What you need to know about St. Basil's Cathedral. What hides St. Basil's Cathedral inside St. Basil's Cathedral description inside

The Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed (XVI century) is a symbol of Russian church architecture that time.
In Soviet times, there was a museum here, services resumed in 1991. Now held every week.
Architect, who built St. Basil's Cathedral, was called Barma Postnik.
The magnificently decorated church was a thanksgiving to the Almighty for an outstanding military success - capture of Kazan.
The cathedral is made up of nine separate churches, which are located on the same foundation and are connected by two galleries.
The relics of St. Basil the Blessed, the holy fool who lived in Moscow in the 16th century, are buried in the temple.

The narrow galleries between the churches also have decoration: in the 17th century. they were painted with floral ornaments, and a little later - with narrative frescoes. Particular attention should be paid to the basement, which used to be a treasury. Its space is covered with complex box vaults. In addition, a collection of icons is exhibited in the basement, as well as silver utensils, samples of weapons and a beautiful cover on St. Basil's shrine, embroidered in the 16th century.

St. Basil the Blessed and shrines of the cathedral

Saint Basil the Blessed, whose relics are buried in the Cathedral, lived in Moscow in the 16th century. and was a holy fool - a religious ascetic who rejected worldly blessings. His life says that he walked around without clothes all year round, slept on the street and observed a strict fast. According to legend, he performed many miracles and possessed the gift of providence: Ivan the Terrible himself was afraid of his speeches. The saint was greatly revered, and his memory has survived to this day. The church also houses the tomb of Blessed John of Moscow.

The chronicle names the Russian architects Postnik and Barma as the authors of St. Basil's Cathedral, who, quite likely, built the cathedral without drawings at all. There is a legend according to which Ivan the Terrible, having seen the cathedral built according to their project, was so delighted with its beauty that he ordered the architects to be blinded so that they could not build a temple anywhere else equal in beauty to the Intercession Cathedral. Some modern historians offer a version according to which the architect of the temple was one person - Ivan Yakovlevich Barma, who was nicknamed Postnik because he kept a strict post. As for the legend about the blinding of Barma and Postnik, it can be partially refuted by the fact that Postnik's name is later found in the annals in connection with the creation of other significant architectural structures.

St. Basil's Cathedral is a symmetrical ensemble of eight pillar-like churches surrounding the ninth - the highest - church topped with a tent. The aisles are connected to each other by a system of transitions. Pillar-shaped churches are crowned with onion domes, none of which repeats the others in architectural decoration. One of them is densely dotted with golden cones, they are like stars in the sky on a dark night; on the other, scarlet belts run in zigzags across a bright field; the third resembles a peeled orange with yellow and green segments. Each dome is decorated with cornices, kokoshniks, windows, niches.

Until the end of the 17th century, until the bell tower of Ivan the Great was built on the territory of the Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral was the tallest building in Moscow. The height of the cathedral is 60 meters. In total, there are nine iconostases in St. Basil's Cathedral, in which there are about 400 icons of the 16th-19th centuries, representing the best examples of the Novgorod and Moscow icon-painting schools.

St. Basil's Cathedral is perhaps the most famous of the Russian churches. The fabulous domes of the cathedral can be seen on souvenirs; the familiar outlines of the cathedral seem to be the personification of Russia. For more than four hundred years, the Cathedral has stood on Red Square, but only the most inquisitive does it reveal its secrets. So, I invite you for a short virtual walk around St. Basil's Cathedral.

St. Basil's Cathedral

Most Muscovites like to talk about the fact that they are tired of Red Square, and that all visitors pull them here again and again. Well, if you think about it: when was the last time you were in St. Basil's Cathedral? Some will answer modestly: at school. And others will remain silent, because they have never been there. Traveling to distant lands, we often miss what is next to us. For example, for the first time in my life I went inside the magnificent St. Basil's Cathedral. A one and a half hour tour seemed to me extremely little! You can walk here for two or three hours, of course, if you know what to look for. There are real puzzles here!

