Moscow shrine is the most revered among the parishioners and guests of the temple.

Decoration of the church

It must be admitted that it is impossible in one article to reproduce in words all the beauties for which St. Basil's Cathedral is famous. Describing them would take more than one week, and possibly months. Let us dwell only on the details of the decoration of the church, consecrated in honor of this particular saint.

Her oil painting was timed to coincide with the 350th anniversary of the beginning of the construction of the cathedral. Vasily the Blessed is depicted on the southern and northern walls. Pictures from his life represent episodes about the miracle with a fur coat and salvation at sea. Under them, on the lower tier, there is an ancient Russian ornament made of towels. In addition, on the south side of the church there is a large-sized icon painted on a metal surface. This masterpiece was painted in 1904.

The western wall is decorated with a temple image of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. The upper tier contains images of saints who patronize the royal house. These are the martyr Irina, John the Baptist, and Theodore Stratilat.

The sails of the vault are occupied with the image of the Evangelists, the crosshairs are with the Savior Not Made by Hands, John the Baptist and the Mother of God, the drum is decorated with the figures of the forefathers, and the dome is decorated with the Almighty Savior.

As for the iconostasis, it was made according to the project of A. M. Pavlinov in 1895, and the painting of the icons was supervised by the famous Moscow restorer and icon painter Osip Chirikov. His original autograph is preserved on one of the icons. In addition, the iconostasis also has older images. The first is the icon "The Mother of God of Smolensk" dating back to the 16th century, and the second is the image of St. Basil the Blessed, where he is depicted against the background of Red Square and the Kremlin. The latter dates back to the 18th century.

Bell tower

In the middle of the 17th century, the previously built belfry was in a terrible state. Therefore, it was decided to change it to a bell tower in the 80s of the same century. By the way, it is still standing. The base for the bell tower is a high and massive quadrangle. On top of it, a more graceful and delicate octagon is erected, made in the form of an open area, which is fenced with eight pillars, and they, in turn, are connected at the top by arched spans.

The bell tower is crowned with an octahedral rather high tent with ribs, decorated with multicolored tiles with blue, white, brown and yellow glaze. Its edges are covered with green curly tiles and small windows, which, when the bells ring, can significantly enhance their sound. At the very top of the tent is a small onion dome with a gilded cross. Inside the site, as well as in the arched openings, bells are suspended, which were cast in the 17th-19th centuries by famous Russian craftsmen.

Museum

In 1918, the Intercession Cathedral was recognized by the Soviet authorities as a historical architectural monument of not only national but also international significance and was taken under state protection. It was then that they began to consider it a museum. Its first caretaker was Ioann Kuznetsov (archpriest). It must be said that after the revolution, the temple was, without exaggeration, in a very disastrous situation: almost all the glass was broken, the roof was full of holes in many places, and in winter there were snowdrifts right inside the premises.

Five years later, it was decided to create a historical and architectural complex on the basis of the cathedral. Its first head was E. I. Silin, a researcher at the Moscow Historical Museum. Already on May 21, the first visitors examined the temple. From that time on, work began on staffing the fund.

A museum called "Pokrovsky Cathedral" in 1928 turned into a branch of the Historical Museum. A year later, the temple was officially closed for services and all the bells were removed. In the 30s of the last century, rumors spread that they were planning to demolish it. But he was still lucky enough to avoid such a fate. Despite the fact that here for almost a century, the temple is always open for Muscovites and guests of the capital. For all the time, the museum was closed only once, when the Great Patriotic War was going on.

After the end of the war, all measures were immediately taken to restore the cathedral, so by the day of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the capital, the museum started working again. He gained wide popularity back in the days of the Soviet Union. It should be noted that the museum was well known not only in the USSR, but also in many other countries. Since 1991, the temple has been used by both the Orthodox Church and the State Historical Museum. After a long break, services have finally resumed here.

Saint's childhood

The future Moscow wonderworker Blessed Vasily was born at the very end of 1468. According to legend, this happened right on the porch of the Yelokhovsky Church, erected in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. His parents were ordinary people. When he grew up, he was sent to study shoemaking. Over time, his mentor began to notice that Vasily was not like all the other children.

An example of his originality is the following case: once a merchant brought bread to Moscow and, seeing a workshop, went to order his boots. At the same time, he asked that he could not wear shoes for a year. Hearing these words, Blessed Basil burst into tears and promised that the merchant would not even have time to wear off these boots. When the master, who did not understand anything, asked the boy why he thought so, the child explained to his teacher that the customer would not be able to put on the boots, as he would soon die. This prophecy came true in just a few days.

Recognition of holiness

When Vasily was 16 years old, he moved to Moscow. It was here that his thorny path as a holy fool began. According to eyewitnesses, Blessed Basil walked the streets of the capital barefoot and naked almost all year round, regardless of whether there was a fierce bitter frost or a scorching summer heat.

It was considered strange not only his but also his actions. For example, passing by market stalls, he could spill a vessel filled with kvass, or overturn a counter with rolls. For this, Basil the Blessed was often beaten by angry merchants. As strange as it sounds, he always gladly accepted the beatings and even thanked God for them. But as it turned out later, the spilled kvass was unusable, and the rolls were poorly baked. Over time, he was recognized not only as an accuser of unrighteousness, but as a man of God and a fool.

