Cathedrals and Churches in Moscow's Kremlin

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Cathedrals and Churches in Moscow's Kremlin

Nasedkina E.A.

Vladimir State University

Vladimir, Russia

Kremlin Dormition Cathedral Early history

Archaeological investigations in 1968 indicated that the site of the present Cathedral was a medieval burial ground, supporting hypothesis that a wooden church existed on the site in the 12th century. This was replaced by a limestone structure built around 1326, which is mentioned in historical records.

In the 14th century, Metropolitan Peter persuaded Ivan I (Ivan Kalita) that he should build a cathedral to the Theotokos (Blessed Virgin Mary) in Moscow like the Cathedral of the Dormition in the capital city Vladimir. Construction of the cathedral began on August 4, 1326, and the cathedral was finished and consecrated on August 4, 1327. At that time Moscow became the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal' principality, and later of all Kievan Rus.

By the end of the 15th century the old cathedral had become dilapidated, and in 1472 the Moscow architects Kryvtsov and Myshkin began construction of a new cathedral. Two years later, in May 1474, the building was nearing completion when it suddenly collapsed as the drum of main cupola was being placed.

Present structure kremlin cathedral church architecture

Following the disaster, Ivan III then invited Aristotele Fioravanti, a celebrated architect and engineer from Bologna, Italy, to come to Moscow and entrusted him with the task of designing the cathedral from scratch in the traditions of Russian architecture. The Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was once again taken as a model for the building, and so Fioravanti travelled to Vladimir in order to study Russian methods of building. He designed a light and spacious masterpiece that combined the spirit of the Renaissance with Russian traditions. The foundation for the new cathedral was laid in 1475, and in 1479 the new cathedral was consecrated by Metropolitan Geronty. The interior was painted with frescoes and adorned with many icons, including the Theotokos of Vladimir and Blachernitissa.

The design of the new church, with its five domes (symbolic of Jesus Christ and the Four Evangelists) proved immensely popular, and was taken as a template for numerous other churches throughout Russia.

In 1547 the coronation of the first Russian Tsar, Ivan the Terrible, took place in this cathedral. From 1721 it was the scene of the coronation of the Russian emperors.

The ritual installation of metropolitans and patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church also took place in this cathedral, and their tombs are to be found here.

The cathedral suffered from many disasters in its history, including fires in 1518, 1547, 1682 and 1737,and looting under the armies of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Time of Troubles in 1612. During the French occupation of Russia, it was looted and used as a horse stable.

It was thoroughly restored in 1894-1895 and from 1910-1918. On November 21, 1917 the cathedral was the setting for the installation of Tikhon (Belavin), the

Metropolitan of Moscow, as the first patriarch of the restored Patriarchate of Moscow. However, following the 1917 Russian Revolution, the new Bolshevik government closed all churches in the Moscow Kremlin, and converted the cathedral into a museum. By special permission from Vladimir Lenin, the last Pascha (Easter service) was held in 1918. The final moments of this Paschal service was the subject of an unfinished painting by Pavel Korin entitled Farewell to Rus. Most of the church treasures were transferred to the Kremlin Armory, or were sold overseas.

There is a legend that in the winter of 1941, when the Nazi Germany had already reached the threshold of Moscow, Joseph Stalin secretly ordered a service to be held in the Dormition Cathedral to pray for the country's salvation from the invading Germans.

In 1990 the Dormition Cathedral was returned to the church for periodic religious services, only a few years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was restored to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1991.

Architecture

Dormition Cathedral is a tremendous 6 pillared building with 5 apses and 5 domes. It was modeled after the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, in that it made extensive use of limestone masonry on a high limestone base, and was laid out as a three nave church with a vaulted cross-dome. It is built of well-trimmed white-stone blocks. However, Fioravanti did not use cantilever vaults as was common in Russian architecture, but introduced groin vaults and transverse arches. For the upper portion of the building, he used specially-made bricks, larger than the standard Russian size, which reduced weight and allowed for more slender arch supports. Thus, the easternmost pair of columns in front of the apses are typically Russian in the use of massive rectangular open piers, whereas the remaining four are simpler Corinthian columns. The slim shape of these columns contributes significantly to the light, spacious effect of the interior.

