home Zander Intercession Cathedral on the moat (St. Basil's Cathedral). St. Basil's Cathedral is the main miracle of Russian architecture. St. Basil's Cathedral in

Intercession Cathedral on the moat (St. Basil's Cathedral). St. Basil's Cathedral is the main miracle of Russian architecture. St. Basil's Cathedral in

Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral) on Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 55°45′08.88″ n. w. / 37°37′23″ E. d. 55.752467° s. w.55.752467 , 37.623056

37.623056° E. d.(G) (O) (I) Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the Moat, also called

St. Basil's Cathedral

- an Orthodox church located on the Red Square of Kitai-Gorod in Moscow. A widely known monument of Russian architecture. Until the 17th century, it was usually called Trinity, since the original wooden church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity; was also known as “Jerusalem”, which is associated both with the dedication of one of the chapels and with the procession of the cross to it from the Assumption Cathedral on Palm Sunday with the “procession on the donkey” of the Patriarch.

Status

St. Basil's Cathedral Currently, the Intercession Cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum. Included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Russia. The Intercession Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. For many, it is a symbol of Moscow,

Russian Federation

. Since 1931, in front of the cathedral there has been a bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky (installed on Red Square in 1818).

Story

According to legend, the architect(s) of the cathedral were blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible so that they could not build another similar temple. However, if the author of the cathedral is Postnik, then he could not have been blinded, since for several years after the construction of the cathedral he participated in the creation of the Kazan Kremlin.

The cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries.

in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (in honor of his Velikoretskaya icon from Vyatka),
in honor of the torment. 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 Peter's Lent),
Gregory of Armenia (September 30).

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

First floor

Podklet

“Our Lady of the Sign” in the basement

The design 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 - by the spirits. Together with the “breathable” building material - brick - they provide a special indoor microclimate at any time of the year.

Previously, the basement premises were inaccessible to parishioners. The deep niches in it were used as storage. They were closed with doors, the hinges of which have now been preserved.

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

One entered the basement from the upper central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady via an internal white stone staircase. Only the initiated knew about it. Later this narrow passage was blocked. 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. St. Basil's at the end of the 16th century, written specifically for the Intercession Cathedral.

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

Church of St. Basil the Blessed

Canopy over the tomb of St. Basil the Blessed

The temple is cubic in shape, covered with a cross vault and crowned with a small light drum with a dome. The roof of the church is made in the same style as the domes of the upper churches of the cathedral.

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

On the western wall is the temple image of the “Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. In the upper tier there are images of the patron saints of the reigning house: Fyodor Stratelates, John the Baptist, Saint Anastasia, and the Martyr Irene.

On the northern and southern walls there are scenes from the life of St. Basil: “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 design of the architect A.M. Pavlinova. 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” from the 16th century. and the local image of “St. Saint Basil against the backdrop of the Kremlin and Red Square" XVIII century.

Above the burial place of St. St. Basil's Church has an arch 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 - “Our Lady of Vladimir with selected saints of the Moscow circle “Today the most glorious city of Moscow flaunts brightly” (1904)

The floor is covered with Kasli cast iron slabs.

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

Second floor

Galleries and porches

An external bypass gallery runs along the perimeter of the cathedral around all the churches. Initially it was open. In the middle of the 19th century. the glazed gallery became part of the cathedral's interior. Arched entrance openings lead from the external gallery to the platforms between the churches and connect it with internal passages.

The central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady is surrounded by an internal bypass gallery. Its vaults hide the upper parts of the churches. In the second half of the 17th century. the gallery was painted with floral patterns. Later, narrative oil paintings appeared in the cathedral, which were updated several times. Tempera painting is currently unveiled in the gallery. Oil paintings from the 19th century have been preserved on the eastern section of the gallery. - images of saints in combination with floral patterns.

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

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

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

Gallery painting

The vault of the western section of the gallery is covered with a flat brick ceiling. It demonstrates a unique for the 16th century. engineering technique for constructing a floor: 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 area, the floor is laid out with a special “rosette” pattern, and on the walls the original painting has been recreated, imitating brickwork. The size of the drawn bricks corresponds to the real ones.

Two galleries unite the chapels of the cathedral into a single ensemble. Narrow internal passages and wide platforms create the impression of a “city of churches”. After passing through the labyrinth of the internal gallery, you can get to the porch areas of the cathedral. Their vaults are “carpets of flowers,” the intricacies of which fascinate and attract the attention of visitors.

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

Church of Alexander Svirsky

Dome of the Church of Alexander Svirsky

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

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

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

The original appearance of the church interior was restored during restoration work in the 1920s and 1979-1980s: a brick floor with a herringbone pattern, profiled cornices, 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 from the 16th - early 18th centuries are located between the wooden beams (tyablas) close to each other. The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with hanging shrouds, skillfully embroidered by craftswomen. On the velvet shrouds there is a traditional image of the Calvary cross.

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Royal doors of the iconostasis of the Church of Varlaam Khutyn

The southwestern church was consecrated in the name of St. Varlaam of Khutyn.

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 create a passage between the small church and the central one - the Intercession of the Mother of God.

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

The Tyablo iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. and consists of icons from the 16th – 18th centuries. A feature of the church's architecture - the irregular shape of the apse - determined the shift of the Royal Doors to the right.

Of particular interest is the separately hanging icon “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 sexton of the Khutyn monastery of disasters threatening Novgorod: floods, fires, “pestilence”.

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

Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

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

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

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

During the restoration, fragments of architectural decoration from the 16th century were discovered. Their original appearance has been preserved without restoration of damaged parts. No ancient paintings were 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 left by a shell that hit the wall in October 1917.

The current iconostasis was moved in 1770 from the dismantled Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. It is richly decorated with openwork gilded pewter overlays, which add lightness to the four-tier structure. In the middle of the 19th century. The iconostasis was supplemented with wooden carved details. The icons in the bottom row tell the story of the Creation of the world.

The church displays one of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral - the icon “St. Alexander Nevsky in the Life of the 17th century. The icon, unique in its 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 stamps with scenes from the life of the saint (miracles and real historical events: the Battle of the Neva, the prince’s trip to the Khan’s headquarters, the Battle of Kulikovo).

