Intercession Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral). The main symbol of Russia is St. Basil's Cathedral

• 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 all year round went naked, 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 temple has a lot different names. Of these, the most famous are:

Basil's Cathedral, Pokrovsky Cathedral, Church of the Intercession Mother of God, Cathedral of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Moat, Intercession Church, Trinity Church.

Until the 17th century, the Church of the Intercession was most often called the Trinity Church, because originally the Trinity wooden church on the moat stood on this site - dated to the middle of the 16th century. In fact, he stood on a hill - next to the moat that surrounded the medieval Kremlin and was filled up in the 19th century.

It was built by order of Ivan the Terrible, in honor of the victory of the Russian army over the Kazan Khanate. (then the khanate was part of the Golden Horde)

By the way, many historians claim that Ivan the Terrible was a merciless and evil tyrant. Can a tyrant give an order to build a cathedral, expressing his gratitude to heavenly patrons? I don’t want to argue and draw attention ... We still won’t know the truth. But I believe more that Ivan was an adequate uncle, and he created more.

Why the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God

Everything is very logical. All historical references they refer to the day when the Russian army successfully stormed the walls of Kazan. Appears everywhere exact date October 1, 1552, on this day in Rus', the feast of the Protection of the Mother of God was celebrated. It didn't take long to think about the name.

Why St. Basil's Cathedral

And here everything is very logical and simple - in honor of St. Basil the Blessed. But few people are “familiar” with the personality of the latter. And in general, why Blessed, why Holy Fool (not to be confused with ugly).

So: in the old days, eccentrics who rejected worldly values ​​were considered holy fools. An ascetic way of life and a bit of madness are the main features in all holy fools. And one of the synonyms for "holy fool" was the word - "blessed". In Old Slavonic, those who did good, good deeds were considered blessed, and in a broad sense, blessed is anyone who sees God in heaven. For me, a happy person is blessed. And in Christianity, the blessed is a special face of saints.

Basil the Blessed is an interesting story.

Saint Blessed Basil, Moscow miracle worker, was born in December 1468 on the porch of the Elokhov Church near Moscow. His parents were simple and sent their son to shoemaking as an apprenticeship. During the teachings of the Blessed, his master had to witness one amazing incident when he realized that his disciple was not like everyone else.

One merchant brought bread to Moscow on barges and went into the workshop to order boots, asking them to make them such that he would not wear them out for a year. Blessed Basil shed a tear: “We will sew for you such that you will not wear them out.” The merchant did not attach any importance to the eccentric's tears, paid and left. The master immediately asked the disciple why he was crying. Then the student explained that the customer would not wear boots, as he would soon die. A few days later, the prophecy came true.

At the age of 16, the saint came to Moscow and began the thorny feat of foolishness. In the scorching summer heat and bitter bitter frost, he walked naked and barefoot through the streets of Moscow. His actions were strange: he would overturn a tray with rolls, then he would spill a jug of kvass. Angry merchants beat the Blessed One, but he gladly accepted the beatings and thanked God for them. And then it turned out that kalachi were poorly baked, and kvass was completely unusable. The veneration of Blessed Basil grew rapidly: he was recognized as a holy fool, a man of God, a denouncer of untruth.

Here is another case.

Once, one merchant decided to build a stone church on Pokrovka in Moscow, but three times its vaults collapsed. The merchant turned to the Blessed for advice, and he sent him to Kyiv: "Find poor John there, he will give you advice on how to complete the church." Arriving in Kyiv, the merchant found John, who was sitting in a poor hut and rocking an empty cradle. "Who are you rocking?" the merchant asked. "My dear mother, I pay an unrequited debt for the birth and upbringing." It was only then that the merchant remembered his mother, whom he had driven out of the house, and it became clear to him why he could not finish building the church. Returning to Moscow, he returned his mother home, asked her forgiveness and completed the construction of the church.

Preaching mercy, the Blessed One helped first of all those who were ashamed to ask for alms, but meanwhile needed help more than others. There was a case that he gave rich royal gifts to a foreign merchant who was left without anything and, although he had not eaten anything for three days, could not ask for help, as he wore good clothes.

The Blessed One severely condemned those who gave alms for selfish purposes, not out of compassion for poverty and misfortune, but hoping in an easy way to attract God's blessing to their deeds.