Inside, the church decoration is dominated by its fresco painting. The huge iconostasis dates from 1547, but its two highest tiers are later additions from 1626 and 1653/1654 under Patriarch Nikon. It addition to its liturgical function, the iconostasis also served as a sort of trophy wall, in that Russian Tsars would add the most important icons from cities they had conquered to its collection. One of the oldest, icons with the bust of Saint George dates from the 12th century and was transferred to Moscow by Tsar Ivan IV on the conquest of the city of Veliky Novgorod in 1561.

However, one of the most important cult images of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Theotokos of Vladimir kept at the Cathedral from 1395-1919 is now at the Tretyakov Gallery. Near the south entrance to the Cathedral is the Monomach Throne of Ivan IV (1551).

The Cathedral of the Assumption

The Cathedral of the Assumption in Moscow Kremlin The Cathedral of the Assumption is the oldest church in the Kremlin and also the most important: the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church was transferred here from Vladimir in 1326, making it the centre of the state of Muscovy, and Muscovy the most powerful of the Russian principalities. Here Russian emperors were crowned, and before them tsars and Grand Dukes. Patriarchs (the highest rank of clergy), metropolitans (the church leaders of large metropolitan districts), and bishops were also consecrated here. In an age when state power and religion were barely separable, it was also a centre of state ritual - a place where governmental decrees were read and official state services were held. Inside the cathedral, the Patriarch's Seat and the Throne of Monomakh - carved in 1551 for Ivan the Terrible - mark the physical presences of the two sides of this historic alliance.

The original cathedral was built during the reign of Ivan Kalita, whose strategic marriage to the daughter of the Tartar Khan brought Moscow to prominence. Chapels grew up around the small church and, in 1472, Ivan III, who was in the process of reconstructing the Kremlin to reflect the power of his new Russian state, the 'Third Rome', had a new building erected. Pskov craftsmen Krivtsov and Mishkin, who went on to build the Cathedral of the Annunciation, began the project, but in 1474 disaster struck: the unfinished building unexpectedly collapsed due to a freak earthquake. The ruins lay in the Kremlin for almost a year, before Bolognese architect, Aristotle Fioravanti was charged with completing the building. He studied the architectural traditions of Novgorod, Suzdal and Vladimir, and set to work. The speed of construction of the cathedral startled observers, and the feat was chronicled in meticulous detail. The church was consecrated in 1479 by Metropolitan Geronty and became one of the most influential architectural works in Russian church history.

The building is simple and austere - a vaulted limestone block topped by five golden cupolas. The gabled frescoes on the east and west faces were added in the 1660s, and otherwise the exterior has remained almost unchanged to this day.

Inside, the iconostasis of the cathedral dates mainly from 1652, but with several older icons within it, including two attributed to the master Dionysius, the most famous and talented painter of his day. A Russian Orthodox iconostasis consists of tiers of icons showing different saints and feast days relevant to the church in which the iconostasis resides. The first, lowest rank features local icons, including the icon to which the cathedral is dedicated. In the Assumption Cathedral the local tier was a symbol of the unity of the new Russian state and comprised icons brought from all the principalities that had been united under Moscow. Behind the iconostasis is a stone altar screen with unrestored frescoes representing early holy men. Some of these frescoes are also attributed to Dionysus.

Most of the frescoes in the Cathedral of the Assumption date back to the 17th century. Under a special edict from Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov, issued in 1642, about a hundred and fifty artists were brought to Moscow from various towns to decorate the cathedral. Icon painters Ivan and Boris Paisein, and Sidor Pospeyev, led the team. It is their paintings that we see now, although many are missing.

Throughout the ages, the cathedral has suffered along with the people of Russia. Napoleon's troops stabled their horses here during his Russian campaign, and, in 1918, the Cathedral was damaged as Whites and Bolsheviks exchanged fire. The last liturgy was held on Easter in 1918 by Patriarch Tikhon, after which the Cathedral was closed and its treasures requisitioned by the Bolsheviks. However, according to rumours, when the Nazi troops arrived on the outskirts of Moscow in 1941, Stalin secretly allowed a service to be performed here to save the nation from deadly peril.