Church of Gregory of Armenia

The northwestern church of the cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Gregory, the enlightener of Great Armenia (died in 335). He converted the king and the entire country to Christianity, and was the bishop of Armenia. His memory is celebrated on September 30 (October 13 n.st.). In 1552, on this day, an important event in the campaign of Tsar Ivan the Terrible took place - the explosion of the Arsk Tower in Kazan.

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

The tyablovy (tyablas are wooden beams with grooves between which icons were attached) iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. It consists of windows from the 16th-17th centuries. The Royal Doors are shifted to the left - due to a 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 investor Ivan Kislinsky to re-consecrate this chapel in honor of his heavenly patron (1788). In the 1920s the church was returned to its former 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 wooden painted candlesticks of an antique shape. In their upper part there is a metal base in which thin candles were placed.

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

Church of Cyprian and Justina

Dome of the Church of Cyprian and Justina

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, which depicts Our Lady of the Burning Bush. In the 1780s. Oil painting appeared in the church. On the walls are scenes of the lives of saints: in the lower tier - Adrian and Natalia, in the upper - Cyprian and Justina. They are complemented by multi-figure compositions on the theme of Gospel parables and scenes from the Old Testament.

The appearance of images of martyrs of the 4th century in painting. Adrian and Natalia is associated with the renaming of the church in 1786. Rich investor 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 was made in the style of classicism. It is a magnificent example of skillful wood carving. The bottom row of the iconostasis depicts scenes of the Creation of the World (days one and four).

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

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky

In 1555, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the miraculous icon was brought in a religious 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 a vault. Its height is 28 m.

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

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

The iconostasis is richly decorated with stucco floral decoration and gilding. The icons in narrow profiled frames are painted in oil. In the local row there is an image of “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the 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 external double-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. They made religious processions around the cathedral.

At the end of the 18th century. The floor of the church was covered with white stone slabs. During 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 paintings of the church were restored with the assistance of the Moscow International Currency Exchange.

Holy Trinity Church

The eastern one is consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is believed that the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of the ancient Trinity Church, after which the entire temple was often named.

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. During the restoration of the 1920s. In this church, the ancient architectural and decorative decoration was most fully restored: half-columns and pilasters framing the entrance arches of the lower part of the octagon, the decorative belt of the arches. In the vault of the dome, a spiral is laid out with small 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 built into the walls - clay vessels designed to amplify sound (resonators). The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the cathedral, made in Russia at the end of the 16th century.

Based on restoration studies, the shape of the original, so-called “tyabla” iconostasis (“tyabla” - 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, forming three canonical orders: prophetic, Deesis and festive.

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

Church of the Three Patriarchs

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

In 1552, on the day of remembrance 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 coming 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 turn 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 mid-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 reconsecrated in memory of the enlightener of Great Armenia.

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

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

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

Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary

Iconostasis

Interior view of the central dome drum

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 17th century. the old belfry had become dilapidated and unusable. In the 1680s. it was replaced by a bell tower, which still stands today.

The base of the bell tower is a massive high quadrangle, on which an octagon with an open platform 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 multi-colored 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 craftsmen of the 17th-19th centuries are suspended on thick wooden beams. In 1990, after a long period of silence, they began to be used again.

Notes

Literature

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

Links

Religious buildings and structures

The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Moat, also called St. Basil's Cathedral, is an Orthodox church located on Red Square in Kitay-Gorod in Moscow. A widely known monument of Russian architecture. Until the 17th century, it was usually called Trinity, since the original wooden church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity; was also known as “Jerusalem”, which is associated both with the dedication of one of the chapels and with the procession of the cross to it from the Assumption Cathedral on Palm Sunday with the “procession on the donkey” of the Patriarch.
Currently, the Intercession Cathedral is a branch of the State Historical Museum. Included in the List of objects World Heritage UNESCO in Russia.
The Intercession Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. For many inhabitants of planet Earth, it is a symbol of Moscow (the same as the Eiffel Tower for Paris). Since 1931, in front of the cathedral there has been a bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky (installed on Red Square in 1818).

St. Basil's Cathedral in a 16th-century engraving.

St. Basil's Cathedral. Photo of the beginning. 20th century

VERSIONS ABOUT CREATION.

The 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 creators of the cathedral.
According to one version, the architect was the famous Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma.
According to another, widely known version, Barma and Postnik are two different architects, both involved in the construction.
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 I never found any clear documentary evidence.
According to legend, the architect(s) of the cathedral were blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible so that they could not build another similar temple. However, if the author of the cathedral is Postnik, then he could not have been blinded, since for several years after the construction of the cathedral he participated in the creation of the Kazan Kremlin.

In 1588, St. Basil's Church was added to the temple, for the construction 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 16th century. figured heads of the cathedral appeared - instead of the original covering, which burned down during the next fire.
In the second half of the 17th century, significant changes took place in the external appearance of the cathedral - the open gallery surrounding the upper churches was covered with a vault, and porches decorated with tents were erected above the white stone stairs.
The external and internal galleries, platforms and parapets of the porches were painted with grass patterns. These renovations were completed by 1683, and information about them was included in the inscriptions on the ceramic tiles that decorated the façade of the cathedral.

Fires, which were frequent in wooden Moscow, greatly damaged the Intercession Cathedral, and therefore, from the end of the 16th century. renovation work was carried out on it. Over the more than four-century history of the monument, such works inevitably changed its appearance in accordance with the aesthetic ideals of each century. In the documents of the cathedral for 1737, the name of the architect Ivan Michurin is mentioned for the first time, under whose leadership work was carried out to restore the architecture and interiors of the cathedral after the so-called “Trinity” fire of 1737. The following comprehensive repair work was carried out in the cathedral by order of Catherine II in 1784 - 1786. They were led by the architect Ivan Yakovlev.

In 1918, the Intercession Cathedral became one of the first cultural monuments taken under state protection as a monument of national and world significance. From that moment on, its museumification began. The first caretaker was Archpriest John Kuznetsov. In the post-revolutionary years, the cathedral was in dire straits. In many places the roof was leaking, windows were broken, and in winter there was even snow inside the churches. Ioann 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 a researcher at the Historical Museum E.I. Silin. On May 21, the museum was opened to visitors. Active collection of funds has begun.
In 1928, the Intercession 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 was closed only once - during the Great Patriotic War. In 1929 it was closed for worship and the bells were removed. 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 became widely known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.
Since 1991, the Intercession Cathedral has been jointly used by the museum and the Russian Orthodox Church. After a long break, services were resumed in the temple.