Here is another incident from the life of a saint. Once a merchant decided to build a stone church in Moscow, on Pokrovka. But for some reason its vaults collapsed three times. He came to St. Basil the Blessed to seek advice on this matter. But he sent him to Kiev, to poor John. Upon arrival in the city, the merchant found the man he needed in a poor hut. John sat and rocked the cradle, in which there was no one. The merchant asked him whom he still pumps. He answered him that he was lulling his mother for his birth and upbringing. Only then did the merchant remember his mother, whom he had once driven out of the house. It immediately became clear to him why he was unable to finish building the church. Returning to Moscow, the merchant found his mother, asked her forgiveness and took her home. After that, he easily managed to finish building the church.

The deeds of the miracle worker

Blessed Basil always preached mercy to others and helped those who were ashamed to ask for alms, while needing help more than others. On this occasion, there is a description of one case when he gave all the royal things presented to him to a visiting foreign merchant, who, by chance, lost absolutely everything. The merchant had not eaten for several days, but could not ask for help, as he was wearing expensive clothes.

Basil the Blessed always severely condemned those who gave alms out of selfish motives, and not out of compassion for poverty and misfortune. For the sake of saving his neighbors, he even went to taverns, where he consoled and tried to cheer up the most despondent people, seeing in them the seeds of kindness. He purified his soul so much with prayers and great deeds that the gift of foresight was revealed to him. In 1547, the Blessed One was able to predict the great fire that happened in Moscow, and with his prayer he extinguished the flame in Novgorod. Also, his contemporaries argued that once Vasily reproached Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible himself, since during the divine service he was thinking about building his palace on Vorobyovy Gory.

The saint died on August 2, 1557. The then Moscow Metropolitan Macarius and his clergy performed the burial of Basil. He was buried at the Trinity Church, where in 1555 they began to build the Intercession Church in memory of the conquest of the Kazan Khanate. 31 years later, on August 2, this saint was glorified by a Council headed by Patriarch Job.

Contemporaries described him in about the same way, and they necessarily mentioned three features: he was extremely thin, wore a minimum of clothes and always had a staff in his hand. This is exactly how Vasily the Blessed appears before us. Photos of icons and paintings with his image are presented in this article.

The veneration of this holy miracle worker among the people was so great that the Cathedral of the Intercession began to be called by his name. By the way, his chains are still being preserved at the Theological Academy of the capital. Anyone who wants to admire a beautiful monument of medieval architecture can find it at the address: St. Basil's Cathedral.

Quote post His Majesty the Moscow Kremlin. Part 4. St. Basil's Cathedral

The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, or the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Moat, is its canonical full name. This cathedral is rightfully considered one of the main symbols not only of Moscow, but of the whole of Russia. And the point is not only that it was built in the very center of the capital and in memory of a very important event. The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed is also simply unusually beautiful. At the place where the cathedral is now adorned, in the 16th century there was a stone Trinity Church, "on the Moat." There really was a defensive moat that stretched along the entire Kremlin wall along Red Square. This moat was filled up only in 1813. Now in its place is the Soviet necropolis and the Mausoleum. ...

N. Dubovsky

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

The Intercession Cathedral is one of the most famous sights of Russia. For many, it is a symbol of Moscow and the Russian Federation.

Creation versions

Zvorykin Boris Godunov

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 buildings of the Moscow Kremlin), hence such a unique style that combines the traditions of both Russian architecture and European architecture of the Renaissance, but this version is still never found any clear documentary evidence
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K. Korovin

According to legend, the architect (s) of the cathedral were blinded by the order of Ivan the Terrible so that they could no longer build a similar temple. However, if Postnik is the author of the cathedral, 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.

St. Basil's Cathedral on an engraving of the 17th century.

Cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries

In 1588, the church of St. Basil the Blessed was added to the temple, for the construction of which arched openings were laid in the northeastern part of the cathedral. In architectural terms, the church was an independent temple with a separate entrance.
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At the end of the 16th century, figured chapters of the cathedral appeared - instead of the original covering, which burned down during the next fire.

In the second half of the 17th century, significant changes took place in the external appearance of the cathedral - the open gallery-gulbische surrounding the upper churches was covered with a vault, and porches decorated with tents were erected over the white-stone staircases.
The outer and inner galleries, platforms and porch parapets were painted with herbal designs. These renovations were completed by 1683, and details of them are included in the inscriptions on the ceramic tiles that adorned the facade of the cathedral.

Restoration

In the documents of the cathedral for 1737, the name of the architect Ivan Michurin is mentioned for the first time, under whose leadership work was carried out to restore the architecture and interiors of the cathedral after the so-called "Trinity" fire of 1737. The following complex repairs were carried out in the cathedral at the behest of Catherine II in 1784 - 1786.