The cathedral was reopened to the public in 1990.

History of Cathedral of the Assumption

In the 14th century, Metropolitan Peter persuaded Ivan I (Ivan Kalita) that he should build a cathedral to the Holy Virgin in Moscow like the Cathedral of the Assumption in the capital city Vladimir. Construction of the cathedral began on August 4, 1326. In the following year, Moscow became the capital of the VladimirSuzdal' principality, and later of all Rus.

By the end of the 15th century the old cathedral had become dilapidated, and in 1472 the Pskov architects Kryvtsov and Myshkin began construction of a new cathedral. Two years later, the building was nearing completion when it suddenly collapsed because of an earthquake -- an extremely rare event in Moscow.

Ivan III then invited Aristotele Fioravanti, a celebrated architect and engineer from Bologna, Italy, to come to Moscow and entrusted him with the task of building the cathedral from scratch in the traditions of Russian architecture. The cathedral in Vladimir was once again taken as a model for the building, and so Fioravanti travelled to Vladimir in order to study Russian methods of building. He designed a light and spacious masterpiece that combined the spirit of the Renaissance with Russian traditions.

The foundation for the new cathedral was laid in 1475, and in 1479 the new cathedral was consecrated by Metropolitan Geronty. The interior was painted with frescoes and adorned with many holy images, including Our Lady of Vladimir and the Blachernitissa.

In 1547 the coronation of the first Russian Tsar, Ivan the Terrible, took place in this cathedral, while from 1721 it was the scene of the coronation of the Russian emperors. The ritual installation of metropolitans and patriarchs of the Orthodox Church also took place in this cathedral, and their tombs are also to be found here. The patriarchate was abolished by Peter the Great and only restored after February Revolution of 1917.

On November 21, 1917 the cathedral was the setting for the installation of Tikhon (Belavin), the Moscow metropolitan, as patriarch. Subsequently he was canonized. After the transfer of the Bolshevik government to Moscow services in the Kremlin cathedrals were prohibited. It was only with Lenin's special permission that the final Easter service was held in 1918. The final moments of this Easter service was the subject of an unfinished painting by Pavel Korin entitled Farewell to Rus.

According to legend, in the winter of 1941, when the Nazis had reached the threshold of Moscow, Joseph Stalin secretly ordered a service to be held in the Assumption Cathedral to pray for the country's salvation from the invading Germans. In 1990 the Assumption Cathedral was returned to the Church, although a museum still operates within it.

Cathedral of the Annunciation History

The Cathedral of the Annunciation was built by architects from Pskov in 14841489 as part of Grand Duke Ivan III's plans for a large-scale renovation of the Moscow Kremlin. It was built on the spot of an older 14th-century cathedral of the same name, which had been rebuilt in 1416. This older cathedral in turn had replaced a previous wooden church from the 13th century that had fallen victim to the frequent fires in the Kremlin.

Construction work began using the existing foundations in 1484, and was completed in August 1489. A number of the early 15th-century icons were re-used in the new building. Due to its proximity to the palace, the church was chosen by Ivan III to be his personal chapel, and a staircase connecting the church directly to his personal chambers in the palace was constructed. Initially, today's Annunciation Cathedral had just three domes. After being badly damaged in a fire again in 1547, the then Grand Duke and (the first Russian Tsar) Ivan the Terrible began a restoration of the church, which was completed in 1564. Two additional domes were added on the western side. The building was surrounded by parvises from three sides, and four single-cupola side chapels were built over the arched parvises, each with a dome, so that the cathedral is now a total of nine domes. In 1572, the cathedral received an additional staircase on its south facade, later called "Grosnenski"), named after Ivan the Terrible (Russian for "Ivan Grozny").

Many of the church treasures were lost during the occupation of Moscow by the armies of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1612 at the close of the Time of Troubles. It was also damaged by the great Kremlin fire of 1737. During the French occupation of Moscow in 1812, the cathedral was used as a barracks and was mostly robbed. It was restored in 1815-1820. During the 1917 Russian Revolution, the cathedral was damaged during the fighting. Afterwards, it was closed by the Bolshevik regime. During the 1950s, along with the other surviving churches in the Moscow Kremlin, was preserved as a museum. After 1992, occasional religious services resumed, including a service on the Feast of the Annunciation, conducted by the Patriarch of Moscow. The church building underwent a restoration in 2009.