STRUCTURE OF THE TEMPLE.

Cathedral domes.

There are only 10 domes. Nine domes over the temple (according to the number of thrones):
1.Protection of the Virgin Mary (central),
2.St. Trinity (East),
3. The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (zap.),
4. Gregory of Armenia (northwest),
5. Alexander Svirsky (southeast),
6. Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest),
7.John the Merciful (formerly John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (north-east),
8. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Velikoretsky (south),
9.Adrian and Natalia (formerly Cyprian and Justina) (northern))
10.plus one dome over the bell tower.
In ancient times, St. Basil's Cathedral had 25 domes, representing the Lord and the 24 elders sitting at His throne.

The cathedral consists from eight temples, whose thrones 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),
- Entry into Jerusalem,
- in honor of the martyr. Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of St. Cyprian and Justina - October 2),
- St. John the Merciful (until XVIII - in honor of St. Paul, Alexander and John of Constantinople - November 6),
- Alexander Svirsky (April 17 and August 30),
- Varlaam Khutynsky (November 6 and 1st Friday of Peter’s Lent),
- Gregory of Armenia (September 30).
All these eight churches (four axial, four smaller ones between them) are crowned with onion-shaped domes and are grouped around a towering tower above them. ninth a pillar-shaped church 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 base, a 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 on the site where the cathedral was built. The name of this chapel gave the cathedral a second, everyday name. Adjacent to the chapel of St. Basil's is the chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 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 reconsecrated as the Nativity of the Theotokos). In 1672, the discovery of the relics of St. John the Blessed took place there, and in 1916 it was reconsecrated in the name of Blessed John, the Moscow wonderworker.
A tented bell tower was built in the 1670s.
The cathedral has been restored several times. In the 17th century, asymmetrical extensions were added, tents over the porches, intricate decorative treatment of the domes (originally they were gold), and ornamental paintings outside and inside (originally the cathedral itself was white).
In the main, Intercession, church there is an iconostasis from the Kremlin Church of the Chernigov Wonderworkers, dismantled in 1770, and in the chapel of the Entrance to Jerusalem there is an iconostasis from the Alexander Cathedral, 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.

BEDCLET.

There are no basements in the Intercession Cathedral. Churches and galleries stand on a single foundation - a basement, consisting of several rooms. The 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 design of the northern basement is unique for the 16th century. Its long box vault has no supporting pillars. The walls are cut with narrow openings - vents. Together with the “breathable” building material - brick - they provide a special indoor microclimate at any time of the year.
Previously, the basement premises were inaccessible to parishioners. The deep niches in it were used as storage. They were closed with doors, the hinges of which have now been preserved.
Until 1595, the royal treasury was hidden in the basement. Wealthy townspeople also brought their property here.
One entered the basement from the upper central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady via an internal white stone staircase. Only the initiated knew about it. Later this narrow passage was blocked. 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. St. Basil's at the end of the 16th century, written specifically for the Intercession Cathedral.
Two 17th-century icons are also on display. - “Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos” and “Our Lady of the Sign”.
The icon “Our Lady of the Sign” is a replica of the façade icon located on the eastern wall of the cathedral. Written in the 1780s. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. The icon was located above the entrance to the chapel of St. Basil the Blessed.

CHURCH OF ST. BASILIUS.

The lower church was added to the cathedral in 1588 over the burial place of St. St. Basil's. A stylized inscription on the wall tells about 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 cross vault and crowned with a small light drum with a dome. The roof of the church is made in the same style as the domes of the upper churches of the cathedral.
The oil painting of the church was done for the 350th anniversary of the start of construction of the cathedral (1905). The dome depicts the Savior Almighty, the forefathers are depicted in the drum, the Deesis (Savior Not Made by Hands, the Mother of God, John the Baptist) is depicted in the crosshairs of the vault, and the Evangelists are depicted in the sails of the vault.
On the western wall is the temple image of the “Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. In the upper tier there are images of the patron saints of the reigning house: Fyodor Stratelates, John the Baptist, Saint Anastasia, and the Martyr Irene.
On the northern and southern walls there are scenes from the life of St. Basil: “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 design of the architect A.M. Pavlinova. 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” from the 16th century. and the local image of “St. Saint Basil against the backdrop of the Kremlin and Red Square" XVIII century.
Above the burial place of St. St. Basil's Church is 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 - “Our Lady of Vladimir with selected saints of the Moscow circle “Today the most glorious city of Moscow flaunts brightly” (1904)
The floor is covered with Kasli cast iron slabs.
St. Basil's Church was closed in 1929. Only at the end of the 20th century. its decorative decoration was restored. August 15, 1997, on the day of memory of St. Basil the Blessed, Sunday and holiday services were resumed in the church.

St. Basil's Church. On the right is the canopy over the saint's grave.

Cancer with the relics of St. St. Basil's.

SECOND FLOOR.

GALLERIES AND PORCHES.

An external bypass gallery runs along the perimeter of the cathedral around all the churches. Initially it was open. In the middle of the 19th century. the glass gallery became part of the cathedral's interior. Arched entrance openings lead from the external gallery to the platforms between the churches and connect it with internal passages.
The central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady is surrounded by an internal bypass gallery. Its vaults hide the upper parts of the churches. In the second half of the 17th century. the gallery was painted with floral patterns. Later, narrative oil paintings appeared in the cathedral, which were updated several times. Tempera painting is currently unveiled in the gallery. Oil paintings from the 19th century have been preserved on the eastern section of the gallery. — images of saints in combination with floral patterns.
Carved brick portals-entrances leading to the central church organically complement the decor of the internal 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 pattern bricks, and the shallow decoration is carved on site.
Previously, daylight penetrated into the gallery from windows located above the passages in the walkway. Today it is illuminated by mica lanterns from the 17th century, which were previously used during religious processions. The multi-domed tops of the outrigger lanterns resemble the exquisite silhouette of a cathedral.
The floor of the gallery is made of brick in a herringbone pattern. 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 16th century. engineering technique for constructing a floor: many small bricks are fixed with lime mortar in the form of caissons (squares), the ribs of which are made of figured bricks.
In this area, the floor is laid out with a special “rosette” pattern, and on the walls the original painting has been recreated, imitating brickwork. The size of the drawn bricks corresponds to the real ones.
Two galleries unite the chapels of the cathedral into a single ensemble. Narrow internal passages and wide platforms create the impression of a “city of churches”. After passing through the mysterious labyrinth of the internal gallery, you can get to the porch areas of the cathedral. Their vaults are “carpets of flowers,” the intricacies of which fascinate and attract the attention 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 of Svirsky.
In 1552, on the day of memory of Alexander Svirsky, one of the important battles of the Kazan campaign took place - the defeat of the cavalry of Tsarevich Yapancha on the Arsk field.
This is one of four small churches 15 m high. Its base - a quadrangle - turns into a low octagon and ends with a cylindrical light drum and a vault.
The original appearance of the church interior was restored during restoration work in the 1920s and 1979-1980s: a brick floor with a herringbone pattern, profiled cornices, 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 from the 16th - early 18th centuries are located close to each other between the wooden beams (tyablas). The lower part of the iconostasis is covered with hanging shrouds, skillfully embroidered by craftswomen. On the velvet shrouds there is a traditional image of the Calvary cross.