For the sake of saving his neighbors, Blessed Basil also visited taverns, where he tried to see a grain of goodness even in the most degraded people, to strengthen them with affection, to encourage. Many noticed that when the Blessed One passed by a house in which they were madly having fun and drinking, he hugged the corners of that house with tears. The holy fool was asked what this meant, and he answered:

“Sorrowful angels stand by the house and lament over the sins of people, and I begged them with tears to pray to the Lord for the conversion of sinners.”

In 1547 he predicted the great fire of Moscow; with a prayer he extinguished the fire in Novgorod; once he reproached Tsar Ivan the Terrible for having been busy thinking about building a palace on the Sparrow Hills during the divine service.

He constantly denounced lies and hypocrisy. Contemporaries noted that it was almost only person, who was afraid of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible honored and feared the Blessed One, "like a seer of human hearts and thoughts." When, shortly before his death, Vasily fell into a serious illness, the tsar himself visited him with Tsarina Anastasia.

Basil the Blessed died on August 2, 1552 (sometimes 1551 is also mentioned). Ivan the Terrible and the boyars carried his coffin, and Metropolitan Macarius performed the burial.

In the description of the appearance of the saint, characteristic details were preserved: “all naked, with a staff in his hand.” The veneration of Blessed Basil has always been so strong that the Trinity Church and the attached Church of the Intercession are still called the Church of St. Basil the Blessed.

Main dates

In 1552 on Red Square near the protective moat, in the place where the wooden Trinity Church previously stood, and the most revered Russian holy fool, St. Basil the Blessed, was buried, the construction of a new stone church began.

In 1588 at the behest of Tsar Fedor Ioannovich ( Grand Duke Moskovsky, the third son of Ivan the Terrible) in the Intercession Church, a chapel of St. Basil the Blessed was arranged, where his relics were placed in a silver cancer, and the cathedral was often called St. Basil's Cathedral.

Another version is a legend

Church of the Intercession built in 1555-1561 by Russian architects Barma and Postnik Yakovlev (or perhaps it was one master - Ivan Yakovlevich Barma).

There is a legend that, having seen the temple, Ivan the Terrible ordered the craftsmen to be blinded so that they could not build such a miracle anywhere else. As if to the king’s question whether the master could build another equally beautiful temple or even better, he answered with a challenge: “I can!” and angered the king. "You are lying!" cried the Terrible and ordered to deprive both eyes so that this temple would remain the only one.

Popular rumor spread the rumor that Ivan the Terrible allegedly built this temple in honor of his father, the Grand Duke Basil III: "The people will remember me even without churches for a thousand years, but I want my parent to be remembered." That is why the temple is supposedly called St. Basil the Blessed.

The uniqueness of the architectural composition of the cathedral and its symbolism.

The idea of ​​the Intercession Cathedral is based on the apocalyptic symbolism of Heavenly Jerusalem. Eight domes, located around the central ninth tent, in plan form geometric figure of two squares, combined at an angle of 45 degrees, in which it is easy to see an eight-pointed star.

The number 8 symbolizes the day of the Resurrection of Christ, which, according to the Hebrew calendar account, was the eighth day, and the coming Kingdom of Heaven - the Kingdom of the "eighth century" (or "eighth kingdom"), which will come after the Second Coming of Christ - after the end of earthly history associated with the apocalyptic number 7.

The square expresses the firmness and constancy of faith and is a cosmic symbol of the Universe: its four equal sides mean the four cardinal points, the four winds of the Universe, the four ends of the cross, the four canonical Gospels, the four evangelist apostles, the four equilateral walls of Heavenly Jerusalem. The combined squares symbolize the preaching of the Gospels to the four corners of the world, that is, to the whole world.

The eight-pointed star - a reminder of the Bethlehem star, which showed the magi the way to the baby Christ, the Savior of the world - symbolizes the entire Christian Church as a guiding star in a person's life to Heavenly Jerusalem.

The eight-pointed star is also a symbol Holy Mother of God- The Lady of the Church and the Queen of Heaven: in Orthodox iconography, the Mother of God is depicted in a maphoria (veil) with three eight-pointed stars on her shoulders and forehead as a sign of Her Eternal Virginity - before, during and after the Nativity of Christ.

The throne in honor of the Intercession of the Virgin is located in the central tent temple, which unites the rest of the chapters, as if gathering them around itself. This symbolizes the primacy, patronage and intercession of the Mother of God over the Church of Christ and over the entire Russian land. The tent in Russian temple building symbolizes a canopy (canopy), which from ancient times was erected over a sacred place as a sign of its God-protection and holiness.