From the time of Ivan the Terrible's coronation as Tsar, the members of the royal family worshiped at the Annunciation Cathedral, got married and baptized their children there. Even after the relocation of the capital to St. Petersburg, the Annunciation Cathedral remained one of the most important churches in Russia.

Architecture

Compared with the other two major Kremlin cathedrals, the Annunciation Cathedral has slightly smaller dimensions. It is also built in a more traditional style, as it was created by local architects from Pskov, rather than Italian expatriate architects. The most characteristic feature of the building is its nine golden domes, and roof with rich kokoshnik ornamentation in an ogive form.

The Cathedral was built of brick, with facades of white limestone that are dressed and decorated. There are entrances to the cathedral on the eastern and the southern side of the building, with fretwork influenced by Italian Renaissance architecture. The bronze doors are decorated with gold foil. Tourists enter the cathedral via the eastern staircase, while the southern staircase is the one added in 1570 by Ivan the Terrible. The relatively high entrance is due to the fact that the building was built on the raised base of its predecessor.

The interior of the cathedral consists of the central prayer area and several surrounding galleries, with the additions of side altars in the 16th century. The northern (facing towards the Palace of Facets) is the first gallery space, which is entered through the visitor entrance. This contains a famous Image of Edessa icon, attributed to the famous Russian icon painter, Simon Ushakov. The gallery is separated by a doorway from the main room, created in the 16th century by Italian architects using a striking azure blue color with gilt floral ornaments. The door wings are decorated with figures of ancient poets and philosophers (including Diogenes, Euripides, Plato and Homer).

The main vault of the cathedral has a large iconostasis, which includes icons of the 14th to 17th centuries, including the ones painted by Andrei Rublev, Theophanes the Greek and Prokhor, and 19th century, as well, particular on the middle tiers. The fifth (lowest) row is pieced by a silver door, behind which is the old staircase to the Tsar's personal chambers.

Throughout the interior, fragments of murals, painted by Theodosius (1508) and others (second half of the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries). These include various biblical themes, heroic figures among other Russian princes and grand dukes.

Also striking is the altar area of the floor, consisting of sheets of agate yellowred jasper, which was brought from a cathedral in Rostov Velikiy in the 16th century and which may have originally come from Constantinople.

Behind the altar (where once the sacristy was located) a large silver reliquary containing the remains are of about 50 saints from different places in the Middle East was discovered in 1894.

The Cathedral of the Annunciation

The Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow Kremlin On the crest of Borovitsky Hill, at the south end of Sobornaya Ploshad (Cathedral Square), stands the Cathedral of the Annunciation.

The first church was built on this spot as early as 1397 by order of Grand Duke Vassily I. The present building dates from 1484, when Ivan III (the Great), the great Muscovite empire-builder, ordered a new cathedral on the site. It was completed in 1489 by Krivtsov and Mishkin, masons from Pskov, who blended Greek and Russian styles in their design.

Generations of princes and tsars added to and altered the Cathedral. Ivan IV (the Terrible) had the cathedral rebuilt in the 16th century and added four small side chapels, each with a single dome, while two more domes were added at the rear of the building and all nine domes were gilded. The Tsar was put under church penance when he married for the fourth time (three was the maximum the church would tolerate), and not allowed inside. This led to the construction of a new porch for him to stand under during services.

The cathedral is famous for its magnificent iconostasis, shielding the sacred part of the church from view. Icons by various artists from the 14th to 19th centuries make up the screen. Icons on the diesis (prayer) tier are ascribed to the legendary Russian Painter Andrei Rublev, the greatest of the Russian icon-painters (whose work can also be seen in the State Tretyakov Gallery) and Theosofanus the Greek, possibly Rublev's mentor, with whom he frequently collaborated.

The Cathedral of the Annunciation was originally built as the domestic church of the Grand Dukes and tsars and was connected (along with the Cathedral of the Archangel) by passages to the private quarters of the royal family. The cathedral was used to celebrate name-days, weddings, baptisms and so forth. The Cathedral of the Annunciation was badly damaged during the Revolution, when the Kremlin came under attack from artillery fire. In 1918, the cathedral was closed as a place of worship and now it operates officially as a museum.