CHURCH OF BARLAM KHUTYNSKY.

The southwestern church was consecrated in the name of St. Varlaam of Khutyn.
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 create a passage between the small church and the central one - the Intercession of the Mother of God.
The four turns into a low eight. The cylindrical light drum is covered with a vault. The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the cathedral from the 15th century. A century later, Russian craftsmen supplemented the work of the Nuremberg masters with a pommel in the shape of a double-headed eagle.
The Tyablo iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. and consists of icons from the 16th - 18th centuries. A feature of the church’s architecture—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 sexton of the Khutyn monastery of disasters threatening 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 was consecrated in honor of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
One of the four large churches is an octagonal two-tier pillar covered with a vault. The temple is distinguished by its large size and the solemn nature of its decorative decoration.
During the restoration, fragments of the architectural decoration of the 16th century were discovered. Their original appearance has been preserved without restoration of damaged parts. No ancient paintings were 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 left by a shell that hit the wall in October 1917.
The current iconostasis was moved in 1770 from the dismantled Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. It is richly decorated with openwork gilded pewter overlays, which add lightness to the four-tier structure.
In the middle of the 19th century. The iconostasis was supplemented with wooden carved details. The icons in the bottom row tell the story of the Creation of the world.
The church displays one of the shrines of the Intercession Cathedral - the icon “St. Alexander Nevsky in the Life of the 17th century. The icon, unique in its 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 stamps with scenes from the life of the saint (miracles and real historical events: the Battle of the Neva, the prince’s trip to the khan’s headquarters).

CHURCH OF GREGORY OF ARMENIAN.

One of the four small churches of the cathedral (15m high) is a quadrangle, turning into a low octagon. Its base is elongated from north to south with a displacement of the apse. The violation of symmetry is caused by the need to create a passage between this church and the central one - the Intercession of Our Lady. The light drum is covered with a vault.
The architectural decoration of the 16th century has been restored in the church: ancient windows, half-columns, cornices, brick floor laid out in a herringbone pattern. As in the 17th century, the walls are whitewashed, which emphasizes the severity and beauty of the architectural details.
The tyablovy (tyabla are wooden beams with grooves between which icons were attached) iconostasis was reconstructed in the 1920s. It consists of windows from the 16th-17th centuries. The Royal Doors are shifted to the left - due to a 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 investor Ivan Kislinsky to re-consecrate this chapel in honor of his heavenly patron (1788). In the 1920s the church was returned to its former 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 wooden painted candlesticks of an antique shape. In their upper part there is a metal base in which thin candles were placed.
The display case contains items of priestly vestments from the 17th century: a surplice and a phelonion, embroidered with gold threads. The 19th century candilo, decorated with multi-colored enamel, gives the church a special elegance.

CHURCH OF CYPRIAN AND JUSTINE.

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 (15). On this day in 1552, the troops of Tsar Ivan IV took Kazan by storm.
This is one of the four large churches of the Intercession Cathedral. Its height is 20.9 m. The high octagonal pillar is completed with a light drum and a dome, which depicts Our Lady of the Burning Bush. In the 1780s. Oil painting appeared in the church. On the walls are scenes of the lives of saints: in the lower tier - Adrian and Natalia, in the upper - Cyprian and Justina. They are complemented by multi-figure compositions on the theme of Gospel parables and scenes from the Old Testament.
The appearance of images of martyrs of the 4th century in painting. Adrian and Natalia is associated with the renaming of the church in 1786. Rich investor 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 was made in the style of classicism. It is a magnificent example of skillful wood carving. The bottom row of the iconostasis depicts scenes of the Creation of the World (days one and four).
In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activities in the cathedral, the church was returned to its original name. Recently, it appeared before visitors updated: in 2007, the wall paintings and iconostasis were restored with the charitable support of the Russian Railways Joint Stock Company.

CHURCH OF NICHOLAS VELIKORETSKY.

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky.

The southern church was consecrated in the name of the Velikoretsky image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The icon of the saint was found in the city of Khlynov on the Velikaya River and subsequently received the name “Nicholas of Velikoretsky”.
In 1555, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the miraculous icon was brought in a religious 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 a vault. Its height is 28 m.
The ancient interior of the church was badly damaged during the fire of 1737. In the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries. a single complex of decorative and fine arts emerged: a carved iconostasis with full ranks of icons and monumental plot painting of the walls and vault. The lower tier of the octagon presents the texts of the Nikon Chronicle about the bringing of the image to Moscow and illustrations to them.
In the upper tier the Mother of God is depicted on a throne surrounded by prophets, above are the apostles, in the vault is the image of the Savior Almighty.
The iconostasis is richly decorated with stucco floral decoration and gilding. The icons in narrow profiled frames are painted in oil. In the local row there is an image of “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the 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 external double-sided icons depicting St. Nicholas. They made religious processions around the cathedral.
At the end of the 18th century. The floor of the church was covered with white stone slabs. During 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 paintings of the church were restored with the assistance of the Moscow International Currency Exchange.

CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

The Eastern Church was consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity. It is believed that the Intercession Cathedral was built on the site of the ancient Trinity Church, after which the entire temple was often named.
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. During the restoration of the 1920s. In this church, the ancient architectural and decorative decoration was most fully restored: half-columns and pilasters framing the entrance arches of the lower part of the octagon, the decorative belt of the arches. In the vault of the dome, a spiral is laid out with small 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 built into the walls - clay vessels designed to amplify sound (resonators). The church is illuminated by the oldest chandelier in the cathedral, made in Russia at the end of the 16th century.
Based on restoration studies, the shape of the original, so-called “tyabla” iconostasis was established (“tyabla” are wooden beams with grooves between which the icons were fastened close to each other). The peculiarity of the iconostasis is the unusual shape of the low royal doors and three-row icons, forming three canonical orders: prophetic, Deesis and festive.
“The Old Testament Trinity” in the local row of the iconostasis is one of the most ancient and revered icons of the cathedral of the second half of the 16th century.