The cathedral is so interesting and complex that several thematic tours are held here: an engineering tour, a historical tour, and a restoration tour.
Why you should definitely visit St. Basil's Cathedral
St. Basil's Cathedral was built in the 16th century by decree of Ivan the Terrible in honor of the capture of Kazan. The architects (according to the chronicle, the architects were Postnik and Barma) were ahead of their time, using original and innovative building technologies.
The very structure of the cathedral is unique - the building consists of 8 churches connected by internal and external galleries. For those who come here for the first time, the building may seem like a labyrinth, but it is not. The structure of the temple is very logical and if you look at the plan from above, it resembles a flower.

What is the real name of St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral is officially called the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat. The Moscow holy fool Vasily the Blessed was buried not far from the temple. 30 years after the construction of the Cathedral, a chapel was erected over his relics, and directly above his relics - a silver reliquary (which subsequently disappeared and was replaced by a new one). Muscovites revered the holy fool in such a way that even the entire Cathedral was named after him. By the way, for a long time the Cathedral was called the Trinity Cathedral - after the name of the old wooden church, which was located here before the construction of the stone cathedral began.

Inside Saint Basil's Cathedral

How to get to St. Basil's Cathedral

Currently, the cathedral is a branch of the Historical Museum, and you can get here six days a week (except Mondays) according to the museum's opening hours. Divine services are very rarely held here, but I did not find where to find their schedule.
The cost of a standard entrance ticket to the museum is 350 rubles. If you want to join the tour, be prepared to pay another 100 rubles. Sightseeing tours are carried out according to the schedule (more details here).
Also inside the Cathedral for an additional fee you can take an audio guide. Numerous agencies organize excursions to the Cathedral, however, in my opinion, this is an extra overpayment of money, since all the exhibits have a detailed description. Well, if you prepare a little and read on the Internet, then your cultural trip will be a success.

Entry prices

Impressions from visiting St. Basil's Cathedral

All visitors, in order to get into St. Basil's Cathedral, pass through a metal frame and are subject to inspection. It should be noted that the room from where the inspection begins, called the basement (or sub-church) was previously inaccessible to visitors to the Cathedral. Parishioners climbed the beautiful outdoor stairs straight to the second floor. And the basement was used for various other needs, including for storing valuables. For some time, even the royal treasury was kept here. From the second floor, a secret staircase led to the basement, which only a select few knew, and today each of us has the opportunity to climb up this staircase.

Now in the basement there is an interesting exhibition of ancient icons, fragments of decoration of domes, a golosnik, and tiles. But of greater interest are thick walls (the thickness of the walls at the base of the temple reaches 3 meters) and vaults.

Ceiling painting.

Basement of St. Basil's Cathedral

On the first floor you can see the layout of the Cathedral. If you look closely, you can see that the Cathedral on the layout looks a little different. The thing is that since the beginning of its construction, it has undergone significant restructuring. So St. Basil's Church appeared 30 years after the construction of the temple. It is also interesting that the domes of the temple probably had a completely different shape and were gilded. They became colored in the 18th century.

Model of St. Basil's Cathedral

Also in the first room you can see some strange things, for example, a log sticking out of the wall, which was discovered during one of the restorations. His appointment has never been made clear. Drawings of that time have not been preserved (and it is not known whether they were). Perhaps the architects built the building on a wooden frame, and this log is part of this frame.

Church of St. Basil the Blessed

According to legend, St. Basil the Blessed, a revered Moscow holy fool and miracle worker, was buried under the wall of the Pokrovsky Cathedral. Basil the Blessed was canonized by the son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ioannovich. After 30 years, a church was ordered to be erected over the relics of the miracle worker (built in 1588). The iconostasis that we can see today dates back to 1895.

Basil's Church

Painted ceiling in St. Basil's Church. The oil painting was completed in 1905.

Ceiling in St. Basil's Church

Cancer over the relics of St. Basil the Blessed. The rooms are very small and dark, there are a lot of people - so it is extremely difficult to shoot.

Basil's Church

Exhibition in Podklet

On the first floor, or rather the basement, we saw beautiful restored icons. In fact, these are portable icons, with which the procession around the temple was performed.

Restored icons

The power of the basement structures is amazing - due to the fact that the temple was located on the "Moat", a powerful foundation was required. Since the Cathedral has a decent age, restorations and replacement of bricks have been repeatedly carried out here. Dark bricks are old old.