They were led by the architect Ivan Yakovlev. In the 1900s - 1912, the restoration of the Temple was carried out by the architect S.U.Solovyov. In the 1920s, repair and restoration work in the temple was carried out by architects N. S. Kurdyukov and A. A. Zhelyabuzhsky

Soviet years. Museum

In 1918, the Intercession Cathedral became one of the first cultural monuments, taken under state protection, as a monument of national and world significance. From that moment on, its museification began. The first caretaker was Archpriest John Kuznetsov. In the post-revolutionary years, the cathedral was in dire straits. In many places the roof was leaking, glass was broken, and in winter there was snow even inside the churches. Ioann Kuznetsov single-handedly kept the cathedral in order
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In 1923, it was decided to create a historical and architectural museum in the cathedral. Its first head was a researcher at the Historical Museum E.I. Silin. On May 21, the museum was opened to visitors. Active collection of funds began

Museum exhibits

It was closed only once - during the Great Patriotic War. In 1929, church services were banned and the bells were removed. In the mid-1930s. the temple was threatened with demolition, but it escaped destruction. Immediately after the war, systematic work began on the restoration of the cathedral, and on September 7, 1947, on the day of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Moscow, the museum reopened. The cathedral gained wide popularity not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.

Since 1991, the Intercession Cathedral has been in the joint use of the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. After a long break, services were resumed in the temple.
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Temple structure

Cathedral domes

The height of the temple is 65 meters. There are 10 domes in total. Nine domes over the temple (according to the number of thrones):
Protection of the Virgin (center),
Holy Trinity (east),
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (zap.)
Gregory of Armenian (north-west),
Alexander Svirsky (southeast),
Varlaam Khutynsky (south-west),
John the Merciful (formerly John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (north-east),
Nicholas the Wonderworker Velikoretsky (southern)
Adrian and Natalia (formerly Cyprian and Justina) (north))
plus one dome above the bell tower.

The cathedral consists of churches, the thrones of which are consecrated in honor of the holidays that fell on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan:

Trinity,

In honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of his Velikoretskaya icon from Vyatka),

Entry into Jerusalem,

In honor of torment. Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of Saints Cyprian and Justina - October 2),

St. John the Merciful (until XVIII - in honor of St. Paul, Alexander and John of Constantinople - November 6),

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

In 1588, from the northeast, a tenth side-altar was added to the cathedral, consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed (1469-1552), whose relics were located at the site of the cathedral's construction. The name of this chapel gave the cathedral a second, everyday name. The chapel of St. Basil the Blessed is adjoined by the chapel of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, in which in 1589 Blessed John of Moscow was buried (at first the chapel was consecrated in honor of the Deposition of the Robe, but in 1680 it was rededicated as the Nativity of the Mother of God). In 1672, the uncovering of the relics of John the Blessed took place there, and in 1916 it was rededicated in the name of Blessed John, the Moscow miracle worker. A tent-roofed bell tower was built in the 1670s.

The cathedral has been restored several times. In the 17th century, asymmetric annexes were added, tents over the porches, intricate decorative treatment of the heads (originally they were gold), ornamental painting on the outside and inside (originally the cathedral itself was white).

In the main, Pokrovskaya, church there is an iconostasis from the Kremlin church of Chernigov miracle workers dismantled in 1770, and in the side-altar of the Entrance to Jerusalem there is an iconostasis from the Alexander Cathedral that was dismantled at the same time.

The last (before the revolution) rector of the cathedral, Archpriest John Vostorgov, was shot on August 23 (September 5) 1919. Subsequently, the temple was transferred to the disposal of the renovation community.
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First floor

"Our Lady of the Sign" in the basement

There are no basements in the Intercession Cathedral. Churches and galleries stand on a single foundation - a basement, consisting of several rooms. Strong brick walls of the basement (up to 3 m in thickness) 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 corrugated vault has no supporting pillars. The walls are cut with narrow holes - air vents. Together with the "breathing" building material - brick - they provide a special indoor climate at any time of the year.

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

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

They got into the basement from the upper central church of the Intercession of the Mother of God along a white-stone staircase inside the wall. Only the initiates knew about her. 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 Intercession Cathedral.

Also on display are two icons of the 17th century. - "The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" and "Our Lady of the Sign".
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

The canopy over the grave of Basil the Blessed

The lower church was added to the cathedral in 1588 over the burial of St. Basil the Blessed. The stylized inscription on the wall tells about 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 dome. The covering of the church is made in the same style as the heads of the upper churches of the cathedral
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Oil painting of the church was made for the 350th anniversary of the beginning of the construction of the cathedral (1905). In the dome is the Savior Almighty, in the drum - the forefathers, in the crosshairs of the vault - Deesis (Savior Not Made by Hands, the Mother of God, John the Baptist), in the sails of the vault - the Evangelists.
On the western wall there is a temple image "The 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, Saint Anastasia, Martyr Irene.

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 traditional Old Russian ornament in the form of towels.
The iconostasis was made 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 "Savior on the throne".

The iconostasis includes earlier icons: "The Mother of God of Smolensk" of the 16th century. and the local image “St. Basil the Blessed against the background of the Kremlin and Red Square "XVIII century.

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

On the southern wall of the church there is a rare large-scale 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 Kasli cast iron slabs.

The Church of St. Basil the Blessed 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 St. Basil the Blessed, Sunday and festive services were resumed in the church.

Second floor
Galleries and porches

An external bypass gallery runs along the perimeter of the cathedral around all the churches. It was originally open. In the middle of the XIX century. the glazed gallery became part of the interior of the cathedral. Arched entrance openings lead from the outer gallery to the platforms between the churches and connect it to the inner passages.