CHURCH OF THE THREE PATRIARCHES.

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 remembrance 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 coming 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 turn 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 reconsecrated in memory of the enlightener of Great Armenia.
The first tier of the painting is dedicated to the life of St. Gregory of Armenia, in the second tier - the history of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, its bringing to King Abgar in the Asia Minor city of Edessa, as well as scenes from the lives of the Patriarchs of Constantinople.
The five-tier iconostasis combines baroque elements with classical ones. This is the only altar barrier in the cathedral from the mid-19th century. It was made specifically for this church.
In the 1920s, at the beginning of scientific museum activity, the church was returned to its original name. Continuing the traditions of Russian philanthropists, the management 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.

Bell tower of the Intercession Cathedral.

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

By the second half of the 17th century. the old belfry had become dilapidated and unusable. In the 1680s. it was replaced by a bell tower, which still stands today.
The base of the bell tower is a massive high quadrangle, on which an octagon with an open platform 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 multi-colored 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 craftsmen 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.

INTERESTING FACTS.

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

In 1561, one of the most famous churches in Russia was consecrated - the Intercession Cathedral, or, as it is otherwise called, St. Basil's Cathedral. The portal "Culture.RF" remembered Interesting Facts from the history of its creation.

Temple-monument

The Intercession Cathedral is not just a church, but a temple-monument erected in honor of the annexation of the Kazan Khanate to the Russian state. The main battle, in which Russian troops were victorious, took place on the day of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 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 on which the decisive battles for Kazan took place - Trinity, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and others.

A huge construction project in record time

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

Temple in honor of the soothsayer

Although the official name of the cathedral is 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. The holy fool St. Basil the Blessed walked the streets of Moscow barefoot, almost without clothes, almost all year, preaching mercy and help to others. There were also legends about his prophetic gift: they say he predicted the Moscow fire of 1547. The son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ioannovich, 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 was always open - all year round, day and night. Later, by its name, parishioners began to call the cathedral St. Basil's Cathedral.

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

Vitaly Grafov. Moscow wonderworker Blessed Basil. 2005

The royal treasury and lectern at Lobnoye Mesto

The cathedral has no basements. Instead, they built a common foundation - a vaulted basement without supporting pillars. It was ventilated through special narrow openings - vents. Initially, the premises were used as a warehouse - the royal treasury and the valuables of some wealthy Moscow families were kept there. Later, the narrow entrance to the basement was blocked - it was found only during the restoration of the 1930s.

Despite its colossal external dimensions, the Intercession Cathedral is quite small inside. 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 church, especially on major church holidays, very few people could fit inside. Then the lectern was moved to the Place of Execution, 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 the author of the cathedral was a foreign architect. After all, the composition of St. Basil's Cathedral has no analogues in ancient Russian architecture, but prototypes of the building can be found in Western European art.

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 construction anywhere. Another legend says that the foreign builder was executed altogether - for the same reason.

Iconostasis with a turn

The iconostasis for St. Basil's Cathedral was created in 1895 according to the design of the architect Andrei Pavlinov. This is the so-called iconostasis with a turn - 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 from the 16th century and the image of St. Basil, painted in the 18th century.

The temple is also decorated with paintings - they were created on the walls of the building in different years. Here St. Basil and the Mother of God are depicted; the main dome is decorated with the face of the Savior Almighty.

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

“Lazarus, put him in his 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 going to be blown up. Already in Soviet times, Stalin's associate Lazar Kaganovich proposed dismantling the cathedral so that there would be more space on Red Square for parades and demonstrations. He even created a model of the square, and the temple building was easily removed from it. But Stalin, seeing the architectural model, said: “Lazarus, put it in its place!”

For the whole world, the most famous “calling cards” of Russia are the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. The latter also has other names, the most popular of which is the Intercession Cathedral on the Moat.

General information

The cathedral celebrated its 450th anniversary on July 2, 2011. This unique structure was erected on Red Square. The temple, amazing in its beauty, is a whole complex of churches united by a common foundation. Even those who know nothing about Russian architecture will immediately recognize St. Basil's Church. The cathedral has a unique feature - all its colorful domes are different from each other.

In the main (Pokrovskaya) church there is an iconostasis, which was moved from the Kremlin Church of the Chernigov Wonderworkers, destroyed in 1770. In the basement of the Church of the Intercession of Our Lady there are the most valuable ones, the oldest of which is the icon of St. Basil (16th century), painted specifically for this temple. Icons from the 17th century are also on display here: Our Lady of the Sign and the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first copies the image located on the eastern side of the church facade.

History of the temple

St. Basil's Cathedral, the history of whose construction is surrounded by a number of myths and legends, was built by order of the first Tsar of Rus', Ivan the Terrible. It was dedicated to a significant event, namely the victory over the Kazan Khanate. Much to the regret of historians, the names of the architects who created this incomparable masterpiece have not survived to this day. There are many versions as to who worked on the construction of the temple, but it has not been reliably established who created St. Basil's Cathedral. Moscow was the main city of Rus', so the tsar gathered the best craftsmen in the capital. According to one legend, the main architect was Postnik Yakovlev from Pskov, nicknamed Barma. Another version completely contradicts this. Many believe that Barma and Postnik are different masters. Even more confusion arises from the third version, which states that St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow was built according to the design of an Italian architect. But the most popular legend about this temple is the one that talks about the blinding of the architects who created this masterpiece, so that they could not repeat their creation.

origin of name

Amazingly, despite the fact that the main church of this temple was dedicated to the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is known throughout the world as St. Basil's Cathedral. There have always been many holy fools (blessed “God’s people”) in Moscow, but the name of one of them is forever etched in the history of Rus'. Mad Vasily lived on the street and even in winter walked half naked. At the same time, his whole body was entwined with chains, which were iron chains with large crosses. This man was highly respected in Moscow. Even the king himself treated him with unusual reverence. St. Basil the Blessed was revered by the townspeople as a miracle worker. He died in 1552, and in 1588 a church was erected over his grave. It was this building that gave the generally accepted name to this temple.