Tallest building in Moscow

The Pokrovsky Cathedral on Red Square became the tallest building in Moscow (its height is 60 meters) and remained so until the end of the 16th century, when the 81-meter-high bell tower of the Church of John Lestvinchik was built under Boris Godunov.

With all its outward majestic splendor, the Intercession Cathedral inside has a rather modest size. During the service, a very small number of people could fit inside, so during major church holidays, Moscow residents and clergy gathered on Red Square.

In 1737 During a grandiose fire, St. Basil's Cathedral was badly damaged and had to be restored. When wooden churches were removed from Red Square to prevent fires, fifteen altars of demolished wooden churches were moved under its vaults, and the altar in the name of the three patriarchs of Constantinople was renamed in the name of John the Merciful. The throne of Cyprian and Ustinia was also renamed, it began to bear the name of Saints Adrian and Natalia. In total at that time the cathedral had 11 chapels.

In the second half of the 18th century, during the reign of Catherine II, the Intercession Cathedral was reconstructed again. 16 small domes around the main towers were demolished, and the hipped bell tower was connected to the building of the cathedral itself. It was then that the cathedral became so colorful, as we know it now.

Another legend tells that Napoleon, during the days of the occupation of Moscow by his troops, wished to transport the temple building to Paris, and when it turned out that this was technically impossible, he ordered the cathedral to be blown up along with the Kremlin. And then, when the fuses of the explosives were already lit, it was as if rain had come and extinguished them.

The years of the Great October Revolution brought many trials to the temple.

In September 1918 Archpriest John Vostorgov, rector of the cathedral, was shot. And the property of the temple was confiscated. The bells were removed and sent for melting down, the temple itself was closed, but not destroyed.

In the thirties of the 20th century Kaganovich, who was involved in drawing up a plan for the general reconstruction of Moscow in the spirit of the "proletarian capital", made a proposal to demolish the Pokrovsky Cathedral. To make room for parades and demonstrations, which were held on a fairly compact Red Square. And here it is worth telling about another legend.

They say that when Kaganovich made a model of Red Square with a removable Model of the Intercession Cathedral and brought it to Stalin, he began to show how the columns move along Red Square and how the cathedral interferes with them. “And if it were - r-time! ..” - saying this, he removed the temple from the square with one movement. Stalin looked, thought, and leisurely uttered the famous phrase: “Lazar! Put it in its place!”

One way or another, the temple survived. Big role the architect P.D. also played in this. Baranovsky is a true ascetic and enthusiast for the preservation of Russian culture. He was ordered to prepare the temple for demolition, but he categorically refused to do this, after which he sent a rather sharp telegram upward. What really happened after that is unknown, but Stalin canceled the demolition of the temple, and Baranovsky received several years in prison.

Back in 1929, the Intercession Cathedral began to be used as a branch of the State historical museum, you can visit it now. The exposition contains samples of cold and firearms, armor of the 16th-17th centuries, in the church towers you can see a collection of ancient Russian icons of the 15th-17th centuries, artistic sewing, fabric samples, metal crafts. In the 70s, another reconstruction of the temple was carried out, during which a spiral staircase was discovered in one of the walls, through which the current visitors of the museum get to the central temple.

From myself I will add that to be in Moscow and not come to the walls of the Temple, this is ignorance in its purest form. Despite the abundance of ubiquitous tourists, it's worth a little standing at the majestic walls, thinking about the meaning of life, enjoying stunning architecture, which has no analogues in the world (remember the above-mentioned legend).

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In 1561, one of the most famous churches in Russia, the Intercession Cathedral, or, as it is called otherwise, St. Basil's Cathedral, was consecrated. The Kultura.RF portal recalled interesting facts from the history of its creation.

Temple-monument

The Intercession Cathedral is not just a church, but a memorial temple erected in honor of the accession of the Kazan Khanate to the Russian state. Main battle, in which the Russian troops won, took place on the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. And the temple was consecrated in honor of this Christian holiday. The cathedral consists of separate churches, each of which is also consecrated in honor of the holidays in which the decisive battles for Kazan took place - the Trinity, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and others.