The central church of the Intercession of Our Lady is surrounded by an internal bypass gallery. Its vaults hide the tops of the churches. In the second half of the 17th century. the gallery was painted with floral ornaments. Later, story oil painting appeared in the cathedral, which was repeatedly updated. Tempera painting has now been revealed at the gallery. Oil painting of the 19th century has been preserved in the eastern section of the gallery. - images of saints combined 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 later coatings, which allows you to see its decoration. The embossed details are lined with specially molded curved bricks, and the shallow decor is carved in place.

Previously, daylight penetrated the gallery from the windows above the aisles to the gulbishche. Today it is illuminated by mica lanterns of the 17th century, which were previously used during religious processions. The multi-domed tops of the outrigger lanterns resemble the exquisite silhouette of the cathedral.

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

Gallery painting

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

In this area, the floor is laid out with a special pattern in the "rosette", and on the walls the original painting has been recreated, imitating brickwork. The size of the painted bricks corresponds to the real one.

Two galleries unite the side-altars of the cathedral into a single ensemble. Narrow internal passages and wide areas create the impression of a “city of churches”. After passing the labyrinth of the inner gallery, you can get to the cathedral's porch grounds. Their vaults 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 foundations of the pillars or columns are preserved - the remains of the entrance decoration. This is due to the special role of the church in the complex ideological program of the cathedral's dedications.

Alexander Svirsky Church

The southeastern church was consecrated in the name of the Monk Alexander Svirsky

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
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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 a 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 "Christmas tree" pattern, profiled cornices, stepped window sills. The walls of the church are covered with a painting imitating brickwork. The dome features 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 (tyabls). The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with hanging sheets, skillfully embroidered by craftswomen. On velvet swaddles - the traditional image of the Calvary cross
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Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

The Royal Doors of the Iconostasis of the Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

The southwestern church was consecrated in the name of the Monk Varlaam of Khutynsky
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This is one of the four small churches of the cathedral, 15.2 m high. Its base has the shape of a quadrangle, elongated from north to south with an apse displacement 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.

The four goes into a low eight. The cylindrical light drum is covered with a vault. The church illuminates the 15th century chandelier, the oldest in the cathedral. A century later, Russian craftsmen supplemented the work of Nuremberg craftsmen with a pommel in the shape of a two-headed eagle.

The Tyablovy iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. and consists of icons of the 16th - 18th centuries. The peculiarity of the architecture of the church - the irregular shape of the apse - determined the displacement of the Royal Doors to the right.

Of particular interest is the separately hanging icon "The Vision of the Sexton Tarasiy". 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 sexton of the Khutynsky monastery of the disasters that threaten Novgorod: floods, fires, "pestilence".

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

Church of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem

One of the four large churches is an octahedral two-tier pillar covered with a vault. The temple is distinguished by its large size and solemn character of the decoration.
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During the restoration, fragments of the architectural decoration of the 16th century were discovered. Their original appearance has been preserved without restoring damaged parts. No ancient painting was found in the church. The whiteness of the walls emphasizes the architectural details made by architects with great creative imagination. Above the northern entrance, there is a trail of a shell that hit the wall in October 1917.

The existing iconostasis was moved in 1770 from the dismantled Alexander Nevsky Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. It is richly decorated with tracery gilded pewter overlays, which give the lightness of the four-tiered structure. In the middle of the XIX century. the iconostasis was supplemented with carved wooden details. The icons in the bottom row tell about the Creation of the world. One of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral is represented in the church - the icon “St. Alexander Nevsky in the Life "of the 17th century. The icon, which is unique in its iconography, probably comes from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

In the centerpiece of the icon is the noble prince, and around him there are 33 hallmarks with scenes from the life of the saint (miracles and real historical events: the battle of the Neva, 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 the Monk Gregory, the enlightener of Great Armenia (died in 335). He converted the tsar and the whole country to Christianity, was the bishop of Armenia. His memory is commemorated on September 30 (October 13 N.C.). In 1552, on this day, an important event of the campaign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible took place - the explosion of the Arskaya tower of 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 a displacement of the apse. 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, half-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.

Tyablovy (tyabla - wooden beams with grooves, between which icons were attached) iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. It consists of windows from the 16th-17th centuries. The Royal Doors are displaced to the left - due to a violation of the symmetry of the inner space
.

In the local row of the iconostasis there is an image of St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. Its appearance is connected with the desire of the wealthy investor Ivan Kislinsky to rededicate this side-chapel in honor of his heavenly patron (1788). In the 1920s. the churches have returned its former name.

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

The showcase contains items of priestly vestments of the 17th century: surplice and phelonion, embroidered with gold threads. The 19th century candlestick, 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 a dedication, unusual 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 (15 N.C.). On this day, 1552, the troops of Tsar Ivan IV took Kazan by storm.

This is one of the four large churches of the Intercession Cathedral. Its height is 20.9 m. The high octahedral pillar is crowned with a light drum and a dome, which depicts the Virgin of the Burning Bush. 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 scenes from the Old Testament.

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

In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities in the cathedral, the churches returned to their original name. Recently, it appeared before visitors renewed: 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 image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The icon of the saint was found in the city of Khlynov on the Velikaya River and later received the name "Nikola Velikoretsky".