Almost everyone who visits Moscow knows that the main symbol of Russia is Red Square. St. Basil's Cathedral occupies one of the most honorable places in the whole complex of buildings and monuments located on it. The temple is crowned with 10 magnificent domes. Around the main (main) church, called the Intercession of the Virgin Mary, 8 others are symmetrically located. They are built in the shape of an eight-pointed star. All these churches symbolize the religious holidays that fall on the days of the capture of the Kazan Khanate.

Domes of St. Basil's Cathedral and bell tower

Eight churches are crowned with 8 onion domes. The main (central) building is completed with a “tent”, above which a small “head” rises. The tenth dome was built over the church bell tower. The amazing thing is that they are all completely different from each other in their texture and color.

The modern bell tower of the temple was erected on the site of the old belfry, which completely fell into disrepair in the 17th century. It was erected in 1680. At the base of the bell tower there is a tall, massive quadrangle on which an octagon is erected. It has an open area fenced with 8 pillars. All of them are connected to each other by arched spans. The top of the site is crowned by a high octagonal tent, the ribs of which are decorated with tiles of different colors (white, blue, yellow, brown). Its edges are covered with green figured tiles. At the top of the tent there is a bulbous dome topped with an octagonal cross. Inside the site, bells that were cast back in the 17th-19th centuries hang on wooden beams.

Architectural features

The nine churches of St. Basil's Cathedral are connected to each other by a common base and a bypass gallery. Its peculiarity is its intricate painting, the main motif of which is floral patterns. The unique style of the temple combines the traditions of both European and Russian architecture of the Renaissance. A distinctive feature of the cathedral is the height of the temple (according to the highest dome) is 65 m. The names of the churches of the Cathedral: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Trinity, Martyrs Adrian and Natalia, Entrance to Jerusalem, Varlaam of Khutyn, Alexander of Svir, Gregory of Armenia, Intercession of the Mother of God.

Another feature of the temple is that it does not have a basement. It has extremely strong basement walls (they reach a thickness of 3 m). The height of each room is approximately 6.5 m. The entire structure of the northern part of the temple is unique, since the long box vault of the basement does not have any supporting pillars. The walls of the building are “cut through” by so-called “vents”, which are narrow openings. They provide a special microclimate in the church. For many years, the basement premises were not accessible to parishioners. Hiding niches were used as storage and were closed with doors, the presence of which is now evidenced only by hinges preserved on the walls. It is believed that until the end of the 16th century. The royal treasury was kept in them.

Gradual transformation of the Cathedral

Only at the end of the 16th century. Figured domes appeared above the temple, replacing the original ceiling, which burned down in another fire. This Orthodox cathedral was built until the 17th century. was called Trinity, since the very first wooden church that was located on this site was built in honor of the Holy Trinity. Initially, this structure had a more austere and restrained appearance, since it was built of stone and brick. Only in the 17th century. all domes were decorated with ceramic tiles. At the same time, asymmetrical buildings were added to the temple. Then tents appeared over the porches and intricate paintings on the walls and ceiling. During the same period, elegant paintings appeared on the walls and ceiling. In 1931, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky was erected in front of the temple. Today, St. Basil's Cathedral is under the joint jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Historical Museum, the structure is cultural heritage Russia. The beauty and uniqueness of this temple was appreciated and throughout St. Basil's in Moscow is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The significance of the Intercession Cathedral in the USSR

Despite the persecution of the Soviet regime in relation to religion and the destruction of a huge number of churches, St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow was taken under state protection back in 1918 as a cultural monument of world significance. It was at this time that all efforts of the authorities were aimed at creating a museum in it. The first caretaker of the temple was Archpriest John Kuznetsov. It was he who practically independently took care of the renovation of the building, although its condition was simply terrible. In 1923, the historical and architectural museum “Pokrovsky Cathedral” was located in the Cathedral. Already in 1928 it became one of the branches of the State Historical Museum. In 1929, all the bells were removed from it, and worship services were prohibited. Despite the fact that the temple has been constantly being restored for almost a hundred years, its exhibition was closed only once - during the Great Patriotic War.

Intercession Cathedral in 1991-2014.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, St. Basil's Cathedral came into joint use with the Russian Orthodox Church and the State Historical Museum. From August 15, 1997, holiday and Sunday services were resumed in the church. Since 2011, previously inaccessible aisles have been open to the public and housed new exhibitions.

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St. Basil's Cathedral occupies a special place not only among the masterpieces of world architecture, but also in the consciousness of any Russian person. This church on Red Square is the personification of the beauty of the Russian soul, its bottomless inner spiritual world, the innermost desire to find heaven and bliss, both on earth and in heaven. St. Basil's Cathedral is unconditionally recognized by all of us as one of the symbols of Russia and as one of its significant spiritual foundations. Architectural ensemble Red Square is now simply unthinkable without this heavenly beauty embodied in stone. It’s scary to think, but according to one of the legends, the famous Lazar Kaganovich once suggested that Stalin demolish St. Basil’s Cathedral, effectively snatching it from the model of the reconstruction of Red Square, which was presented to the leader of the people for consideration. Lazarus! “Give us a place,” Stalin said briefly then...

St. Basil's Cathedral impresses you so much, it remains in your consciousness for a long time and continues to live in it for a long time, feeding the soul with the sensual immaterial energy of this earthly miracle. Being next to the temple, you can endlessly admire its unique living image, playing with all the facets of sublime and exquisite beauty from any angle. Many essays have been written about this temple, countless scientific studies have been conducted and, of course, countless materials from independent researchers and simply lovers of Russian architecture and antiquity have been posted online.

I wanted to present to my reader about the Church of the Intercession on the Moat something different from the works of other authors, which, of course, in this context, is a difficult and, in many ways, impossible task. However, I will still try) As usual, there will be many of my photographs of this temple, from its most varied angles, in different time year - with the aim of revealing both the external sensual image of the cathedral and showing its amazing internal spaces, without seeing which it is impossible to absorb all this Beauty entirely. As it turned out, while I was in the temple itself, I managed, as often happens to me, to miss some views and details of its rich interior when photographing, which, as usual, becomes clear when preparing specific material. Of course, these shortcomings will be filled in by me here as appropriate visual source material becomes available.