Ceiling in the basement

By the way, in the basement you can see a fragment of the colored dome of the church. It turns out that the domes are made of metal and covered with paint. As you know, the metal is subject to corrosion, so the restoration is carried out approximately every 20 years.

Dome fragment

The icon "Our Lady of the Sign" is a replica of the icon located outside the temple. Refers to 1780.

Icon of Our Lady of the Sign

Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God

After inspecting the basement, we climbed up a narrow secret staircase. At the top, the most interesting thing awaits visitors - 8 churches, unlike each other, united in a single cathedral. In the center is the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God with a stunning iconostasis. To be honest, I have never seen such an iconostasis. The height of the church is 47.5 meters. For a long time it remained the tallest building in Moscow.

Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God

Three different portals, decorated with brick carvings, lead to the central church.

Church of Cyprian and Justina

The gilded iconostasis was made in the style of classicism in the 18th century. One of the best examples of woodcarving of that time. The church was restored in 2007.

Church of Cyprian and Justina

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

The table iconostasis of the church was restored in the 1920s; it consists of icons from the 17th-18th centuries.

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Be sure to pay attention to the icon "Vision of Sexton Tarasius". An icon painter of the 16th century depicted Veliky Novgorod here with topographical accuracy.

Icon "Vision of Sexton Tarasius"

Church of Alexander Svirsky

In the dome of the church you can see a brick spiral - a symbol of eternity. The walls of the church are painted like brickwork. The original appearance of the interior of the church was restored during the restoration work of the 1920s and 1979-1980s.

In the church of Alexander Svirsky

External gallery

During the tour, the group is also taken to the outer gallery, from where you can see fragments of ancient masonry and paintings.

External gallery

The murals of the cathedral deserve a separate discussion. Given the advanced age of the cathedral, one can find here both murals from the 16th, 17th, 18th and early 20th centuries. Knowledgeable guides will easily show you how to distinguish them from each other, and where the oldest fragments are located.
By the way, in the 16th century, floral and floral ornaments were popular for painting cathedrals, which symbolized the Garden of Eden. It is this ornament that can be seen here.

By the way, ancient mica lanterns illuminate the premises.

Ingenious engineering solutions

In one of the passages you can see an ingenious solution for that time - a flat ceiling! However, it only looks flat from a distance. Upon closer examination, you can see that this is also an arched ceiling. I won't go into the engineering details, but the optical illusion is amazing!

flat ceiling

Some more stone carving.

Intercession Cathedral

The exit from the cathedral is carried out along the beautiful central staircase.

Exit from the Cathedral

As you probably already understood, visiting this place in Moscow is not to be missed! Well, if you were already here as a child, I recommend you come back, I'm sure you will look at the Cathedral with completely different eyes.

Address: Russia, Moscow, Red Square, 2
Start of construction: 1555
Completion of construction: 1561
Number of domes: 10
Height: 65 m.
Coordinates: 55°45"09.4"N 37°37"23.5"E
Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation
Official site: www.saintbasil.ru

July 12, 2011 celebrated its 450th anniversary of the most famous Orthodox church in Russia - Pokrovsky Cathedral, or St. Basil's Cathedral.

History of the cathedral

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

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

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

And who built St. Basil's Cathedral?

There are several versions of who was the architect of the miracle of Russia.

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

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

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

10 churches on one foundation.

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

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

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

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

Temple structure

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

Protection of the Mother of God (center),
Holy Trinity (east),
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (zap.),
Gregory of Armenia (North-West),
Alexander Svirsky (southeast),
Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest),
John the Merciful (former John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (north-east),
Nicholas the Wonderworker Velikoretsky (Southern),
Adrian and Natalia (former Cyprian and Justina) (sev.))
Plus one dome over the bell tower.

In the old days, St. Basil's Cathedral had 25 domes, denoting the Lord and 24 elders sitting at His throne.

The cathedral consists of eight temples, the thrones of which were 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),
- Entrance to Jerusalem
- in honor of mchch. Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of St. Cyprian and Justina - October 2),
- St. John the Merciful (until XVIII - in honor of St. Paul, Alexander and John of Constantinople - November 6),
- Alexander Svirsky (April 17 and August 30),
- Varlaam Khutynsky (November 6 and 1st Friday of the Petrov Lent),
- Gregory of Armenia (September 30).