In 1555, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the miraculous icon was brought in a 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 octahedral pillar with a light drum and vault. Its height is 28 m.

The ancient interior of the church was badly damaged during the fire of 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 walls and vaults. 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 the prophets, above - the apostles, in the vault - the image of the Almighty Savior.

The iconostasis is richly decorated with stucco floral decoration with gilding. The icons are painted in oil in narrow profiled frames. In the local row is placed the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Life of the 18th century. The lower tier is decorated with engraving on levkas imitating brocade.

The interior of the church is complemented by two external two-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. They performed religious processions with them around the cathedral.

At the end of the 18th century. the floor of the church was covered with white stone slabs. During the restoration work, a fragment of the original coating of oak blocks was discovered. This is the only site 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 was consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is believed that the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of the ancient Trinity Church, by the name of which the entire temple was often named.

One of the four large churches of the cathedral is a two-tiered octahedral 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: half-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. The stepped windowsills in combination with the whitewashed smoothness of the walls and vaults make the Trinity Church especially light and elegant. Under the light drum, “voices” are built into the walls - clay vessels designed to amplify sound (resonators). The church illuminates the oldest Russian chandelier in the cathedral of the late 16th century.

On the basis of restoration studies, the form of the original, so-called "tyabla" iconostasis was established ("tyabla" - wooden beams with grooves, between which the icons were attached close to each other). 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, 14.9 m high. The walls of the quadrangle turn into a low octagon with a cylindrical light drum. The church is interesting for the original ceiling system with a wide dome, in which the composition "Savior Not Made by Hands" is located.
Wall oil painting made in the middle of the 19th century. and reflects in its stories the then change of the name of the church. In connection with the transfer of the throne of the cathedral church of St. Gregory of Armenia, it was rededicated 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, its bringing to Tsar Avgar in the Asia Minor city of Edessa, as well as scenes from the lives of the Patriarchs of Constantinople.
The five-tiered iconostasis combines baroque and classical elements. This is the only altar barrier of the mid-19th century in the cathedral. It was made especially for this church.
In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities, the churches returned to their original name. Continuing the traditions of Russian patrons of art, the management of the Moscow International Currency Exchange contributed to the restoration of the church's interior 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

Bell tower

Interior view of the drum of the central dome

The modern bell tower of the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of the ancient belfry.
By the second half of the 17th century. the old belfry fell into disrepair and fell into disrepair. In the 1680s. it was replaced by a bell tower, which still stands today.

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 multicolored tiles with white, yellow, blue and brown glaze. The edges are covered with curly green tiles. The tent ends with 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 on thick wooden beams are suspended bells cast by outstanding Russian masters of the 17th-19th centuries. In 1990, after a long period of silence, they were used again. Gilyarovskaya N. Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed on Red Square in Moscow: Monument of Russian architecture of the XVI-XVII centuries. - M.-L .: Art, 1943. - 12, Volkov A. M. Architect: Novel / 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 - 1954) Libson V. Ya., Domshlak M. I., Arenkova Yu. I. and others. Kremlin. China town. Central squares // Architectural monuments of Moscow. - M .: Art, 1983 .-- S. 398-403

- (a later and more common name for the Intercession Cathedral on the moat), in Moscow, on Red Square. An outstanding monument of Russian architecture. Nowadays a branch of the State Historical Museum. Built of bricks (foundations, plinth and a number of details from white ... ... Art encyclopedia

Basil's Cathedral- St. Basil's Cathedral. BASIL THE BLESSED TEMPLE (Intercession Cathedral on the Moat) in Moscow, on Red Square, a monument of Russian architecture. Built in 1555 60 by architects Barma and Postnik (according to some assumptions, one and the same person) in ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Intercession Cathedral on the Moat) in Moscow, on Red Square, a monument of Russian architecture, now a branch of the Historical Museum. Built in 1555-1561 by architects Barma and Postnik (according to some assumptions, one and the same person) to commemorate the conquest of ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

In Moscow, an outstanding monument of Russian architecture. Built in 1555 60 by architects Barma and Postnik (according to some assumptions, the same person) to commemorate the victory over the Kazan Khanate. V. B. x. (originally the Intercession Cathedral that ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Intercession Cathedral, built in Moscow in 1555 60 to commemorate the annexation of Kazan to Rus state vu rus. masters Barma and Postnik (at the present time N. P. Kalinin put forward a hypothesis that this is one person). V. B. x. presents a composition of 9 ... ... Soviet Historical Encyclopedia

Basil's Cathedral- distribution (folk) name. Pokrovsky Cathedral, which is on the moat (Pokrov on the Moat) in Moscow, on Red Square. Built in 1555 61 to commemorate the victory over the Kazan Khanate; architects Barma and Postnik (possibly one and the same person). Consists of 8 ... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

Basil's Cathedral- (Intercession Cathedral) a temple located on Red Square in Moscow. Built in the middle of the 16th century. by order of Ivan the Terrible in honor of the capture of the Kazan Khanate. On October 1, 1552, on the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the assault on Kazan began, which ... Orthodoxy. Reference dictionary

See: COVERING ON RVU Cathedral. Source: Encyclopedia Russian Civilization ... Russian History