I am extremely interested in the period of construction of tented churches in Rus' and St. Basil's Cathedral occupies, among the miraculously surviving tented churches, its own special unique place, because the central architectural dominant of this masterpiece is the sublime tented church of the Intercession of the Virgin. This article will be one of several in a series of my future review articles about the period of tent construction in Rus'.

In the first part, according to tradition, we will try to absorb the wonderful and unique image of St. Basil's Cathedral, learn about its amazing and mysterious history, the spiritual basis of the history of its creation, about architectural features, and in the second and third parts we will examine and explore the church from the inside , because the main thing is a complex sensory impression, and it is precisely what we endure for ourselves and what remains, as a result, with us for a long time, or even forever.

I do not have an architectural education and I do not consider myself independent expert in this area, but the sphere of art and creativity in the field of Orthodox architecture greatly inspires and interests me. Therefore, when talking about the architectural features of the cathedral, third-party sources will be used - as they say - we will not reinvent the wheel where it has already been invented a long time ago and everything is professionally and meticulously described and explained in detail. So, I will not try to be original in this sense. To separate an academic text about the history and architecture of the cathedral, I will highlight my impressions and considerations in italics.
02.

So, the 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, which happened precisely on the day of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos - in early October 1552. There are several versions about the creators of the cathedral. According to one version, the architect was the famous Pskov master Postnik Yakovlev, nicknamed Barma.
03.

According to another, widely known version, Barma and Postnik are two different architects, both involved in the construction. But 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 I never found any clear documentary evidence.
04.

We have a more emotional detailed report, so I allowed myself to add to my story the warm feeling of the flower beds laid out on Red Square last summer...)
05.

According to Moscow legends, the architects of the cathedral (Barma and Postnik) were blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible so that they could no longer build a second temple of similar beauty. However, if the author of the cathedral is Postnik, then he could not have been blinded, since for several years after the construction of the cathedral he participated in the creation of the Kazan Kremlin.
06.

The temple itself symbolizes Heavenly Jerusalem, but the meaning of the color scheme of the domes remains an unsolved mystery to this day. Even in the last century, the writer Chaev suggested that the color of the domes of the temple can be explained by the dream of Blessed Andrew the Fool (of Constantinople), a holy ascetic with whom, according to Church Tradition, the Feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God is associated. He dreamed of Heavenly Jerusalem, and there “there were many gardens, in them there were tall trees, swaying with their tops... Some of the trees bloomed, others were decorated with golden foliage, others had various fruits of indescribable beauty.”
07.

Initially, the cathedral was painted to resemble brick. Later it was repainted; researchers discovered the remains of drawings depicting false windows and kokoshniks, as well as memorial inscriptions made with paint.
08.

In 1588, St. Basil's Church was added to the temple, for the construction 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 16th century, figurative domes of the cathedral appeared - to replace the original covering, which burned down during another 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 above the white stone stairs.
09.

The external and internal galleries, platforms and parapets of the porches were painted with grass patterns. These renovations were completed by 1683, and information about them was included in the inscriptions on the ceramic tiles that decorated the façade of the cathedral.
10.

Architecture of St. Basil's Cathedral

No matter how complex the design of the temple may seem, it is actually very logical. In the center of the composition is the main tent-roofed Church of the Intercession, around which are placed eight other pillar-shaped churches with domed tops. In plan, the cathedral forms an eight-pointed star. Large churches are located at the corners of the diamond. A rhombus inscribed in a square is the structure of the temple. The eight-pointed star in Christian symbolism carries a deep meaning - it symbolizes the entire Christian church, which is a guiding star in a person’s life to Heavenly Jerusalem.
11.

Another aspect to consider architectural features the temple as a whole can be reduced to a simple consideration of its architectural forms. All elements of the complex, including the central one, the Intercession Cathedral itself, and large and small churches correspond to different types of church architecture. But their interaction is based on several compositional elements. This is a combination of an octagon on a quadrangle, or two octagons of different diameters. The central part is two octagons on a quadrangle, crowned by a tent structure. Two octagons topped with a dome - this is how one can describe the architecture of large churches. Small churches - an octagon on a quadrangle, topped with a dome over a round drum. Although the lower part of small churches, their quadrangles, is very difficult to see, they are hidden behind the external decor - kokoshniks.
13.

Along the entire perimeter of the temple is decorated with kokoshniks, they are located in different ways, different sizes, but they perform one function - they smooth out the transition from fours to eights. The cathedral was built on the principle of increasing height - the central tent is twice as high as large churches, large churches are twice as high as small ones.
14.

Another feature of the temple makes it completely different from others - the lack of symmetry in the decor and size of large and small churches. But the whole cathedral leaves an impression of composure and balance. Whoever was the author of the cathedral, his idea - the realization of both political and religious meaning - was impeccably embodied in its architectural forms. Similarity and difference, unification and separation - the combination of these mutually exclusive elements became the main theme in the architecture of the cathedral and the fundamental idea of its design.
15.

The height of the temple is 65 meters. The cathedral consists of churches, 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).

Entry into Jerusalem.

In honor of the martyrs Adrian and Natalia (originally - in honor of the holy martyrs Cyprian and Justina - October 2).

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

All these eight churches (four axial, four smaller ones between them) are crowned with onion domes and grouped around the ninth pillar-shaped church rising 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 base, a bypass (originally open) gallery and internal vaulted passages.
17.

In 1588, a tenth chapel was added to the cathedral from the northeast, consecrated in honor of St. Basil the Blessed (1469-1552), whose relics were located on the site where the cathedral was built. The name of this chapel gave the cathedral a second, everyday name. Adjacent to the chapel of St. Basil's is the chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which Blessed John of Moscow was buried in 1589 (at first the chapel was consecrated in honor of the Placing of the Robe, but in 1680 it was reconsecrated as the Nativity of the Theotokos). In 1672, the discovery of the relics of St. John the Blessed took place there, and in 1916 it was reconsecrated in the name of Blessed John, the Moscow wonderworker.
19.

A tented bell tower was built in the 1670s.
21.

There are only eleven domes, of which nine are above the temple (according to the number of thrones):

Intercession of the Virgin Mary (center),

Holy Trinity (east),

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (west),

Gregory of Armenia (northwest),

Alexander Svirsky (southeast),

Varlaam Khutynsky (southwest),

John the Merciful (formerly John, Paul and Alexander of Constantinople) (northeast),

Nicholas the Wonderworker of Velikoretsky (south),

Adrian and Natalia (formerly Cyprian and Justina) (north).