Massive construction in record time

Initially, a wooden Trinity Church stood on the site of the cathedral. Temples were built around it during campaigns against Kazan - they celebrated the resounding victories of the Russian army. When Kazan finally fell, Metropolitan Macarius suggested that Ivan the Terrible rebuild architectural ensemble in stone. He wanted to surround the central temple with seven churches, but for the sake of symmetry, the number was increased to eight. So, on the same foundation, 9 independent churches and a belfry were built, they were connected by vaulted passages. Outside, the churches were surrounded by an open gallery, which was called the abyss - it was a kind of church porch. Each temple was crowned with its own dome with a unique pattern and original drum decoration. A grandiose building for those times, 65 meters high, was built in just six years - from 1555 to 1561. Until 1600 it was the most high building Moscow.

Temple in honor of the soothsayer

Although official name cathedral - the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat, everyone knows it as St. Basil's Cathedral. According to legend, the famous Moscow miracle worker collected money for the construction of the temple, and then was buried near its walls. Holy fool Basil the Blessed walked the streets of Moscow barefoot, almost without clothes for almost the entire year, preaching mercy and helping others. There were legends about his prophetic gift: they say he predicted the Moscow fire of 1547. The son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ivanovich, ordered the construction of a church dedicated to St. Basil the Blessed. It became part of the Intercession Cathedral. The church was the only temple that always worked - all year round, day and night. Later, according to its name, parishioners began to call the cathedral St. Basil's Cathedral.

Louis Bichebois. Lithograph "St. Basil's Church"

Vitaly Grafov. Moscow miracle worker Blessed Basil. 2005

The royal treasury and the lectern at the Execution Ground

There are no basements in the cathedral. Instead, they built a common base - a vaulted basement without supporting pillars. They were ventilated through special narrow holes - vents. Initially, the premises were used as a warehouse - the royal treasury and the values ​​of some wealthy Moscow families were stored there. Later, a narrow entrance to the basement was laid - it was found only during the restoration of the 1930s.

With their colossal external dimensions, inside the Intercession Cathedral is quite small. Perhaps because it was originally built as a memorial monument. In winter, the cathedral was completely closed, as it was not heated. When services began to be held in the temple, especially on major church holidays, very few people were placed inside. Then the lectern was transferred to the Execution Ground, and the cathedral seemed to serve as a huge altar.

Russian architect or European master

It is still not known for certain who built St. Basil's Cathedral. Researchers have several options. One of them - the cathedral was erected by the ancient Russian architects Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Barma. According to another version, Yakovlev and Barma were actually one person. The third option says that a foreign architect became the author of the cathedral. After all, the composition of St. Basil's Cathedral has no analogies in ancient Russian architecture, but in Western European art you can find prototypes of the building.

Whoever the architect was, there are sad legends about his future fate. According to them, when Ivan the Terrible saw the temple, he was struck by its beauty and ordered the architect to be blinded so that he would never repeat his majestic building anywhere. Another legend says that the foreign builder was executed at all - for the same reason.

Iconostasis with inversion

The iconostasis for St. Basil's Cathedral was created in 1895 by architect Andrei Pavlinov. This is the so-called iconostasis with an inversion - it is so large for a small temple that it continues on the side walls. It is decorated with ancient icons - Our Lady of Smolensk of the 16th century and the image of St. Basil the Blessed, written in the 18th century.

Also, the temple is decorated with murals - they are created on the walls of the building in different years. Basil the Blessed, the Mother of God are depicted here, the main dome is decorated with the face of the Almighty Savior.

Iconostasis in St. Basil's Cathedral. 2016. Photo: Vladimir d "Ar

"Lazarus, put me in my place!"

The cathedral was almost destroyed several times. During the Patriotic War of 1812, French stables were located here, and after that the temple was completely blown up. Already in Soviet times, Stalin's associate Lazar Kaganovich proposed to dismantle the cathedral so that Red Square would become more space for parades and demonstrations. He even created a layout of the square, and the temple building was easily removed from it. But Stalin, seeing an architectural model, said: “Lazar, put it in its place!”

Basil's Cathedral in Moscow on Red Square - the main temple of the capital of Russia. Therefore, for many inhabitants of the planet, it is a symbol of Russia, just like the Eiffel Tower for France or the Statue of Liberty for America. Currently, the temple is a branch of the State Historical Museum. Since 1990 it has been included in the List of objects world heritage UNESCO in Russia.

From the history of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow on Red Square

On October 1, 1552, on the feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God, the assault on Kazan began, which ended in the victory of the Russian soldiers. In honor of this victory, by decree of Ivan the Terrible, the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, now known as St. Basil's Cathedral, was founded.