BASIL THE BLESSED TEMPLE (Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat) in Moscow on Red Square, a monument of Russian architecture, now a branch of the Historical Museum. Built in 1555 61 by architects Barma and Postnik (according to some assumptions, one and the same person) in ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Construction of St. Basil's Cathedral. Miniature of the Moscow Litsevoy vault. Moscow. Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, a common name in Moscow everyday life for the Intercession Cathedral on the Moat. Located on the southern side of Red Square, in front of. ... ... Moscow (encyclopedia)

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, Sheiko Natalia Gennadievna, St. Basil's Cathedral has been standing on Red Square for almost five hundred years. Its past is shrouded in secrets, and the real history is intertwined with legends. Who is Basil the Blessed and why is he ... Category: History Series: One Hundred Thousand Why Publisher: Swing,
St. Basil's Cathedral. History and legends, Sheiko Natalia Gennadievna, St. Basil's Cathedral has been standing on Red Square for almost five hundred years. Its past is shrouded in secrets, and the real history is intertwined with legends. Who is Basil the Blessed and why is he ... Category: Religion and Spiritual Literature Series: One Hundred Thousand Why Publisher: Swing, Manufacturer:

St. Basil's Cathedral- a popular monument of Orthodox Christianity and Russian architecture. It rises in the center of Moscow. Dates back to the 16th century.

The canonical name of the building is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Moat. Another naming option is the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Also known to many as Pokrovsky.

Interesting! The binding “to the moat” in the name is also not accidental. Until 1813, a defensive ditch was dug near the Kremlin wall.

In fact, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God is not one, but several churches, united into a single architectural ensemble.

Construction of St. Basil's Cathedral

The temple appeared during the time of Ivan the Terrible. Dates of construction works: from 1555 to 1561 The tsar promised to build a cathedral in the event of the conquest of the Kazan khans. In honor of each major victory, a church was built. The name was given to the buildings after the name of the saint, on whose calendar day the battle was won. This is how eight wooden churches appeared. The main victory fell on the day of the Intercession of the Virgin. Hence the name of the main cathedral, stone.

The building has survived fires, several wars and revolutions. Throughout its history, the cathedral has been modified, repainted, reconstructed many times. It was "overgrown" with a bell tower, gallery, fence and other elements. Among the famous architects of the temple: Osip Bove (1817), Ivan Yakovlev (1784-1786), Sergei Soloviev (1900-1912)

In 1918, the cathedral received the status of a world-class architectural value and began to be protected by the state. In the early 90s of the last century, it was in the simultaneous use of a church and a museum.

Cathedral during the empire

There are various legends about the creators of the structure. There is no one reliable version. Most researchers agree on the idea that erection temple - "handiwork" of the master, nicknamed Postnik. Full name - Barma Ivan Yakovlevich.

Some are sure that St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow was designed by an unknown Italian architect.

Earlier, there was a version that the temple was erected by Postnik and Barma, that is, there were two masters at once. But historians have found too many inconsistencies in it.

Interesting! A popular legend says: Ivan IV ordered to blind the architects Postnik and Barma upon completion of construction. He did not want the masters to repeat their creation anywhere else. This fact is most likely fictitious, since it does not coincide with historical events.

Why is the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed so called

This name of the cathedral has taken root among the people for a reason. The name of the temple was given by the name of the holy fool who lived under Ivan the Terrible. The king himself was afraid of the blessed one for the gift of clairvoyance. The people loved Vasily. When he died, he was buried near the Trinity Church.

Basil the Blessed was canonized 29 years after his death. One of the churches of the temple was named after him. The relics of a holy fool, now a saint, are also kept here.

The structure and parameters of the cathedral

A distinctive feature of the temple is that it does not have a pronounced facade. Each side looks "front".

The Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God reaches a height of 65 meters.

Interesting! For two centuries after its appearance, it was the tallest building in Moscow.

The whole complex consists of eleven buildings. Around the central church there are eight more, four of which are grouped exactly on the cardinal points. The structure resembles an eight-pointed star. The tenth church is "lower". The eleventh building is a bell tower.

All churches have a single foundation, united by a closed gallery, internal common passages.

How many domes on St. Basil's Cathedral

The correct answer is 11. Of these, nine are church onions, two are tent-shaped with small domes. The domes of the central church and the bell tower end with a tent. They are all colorful flowers, decorated with patterns. This festive decoration is explained by the fact that the domes of the temple symbolize the image of the Heavenly City of Jerusalem.

Thrones of the Protection on the Moat

The cathedral is represented by ten independent churches with thrones:

Protection of the Holy Virgin. The central throne is located here.
Adrian and Natalia. The church was named earlier in honor of Saints Cyprian and Justina (northern direction). The height of the building is 20.9 m. The Burning Bush is located here.
Three Patriarchs of Constantinople (northeast). The church is 14.9 meters high.
Holy Trinity (east). The building has a height of 21 m.
Alexander Svirsky (direction - southeast). The height of the structure is 15 m.
Nicholas the Wonderworker (southern throne). Height - 28 m. Another name - Nikola Velikoretsky.
Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest). 15.2 m high. The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the entire cathedral.
Entry into Jerusalem (direction - west). Differs in a particularly elegant decoration.
Gregory of Armenian (standing in the northwest). Height - 15 m.
Basil the Blessed. This is the lower annex. Only in it, of all the others, regular services are held.