Kremlin: Cathedral of Annunciation

The Cathedral of Annunciation, masterpiece of old Russian architecture, stands on the crest of Borovitsky Hill, in South part of Cathedral Square. It is originally built as the domestic church of grand princes and tsars and part of the tsar's personal quarters. The Cathedral was connected to tsar's palace and Archangel Cathedral by passages. This church was to be used to celebrate various family events, such as weddings and baptisms, name-day celebrations...

The history of Cathedral of Annunciation dates back many centuries. Remains of the old foundation show that a stone church of Annunciation stood on the site at the end of 14th century. In 1416, second, bigger cathedral was built on its extant basement. The present tall and slender Cathedral was erected in 1484-1489, by Pscov masons, to replace the dilapidated cathedral of the early 15th century. Originally, the cathedral had three domes and was surrounded by galleries on all sides.

In the second half of 16th century, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the cathedral was rebuilt and 4 small single-domed side-chapels, were erected on the vaulted gallery roofs; two more domes were also added on the rear side of cathedral. Cathedral, now, had 9 domes, which, as with the roof, were gilded. The porch was also rebuilt, taller and in white stone, and flight of steps was added to it on South side.

The rebuilding of the porch was associated with the 4th marriage of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who was put under penance by the Church. Therefore, by church rules, he could not attend services in the church, but had to stand in the porch. The extant porch is actually part of the 1489 cathedral. One could go from the tsar's palace to the treasury standing between Archangel Cathedral and Cathedral of Annunciation, then to Archangel Cathedral and go down to the palace's gardens.

In 16th century, Italian stone-carvers renovated the portals of cathedral, giving them their present appearance. Tall doors were covered with copper plate inlaid with gold and decorated with themes from Bible. The refined beauty of Golden Gates seem to invite the visitor in to view cathedral's resplendent interior. The floor of cathedral is made out of agate-colored jasper of various shades and is also impressive.

Frescoes on the cathedral walls were first mentioned by chroniclers, in 1508. The fire of 1547, about which sorrowful records were left in Russian chronicles, ruined all wall paintings. Cathedral was painted again in 1547-1551. During the period from 17th to 19th centuries, the frescoes were painted over many time.

Cathedral of Annunciation is one of very few old Russian monuments containing almost intact monumental painting of 16th century. These genuine paintings are the work of a group of Russian painters.

On the vaulted gallery ceiling is "The Tree of Jesus", which depicts the biblical story of the origin of Christ and show both his forefathers and his disciples, the apostles; here, also, are portraits of philosophers, historians and poets of the antique world, as Homer, Virgil, Plato and Plutarch, seen as the forerunner of Christ. The composition symbolizes the prehistory and history of Christianity.

The central part of cathedral is painted mainly with frescoes on the themes from "Apocalypse", one of early Christian works, describing the end of mankind on earth, The Last Judgment, and finally, the eternal triumph of good and justice.

The pillars of cathedral are decorated with stylized portraits of Byzantine emperor Constantine, who made Christianity the state religion in 4th century, of his mother Helen, and also of Kievan Princess Olga, and Prince Vladimir, who initiated Christianity in Russia. Pillars opposite them are painted with martyr-warriors St. George and Dmitry Solunsky, and also the first Russian saints, princes Boris and Gleb. The group of righteous men also includes Russian princes, as Vladimir Monomach, Alexander Nevsky, Ivan Kalita and Dmitry Donskoy, with his son Vassily.

The combination of frescoes in Cathedral of Annunciation reflects the state doctrine proclaiming Moscow "Third Rome" and supporting Moscow Tsar's claim to be directly connected to Byzantine emperors and Roman Emperor Augustus. Their portraits painted on the pillars of the cathedral emphasized the direct inheritance of power by Moscow grand princes from the Kievan grand princes and Byzantine emperors.

The interior of old Russian church is usually adorned with multi-tier iconostasis. The iconostasis of the Cathedral of Annunciation, remarkable for its artistic merit, contains icons belonging to different ages, from 14th to 18th centuries, and to different artists.