Previously, on the site of the temple there was a church in the name of the Trinity. According to legend, in the crowd among the walkers one could often see the holy fool Basil the Blessed, who left home in his youth and wandered around the capital. He was known for having the gift of healing and clairvoyance and raising money for a new Church of the Intercession. Before his death, he gave the collected money to Ivan the Terrible. The holy fool was buried at the Trinity Church. When the Intercession Church was built, his grave was at the very wall of the temple. Later, 30 years later, at the direction of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, a new chapel was built, consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed. Since then, the temple began to be called by the same name. In the old days, the Intercession Cathedral was red and white, and the domes were golden. There were 25 domes: 9 main and 16 small, located around the central tent, aisles and the bell tower. The central dome had the same complex shape as the side domes. The painting of the walls of the temple was more complex.

There were very few people inside the temple. Therefore, during the holidays, divine services were held on Red Square. Intercession Cathedral served as an altar. The ministers of the church went out to the place of execution, and the sky served as a dome. The temple has a height of 65 meters. Before the construction of the Ivanovskaya bell tower in the Kremlin, it was the highest in Moscow. After a fire in 1737, the temple was restored, and in the second half of the 18th century, 16 small domes around the towers were removed, and the bell tower was connected to the temple, which became multi-colored.

During its history, the temple was on the verge of destruction several times. According to legend, Napoleon kept his horses in the temple and wanted to transfer the building to Paris. But at the time it was impossible to do so. Then he decided to blow up the temple. The sudden pouring rain extinguished the lit fuses and saved the structure. After the revolution, the temple was closed, the bells were melted down, and its rector, Archpriest John Vostorgov, was shot. Lazar Koganovich proposed to demolish the building in order to open car traffic and hold demonstrations. Only the courage and perseverance of the architect P.D. Baranovsky saved the temple. Stalin's famous phrase "Lazar, put it in its place!" and the demolition decision was reversed.

How many domes on St. Basil's Cathedral

The temple was built in 1552-1554. at a time when there was a war with the Golden Horde for the conquest of the Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms. After each victory, a wooden church was built in honor of the saint whose feast day was celebrated on that day. Also, some temples were built in honor of significant events. By the end of the war, there were 8 churches on one site. Saint Macarius Metropolitan of Moscow advised the tsar to build one temple in stone with a common foundation. In 1555-1561. architects Barma and Yakovlev built eight temples on the same foundation: four of them are axial and four are smaller between them. All of them are different in architectural decoration and have onion domes, decorated with cornices, kokoshniks, windows, niches. In the center rises the ninth church with a small cupola in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God. In the 17th century, a bell tower with a hipped dome was built. Considering this dome, there are 10 domes on the temple.

• The northern church was consecrated in the name of Cyprian and Ustina, and later in the name of St. Andrian and Natalia.
• The eastern church is consecrated in the name of the Trinity. The southern church is in the name of Nikola Velikoretsky.
• The Western Church was consecrated in the name of the Entrance to Jerusalem in memory of the return of the troops of Ivan the Terrible to Moscow.
• The northeastern church was consecrated in the name of the Three Patriarchs of Alexandria.
• The southeastern church is in the name of Alexander Svirsky.
• The southwestern church is in the name of Varlaam Khutynsky.
• Northwestern - in the name of Gregory of Armenia.

Eight chapters, built around the central ninth, in plan form a figure consisting of two squares located at an angle of 45 degrees and representing an eight-pointed star. The number 8 symbolizes the day of the Resurrection of Christ, and the eight-pointed star is a symbol of the Most Holy Theotokos. The square means firmness and constancy of faith. Its four sides mean the four cardinal points and the four ends of the cross, the four evangelist apostles. The central temple unites the rest of the churches and symbolizes patronage over all of Russia.

Museum in St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow on Red Square

Now the temple is open as a museum. Its visitors can climb the spiral staircase and admire the iconostases, which contain icons from the 16th-19th centuries, and see the patterns of the inner gallery. The walls are decorated with oil paintings and frescoes from the 16th-19th centuries. The museum presents portrait and landscape painting, as well as church utensils of the 16th-19th centuries. There are opinions that it is necessary to preserve St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow, not just as a monument extraordinary beauty but also as an Orthodox shrine.

St. Basil's Cathedral
	Moscow Red Square
confession	Orthodoxy
	Moscow
building type
Architectural style	Style Ancient Rus'
	Postnik Yakovlev (according to one version)
Founder	Ivan the Terrible
Construction	1555-1560 years
	Chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel of St. Basil the Blessed
	Cultural heritage Russian Federation, object No. 7710342000

Versions about creation

Cathedral at the end of the XVI - XIX centuries.