The temple has a common basement. It contains ancient icons, access to it is not available for mass visits.

On a note! The coin with a denomination of 5 rubles in 1989 was issued with an image on the reverse of the Intercession Cathedral. Its circulation is 2 million copies. The circulation of the improved quality is 300 thousand units. Now collectors can buy this coin for one and a half to three thousand rubles.

Information for visitors

The cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum and is open to the public. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Divine services are held here on Sundays.

Opening hours and ticket prices

The cathedral as a museum operates daily:

in summer - from 10:00 to 19:00;
September 1 - November 6 and all of May - from 11:00 to 18:00;
November 8 - April 30 - from 11:00 to 17:00.

An exception: every Wednesday in June, July, August and the first Wednesday of the rest of the months. These days there is a cleaning day in the complex.

The museum is open 1 hour longer during school holidays. On some holidays, the opening hours may change. Check these questions in advance.

Note! The ticket office and the entire territory will close 45 minutes before the end of working hours.

The cost of an adult entrance ticket is 500 RUR. The price is the same for representatives of all countries.

A family ticket will cost 600 rubles (for a couple with children under 16).

Persons from 16 to 18 years old, full-time students, pensioners and beneficiaries (repressed, members of large families, etc.) fall under a special category. For them, the entrance ticket is 150 RUR.

Children under 16 years of age, war heroes, blockades, prisoners, invalids, orphans, museum employees, pilgrims, etc. can enter the museum for free.

How to get there

The main landmark is Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral cannot be overlooked. It stands out for its colorful domed heads.

The nearest metro stations are three. These are Okhotny Ryad, Kitay-Gorod and Revolution Square.

The Intercession Cathedral offers various excursion programs. According to them, the museum is open from 11:00 until 16:00. The program depends on the age group, nationality, number and interests of visitors. The duration is two or three hours. The tour is designed for groups of up to 10 or 15 people.

For younger students, the total cost of the program is 2500 RUR, for middle school students - 3000 RUR, for high school students - up to 4500 RUR (depends on the number of hours).

The cost of the excursion for adult groups is from 5000 RUR to 10000 RUR. The price depends on the number of visitors and the chosen program.

Outside hours there is an opportunity to visit a special excursion for 1000 RUR for groups of 20 people with a guide.

Themed excursions are organized on some holidays.

St. Basil's Cathedral


	Moscow Red Square
Denomination	Orthodoxy
	Moscow
Building type
Architectural style	Style Ancient Russia
	Postnik Yakovlev (according to one version)
Founder	Ivan groznyj
Building	1555-1560 years
	side-altar of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary side-altar of St. Basil the Blessed
	Cultural heritage of the Russian Federation, object number 7710342000

Creation versions

Cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries.

Restoration

Temple structure

First floor

Second floor

Galleries and porches

Alexander Svirsky Church

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Church of St. Gregory of Armenia

Church of Cyprian and Justina

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

Church of the Holy Trinity

Church of the Three Patriarchs

Bell tower

Interesting Facts

Photos

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, also called - an Orthodox church located on the Red Square of Kitay-gorod in Moscow. A well-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 chapels and with the procession of the cross from the Assumption Cathedral on Palm Sunday with the Patriarch's "donkey procession".

Status

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

The Intercession Cathedral is one of the most famous sights of Russia. For many, it is a symbol of Moscow and the Russian Federation. In front of the cathedral, since 1931, there has been a bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky (installed on Red Square in 1818).

Story

Creation versions

The Cathedral of the Intercession was built in 1555-1561 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 architect was the famous Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma. According to another, widely known version, Barma and Postnik are two different architects who both participated in the construction, this version is now outdated. 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 buildings of the Moscow Kremlin), hence such a unique style that combines the traditions of both Russian architecture and European architecture of the Renaissance, but this version is still and did not find any clear documentary evidence.

Cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries.

At the end of the 16th century. figured heads of the cathedral appeared - instead of the original covering, which burned down during the next fire.

The outer and inner galleries, platforms and porch parapets were painted with herbal designs. These renovations were completed by 1683, and details of them are included in the inscriptions on the ceramic tiles that adorned the facade of the cathedral.

Restoration

Fires, which were frequent in wooden Moscow, greatly damaged the Intercession Cathedral, and therefore already from the end of the 16th century. it was undergoing renovation work. Over the course of more than four centuries of the history of the monument, such works inevitably changed its appearance in accordance with the aesthetic ideals of each century. In the documents of the cathedral for 1737, the name of the architect Ivan Michurin is mentioned for the first time, under whose leadership work was carried out to restore the architecture and interiors of the cathedral after the so-called "Trinity" fire of 1737. The following complex repairs were carried out in the cathedral at the behest of Catherine II in 1784 - 1786. They were led by the architect Ivan Yakovlev. In the 1900s - 1912, the restoration of the Temple was carried out by the architect S.U.Solovyov.