Two more domes are located above St. Basil's chapel and above the bell tower.
22.

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

FIRST LEVEL

Podklet (1st floor)

There are no basement spaces in the Intercession Cathedral. Churches and galleries are built on a single foundation - a basement, consisting of several rooms. The strong brick walls of the basement (up to 3 m thick) are covered with vaults. The height of these rooms is about 6.5 m.

On the plan of the first level, the rooms in the basement are indicated in black. In color - the churches of the second level of the cathedral.
23.

The design of the northern basement is unique for the 16th century. Its long box vault has no supporting pillars. The walls are cut through with narrow openings - vents. Together with the “breathable” building material - brick - they provide a special indoor microclimate at any time of the year.
24.

Previously, the basement premises were inaccessible to parishioners. The deep niches in it were used as storage. They were closed with doors, the hinges of which have now been preserved. Until 1595, the royal treasury was hidden in the basement. Wealthy townspeople also brought their property here.

One entered the basement from the upper central Church of the Intercession of Our Lady via an internal white stone staircase. Only particularly trusted persons knew about her. Later this narrow passage was blocked. However, during the restoration process of the 1930s. a secret staircase has been discovered. We'll see her again.
25.

In the basement there are icons of the Intercession Cathedral. The oldest of them is the icon of St. St. Basil's at the end of the 16th century, written specifically for the Intercession Cathedral. Also on display are two 17th-century icons. - “Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos” and “Our Lady of the Sign”. The icon “Our Lady of the Sign” is a replica of the façade icon located on the eastern wall of the cathedral. Written in the 1780s. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. The icon was located 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 of St. Basil in the church cemetery. A stylized inscription on the wall tells about 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 cross vault and crowned with a small light drum with a dome. The roof of the church is made in the same style as the domes of the upper churches of the cathedral.

We can see the quadrangle of this church and the lowest level dome, green with crimson spikes, and, in fact, its chapels in the foreground in the photo below.
27.

Access to St. Basil's Cathedral itself begins precisely from St. Basil's Cathedral, which is located on the first level, unlike all the other churches of the cathedral...
There are a lot of people here on holidays, as you can see.
29.

Sacristy

In 1680, another church in the name of St. Theodosius the Virgin was added to the cathedral above St. Basil's Church. It was two-story (on the basement). The top was made in the form of an octagon with a head on a narrow drum.

Already in 1783, the octagon was dismantled and the church was turned into a sacristy (storage for vestments and liturgical utensils) at the Church of St. Basil the Blessed. Hilferding's painting, painted in 1770, is the only image of the Church of St. Theodosius the Virgin before its reconstruction. Currently, the sacristy has partially retained its purpose: it hosts exhibitions of things from the cathedral’s funds, that is, the very things that were once stored there.

A tour of the exhibition of St. Basil's Cathedral begins with the entrance through the small northern porch into the building of the former cathedral sacristy (on the left - in the photo below).
30.

But this photo was taken just from the entrance to the Museum of St. Basil's Cathedral.
31.

We will get to the museum later, but for now I suggest you carefully examine St. Basil’s Cathedral in detail and from different angles.

SECOND LEVEL

Galleries and porches

An external bypass gallery runs along the perimeter of the cathedral around all the churches. Initially it was open. In the mid-19th century, a glass gallery became part of the cathedral's interior. Arched entrance openings lead from the external gallery to the platforms between the churches and connect it with internal passages.
32.

This is a large northern porch - through it the exit of tourists visiting the museum and churches of the cathedral is already carried out.
33.

Actually, these are the views you can take from him...
35.

This is the western side of the cathedral. Now we will go around it counterclockwise. Some of the photos you see were taken intentionally with high geometric distortions in order to capture, if possible, the entire façade of the cathedral.
38.

Now we are on the south side of St. Basil's Cathedral. The area in front of the cathedral is quite spacious. Relatively recently, this place hosted archaeological excavations. Their results can be seen right there - stone cannonballs and ancient cannons were found...

Intercession Cathedral on the moat (St. Basil's Cathedral). St. Basil's Cathedral is the main miracle of Russian architecture. St. Basil's Cathedral in

St. Basil's Cathedral

Russian Federation

. Since 1931, in front of the cathedral there has been a bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky (installed on Red Square in 1818).

The cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries.

First floor

Podklet

Church of St. Basil the Blessed

Second floor

Galleries and porches

Church of Alexander Svirsky

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

Church of Gregory of Armenia

Church of Cyprian and Justina

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

Holy Trinity Church

Church of the Three Patriarchs

Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary

Bell tower

see also

Notes

Literature

Links

Temple-monument

A huge construction project in record time

Temple in honor of the soothsayer

The royal treasury and lectern at Lobnoye Mesto

Russian architect or European master

Iconostasis with a turn

“Lazarus, put him in his place!”

General information

History of the temple

origin of name

Domes of St. Basil's Cathedral and bell tower

Architectural features

Gradual transformation of the Cathedral

The significance of the Intercession Cathedral in the USSR

Intercession Cathedral in 1991-2014.

We recommend other articles

Intercession Cathedral on the moat (St. Basil's Cathedral). St. Basil's Cathedral is the main miracle of Russian architecture. St. Basil's Cathedral in

St. Basil's Cathedral

Russian Federation

. Since 1931, in front of the cathedral there has been a bronze Monument to Minin and Pozharsky (installed on Red Square in 1818).

The cathedral at the end of the 16th - 19th centuries.

First floor

Podklet

Church of St. Basil the Blessed

Second floor

Galleries and porches

Church of Alexander Svirsky

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky

Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

Church of Gregory of Armenia

Church of Cyprian and Justina

Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

Holy Trinity Church

Church of the Three Patriarchs

Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary

Bell tower

see also

Notes

Literature

Links

Temple-monument

A huge construction project in record time

Temple in honor of the soothsayer

The royal treasury and lectern at Lobnoye Mesto

Russian architect or European master

Iconostasis with a turn

“Lazarus, put him in his place!”

General information

History of the temple

origin of name

Domes of St. Basil's Cathedral and bell tower

Architectural features

Gradual transformation of the Cathedral

The significance of the Intercession Cathedral in the USSR

Intercession Cathedral in 1991-2014.

We recommend other articles

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