Restoration

Temple structure

First floor

Second floor

Galleries and porches

Church of Alexander Svirsky

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

Photo

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, also called - 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 Palm Sunday procession to him from the Assumption Cathedral with the "procession on a donkey" of the Patriarch.

Status

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, he is a symbol of Moscow, the Russian Federation. In front of the cathedral since 1931 it has been placed bronze monument Minin and Pozharsky (installed on Red Square in 1818).

Story

Versions about creation

Intercession Cathedral 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 famous Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma, was the architect. According to another, widely known version, Barma and Postnik are two different architects, both involved in the construction, this version is now 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, combining the traditions of both Russian architecture and European architecture of the Renaissance, but this version is still never found any clear documentary evidence.

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

Cathedral at the end of the XVI - XIX centuries.

In 1588, the Church of St. Basil the Blessed was added to the temple, for the device of which arched openings were laid in the northeastern part of the cathedral. Architecturally, the church was an independent temple with a separate entrance.

At the end of the XVI century. figured domes of the cathedral appeared - instead of the original cover, 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 surrounding the upper churches was covered with a vault, and porches decorated with tents were erected over the white stone stairs.

The outer and inner galleries, platforms and parapets of the porches were painted with grass ornaments. These renovations were completed by 1683, and information about them is included in the inscriptions on the ceramic tiles that decorated the facade of the cathedral.

Restoration

Fires, which were frequent in wooden Moscow, greatly harmed the Intercession Cathedral, and therefore, already from the end of the 16th century. it was undergoing renovations. For more than four centuries of history, the monument similar 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 repair work was 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 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 began its museumification. Archpriest John Kuznetsov became the first caretaker. In the post-revolutionary years, the cathedral was in distress. Roofs leaked in many places, windows were shattered, and in winter even inside the churches there was snow. John Kuznetsov single-handedly maintained order in the cathedral.

In 1923, it was decided to create a historical and architectural museum in the cathedral. Its first head was the researcher of the Historical Museum E.I. Silin. On May 21, the museum was opened to visitors. Active collection of funds began.

In 1928, the Pokrovsky Cathedral museum 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 closed only once - during the Great patriotic war. In 1929 it was closed for worship, 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 to restore the cathedral, and on September 7, 1947, on the day of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Moscow, the museum reopened. The cathedral has become widely known 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.

Temple structure

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

1. Protection of the Mother of God (center),
2. Holy Trinity (east),
3. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (zap.),
4. Gregory of Armenia (north-west),
5. Alexander Svirsky (southeast),
6. Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest),
7. John the Merciful (former John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (north-east),
8. Nicholas the Wonderworker Velikoretsky (Southern),
9. Adrian and Natalia (former Cyprian and Justina) (sev.))
10. plus one dome over the bell tower.

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

All these eight churches (four axial, four smaller 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 the 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 aisle 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 - products. Together with a "breathing" building material - brick - they provide a special microclimate of the room at any time of the year.

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

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

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

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

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 Blessed

The lower church was added to the cathedral in 1588 over the burial place of St. Basil the Blessed. A stylized inscription on the wall tells of the construction of this church after the canonization of the saint 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 plates 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 internal passages.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On the upper platform of the 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. This is due to the special role of the church in the complex ideological program of the consecrations of the cathedral.

Church of Alexander Svirsky

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

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

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

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

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

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

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 different large sizes and the solemn nature of the decoration.

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

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

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

In the middle of the icon, the noble prince is represented, 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 trip of the prince to the Khan's headquarters, the Battle of Kulikovo).

Church of St. Gregory of Armenia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Church of Cyprian and Justina

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

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

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

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

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

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

In 1555, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, they brought miraculous icon 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 the fire of 1737. In the second half of the XVIII - early XIX in. a single complex of decorative and visual arts: a carved iconostasis with full ranks of icons and a monumental narrative painting of the walls and vault. The lower tier of the octagon contains the texts of the Nikon Chronicle about bringing the image to Moscow and illustrations for them.

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

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

The interior of the church is complemented by two remote double-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. made with them 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. Feature of the iconostasis - unusual shape low royal doors and three-row icons, forming 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 the Three Patriarchs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

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.

• In St. Petersburg there is a memorial temple, in memory of Alexander II, - the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as Savior on Spilled Blood(completed in 1907). The Intercession Cathedral served as one of the prototypes for the creation of the Savior on Blood, so both buildings 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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