All 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 Intercession of the Mother of God, completed with a tent with a small dome. All nine churches are united by a common foundation, bypass (originally open) gallery and internal vaulted passages.

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

In the 1670s, a hipped bell tower was built.

The cathedral has been restored several times. In the 17th century, asymmetrical outbuildings, tents over the porches, intricate decorative processing of domes (originally they were gold), ornamental painting outside and inside (originally the cathedral itself was white) were added.

In the main, Intercession Church, there is an iconostasis from the Kremlin Church of the Chernihiv Wonderworkers, which was dismantled in 1770, and in the chapel of the Entrance to Jerusalem, there is an iconostasis from the Alexander Cathedral, which 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.

FIRST FLOOR

basement

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also on display are two icons from the 17th century. - "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 lower church was added to the cathedral in 1588 over the burial place of St. Basil the Blessed. A stylized inscription on the wall tells of the construction of this church after the canonization of the saint by order of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SECOND FLOOR

Galleries and porches

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

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

Carved brick portals-entrances 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 plastering, which allows you to see its decoration. The relief details are laid out from specially molded patterned bricks, and the shallow decor is carved on site.

Previously, daylight entered the gallery from windows located above the passages to the promenade. Today it is illuminated by mica lanterns of the 17th century, which were previously used during religious processions. The multi-headed tops of the remote lanterns resemble the exquisite silhouette of the cathedral.
The floor of the gallery is laid out of herringbone brick. Bricks from the 16th century have been preserved here. - darker and more resistant to abrasion than modern restoration bricks.

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

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

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

On the upper platform of the northern porch in front of the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the bases of pillars or columns have been preserved - the remains of the decoration of the entrance.

CHURCH OF ALEXANDER SVIRSKY

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

In 1552, on the day of the 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 - passes 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 herringbone pattern, profiled cornices, and stepped window sills. The walls of the church are covered with paintings imitating brickwork. The dome depicts a "brick" spiral - a symbol of eternity.

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

CHURCH OF VARLAM KHUTYNSKY

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHURCH OF THE ENTRY OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM

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

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

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

The current iconostasis was transferred in 1770 from the dismantled Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. It is richly decorated with openwork gilded pewter overlays, which give lightness to the four-tiered structure.

In the middle of the XIX century. the iconostasis was supplemented with wooden carved details. The icons of the lower row tell about the Creation of the world.
The church presents one of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral - the icon "St. Alexander Nevsky in the Life of the 17th century. The image, unique in terms of iconography, probably comes from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

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

GREGORY ARMENIAN CHURCH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHURCH OF CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA

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

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

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

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

CHURCH OF NIKOLA VELIKORETSKY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

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

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

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

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

CHURCH OF THREE PATRIARCH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BELL TOWER

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

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

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

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

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

The height of the temple is 65 meters.

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

Pokrovsky Cathedral is one of the most famous sights of Russia. For many inhabitants of the planet Earth, it is a symbol of Moscow (the same as the Eiffel Tower for Paris).

The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral) is one of the most significant monuments of ancient Russian architecture of the 16th century. The cathedral was erected in 1555-1561. at the behest of Tsar Ivan the Terrible in honor of the conquest of the Kazan kingdom.

The central church was consecrated in the name of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Four churches - the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople, Cyprian and Justina, Alexander Svirsky and Gregory of Armenia - were consecrated in the name of the saints, on whose memorial day important events of the campaign took place. Other important events of the Russian spiritual life of the second half of the 16th century were also reflected in the program of dedications of the churches of the cathedral: the appearance in the Vyatka lands of a new image of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the glorification of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky and Alexander Svirsky. The Eastern Church is dedicated to the main dogma of the Christian faith - the Holy Trinity. The Western Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem connects the cathedral with the image of the Heavenly City.

Intercession Cathedral has unique wall paintings, an impressive collection of ancient Russian icon painting and masterpieces of church applied art. The ensemble of ten churches with complete iconostases is unique, the interiors of which reflect the four-century history of the temple.