The icons of deisus tier, which is the most significant of all, were painted in the late 14th century (the name is taken from Greek word "deesis", meaning "prayer"). The plasticity of forms, richness of colors and peculiarities of technique, make it possible to ascribe these icons to the hand of outstanding artist Theophanus the Greek. Above the deisus tier depicting Christ's worldly life and his miracles. The icons were painted in the early 15th century. In 1918-1919, those two tiers were first cleaned of later additions and restored to their original state.

In the mid-16th century, icons of prophet tier were painted. The uppermost tier, of the forefathers, consists of small icons shaped as kokoshniks (traditional headdress of Russian women), dating to 16th and 19th centuries. The icons of the lower, local saints' tier, date from 14th to the early 18th centuries.

Cathedral of Annunciation is built of white stone and is noted for its picturesque architectural forms, its shining gilded cupolas and roof and its resplendent decor. The slim apses, the Pyramidal arrangements of the cupolas and kokoshnik-shaped gables lend the cathedral a look of lightness and elegance. Cathedral of the Archangel

History

A precursor to the present cathedral was built in 1250, and was replaced with a stone church in 1333 by Grand Duke Ivan Kalita, who would later become the first Russian monarch to be buried in the church. In 1505, Grand Duke Ivan III, already in the midst of major renovation project for the Kremlin, turned his attention to the church, as in the case of the rebuilding of the Assumption Cathedral two decades earlier, turned to architects from Italy for assistance. An Italian, Lamberti Aloisio da Mantagnana (Aloisio the New) was invited to Moscow, and ground was broken for a new cathedral on 21 May 1505. Ivan died in the autumn of the same year, and was buried in the still unfinished building. Work on the cathedral was completed by the end of 1508, but it was not formally consecrated until 8 November 1509.

The new building incorporated many elements of the Italian Renaissance, and numerous of these details (considered “exotic” by Moscow standards) disappeared during later repairs and restorations. The interior walls were not painted with frescoes until the 1560s.

The cathedral was damaged in the 1737 Kremlin Fire, and was further threatened by the construction of the predecessor of the Grand Kremlin Palace, which led to soil subsidence, and caused a slight tilt in the orientation of the walls.

Victories of the Russian military were celebrated in the Cathedral of the Archangel. All Russian tsars and grand princes were buried within the cathedral until the time of Peter the Great, along with many empresses and princes of the blood, with the sole exception of Boris Godunov. After the royal necropolis was moved to Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, only Tsar Peter II, who happened to die in Moscow, was interred here.

There are 54 burials in the cathedral, with 46 ornamented whitestone tombstones (1636-1637) and glazed cases made of bronze (1903). Of note is the tomb of Tsarevich Demetrius, the son of Ivan the Terrible, was buried there in the early 17th century and was later canonized.

During the 1917 Russian Revolution, the cathedral was damaged during the fighting. Afterwards, it was closed by the Bolshevik regime. During the 1950s, along with the other surviving churches in the Moscow Kremlin, was preserved as a museum. A large portion of the church's treasures were either transferred to the Kremlin Armory Museum, or sold overseas.

After 1992, the building was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and occasional religious services resumed.

Architecture

Compared with the other two major Kremlin cathedrals, the Archangel Cathedral is substantially different in style, despite maintaining a traditional layout. It echoes the layout of the Assumption Cathedral in its use of five domes (representing Jesus Christ and the Four Evangelists. However, the exterior ornamentation its characteristic semi-circular niches with shell-shaped ornaments and gateways with arc-shaped frames made of white limestone, which are coated with paint and decorated with floral ornaments point to the Italian Renaissance influence.

The interior of the cathedral, however, was largely constructed in a manner typical for Russian churches. The large iconostasis of the cathedral of the archangel, 13 meters high, dates from 1678-81. The icon of Archangel Michael, the oldest in the iconostasis, is believed to have been created for Princess Eudoxia, the wife of Dmitri Donskoi to the memory the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo.

The wall frescoes date to the 16th and 17th centuries. Some were painted by Yakov of Kazan, Stepan of Ryazan, Joseph Vladimirov and others between 1652 and 1666.

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