Museum

In 1928 the Museum of the Intercession Cathedral became a branch of the State Historical Museum. Despite the constant restoration work that has been going on in the cathedral for almost a century, the museum is always open to visitors. It was closed only once - during the Great Patriotic War. In 1929 it was closed for services, the bells were removed. According to some reports, in the mid-1930s. the temple was threatened with demolition, but it escaped destruction. Immediately after the war, systematic work began on the restoration of the cathedral, and on September 7, 1947, on the day of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Moscow, the museum reopened. The cathedral gained wide popularity not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.

Since 1991, the Intercession Cathedral has been in the joint use of the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. After a long break, services were resumed in the church.

Temple structure

There are 10 domes in total. Nine domes over the temple (according to the number of thrones):

Protection of the Virgin (center),
Holy Trinity (east),
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (zap.),
Gregory of Armenian (north-west),
Alexander Svirsky (southeast),
Varlaam Khutynsky (south-west),
John the Merciful (formerly John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (north-east),
Nicholas the Wonderworker Velikoretsky (southern),
Adrian and Natalia (formerly Cyprian and Justina) (north))
plus one dome above the bell tower.

The cathedral consists of eight churches, the thrones of which are consecrated in honor of the holidays that fell on the days of the decisive battles for Kazan:

Trinity,
in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of his Velikoretskaya icon from Vyatka),
Entry into Jerusalem,
in honor of the martyr. Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of Saints 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 Armenian (September 30).

In 1588, from the northeast, a side-altar was added to the cathedral, consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed (1469-1552), whose relics were located at the site of the cathedral's construction. The name of this chapel gave the cathedral a second, everyday name. The chapel of St. Basil the Blessed is adjoined by the chapel of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, in which in 1589 Blessed John of Moscow was buried (at first the chapel was consecrated in honor of the Deposition of the Robe, but in 1680 it was rededicated as the Nativity of the Mother of God). In 1672, the uncovering of the relics of John the Blessed took place there, and in 1916 it was rededicated in the name of Blessed John, the Moscow miracle worker.

A tent-roofed bell tower was built in the 1670s.

First floor

Podklet

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

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

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

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 Intercession Cathedral.

Also on display are two icons of the 17th century. - "The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" and "Our Lady of the Sign".

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

On the western wall there is a temple image "The 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, Saint Anastasia, Martyr Irene.

The iconostasis was made 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 "Savior on the throne".

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

The floor is covered with Kasli cast iron slabs.

The Church of St. Basil the Blessed was closed in 1929. Only at the end of the 20th century. its decoration was restored. August 15, 1997, on the day of commemoration of St. Basil the Blessed, Sunday and festive services were resumed in the church.

Second floor

Galleries and porches

Carved brick portals leading to the central church organically complement the decor of the inner gallery. The southern portal has been preserved in its original form, without later coatings, which allows you to see its decoration. The embossed details are lined with specially molded curved bricks, and the shallow decor is carved in place.

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

On the upper platform of the northern porch in front of the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the foundations of the pillars or columns are 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 cathedral's dedications.

Alexander Svirsky Church

The southeastern church was consecrated in the name of the Monk Alexander Svirsky.

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 a vault.

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

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

Church of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem

The Western Church was consecrated in honor of the Feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem.

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

One of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral is represented in the church - the icon “St. Alexander Nevsky in the Life "of the 17th century. The icon, which is unique in its iconography, probably comes from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

Church of St. Gregory of Armenia

The showcase contains items of priestly vestments of the 17th century: surplice and phelonion, embroidered with gold threads. The 19th century candlestick decorated with multi-colored enamel gives the church a special elegance.

Church of Cyprian and Justina

The northern church of the cathedral has a dedication, unusual 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 (15 N.C.). On this day, 1552, the troops of Tsar Ivan IV took Kazan by storm.

This is one of the four large churches of the Intercession Cathedral. Its height is 20.9 m. The high octahedral pillar is crowned with a light drum and a dome, which depicts the Virgin of the Burning Bush. 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 - Cyprian and Justina. They are complemented by multi-figure compositions on the theme of gospel parables and scenes from the Old Testament.

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

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

One of the large churches of the cathedral is a two-tiered octahedral 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 walls and vaults. 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 the prophets, above - the apostles, in the vault - the image of the Almighty Savior.

The interior of the church is complemented by two external two-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. They performed religious processions with them around the cathedral.

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 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.

Wall oil painting made in the middle of the 19th century. and reflects in its stories the then change of the name of the church. In connection with the transfer of the throne of the cathedral church of St. Gregory of Armenia, it was rededicated in memory of the enlightener of Great Armenia.

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

In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities, the churches returned to their original name. Continuing the traditions of Russian patrons of art, the management of the Moscow International Currency Exchange contributed to the restoration of the church's interior 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

Bell tower

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

By the second half of the 17th century. the old belfry fell into disrepair and fell into disrepair. In the 1680s. it was replaced by a bell tower, which still stands today.

The ribs of the tent are decorated with multicolored tiles with white, yellow, blue and brown glaze. The edges are covered with curly green tiles. The tent ends with 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.

The height of the temple is 65 meters.

In St. Petersburg there is a memorial church in memory of Alexander II - the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as Savior on Spilled Blood(completed in 1907). The Cathedral of the Intercession served as one of the prototypes for the creation of the Savior on Spilled Blood, therefore both structures have similar features.
St. Basil's Cathedral was shown in the documentary series "Life After People" after 125 years without people.

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