Kazan Cathedral on Red Square is a small but very memorable building. Learn more about its construction further in the article.
History of the temple
Kazan Cathedral in Moscow repeatedlyrebuilt since its construction. In 1625 a wooden church was built on this place with the money of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. It was named after the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
The fire of 1635 destroyed the church, and soon itsreplaced the stone cathedral, erected by Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. The following year, the temple was consecrated by Patriarch Joseph. Gradually, it becomes one of the most important places of worship. In 1812, during the war with Napoleon, Kutuzov received a blessing here. This event made the cathedral the first monument of World War II.
Kazan Cathedral on Red Square noticeably changesits appearance from the XVII to XIX century. As a result of the restructuring, the temple becomes little distinguishable from other Moscow cathedrals and churches. In 1925, the reconstruction of religious buildings began. To the temple returns the original form. However, the updated cathedral stood for long. In 1936, the Soviet government decided to demolish it. The temple did not correspond to the purpose of the main square of the state - holding celebrations.
Instead of the cathedral, there was a pavilion on the square,dedicated to the Internationale and public toilet. In 1990, the toilet was closed, and the construction of the temple began again. The new Kazan Cathedral (see photo below) repeated the features of the previous one. It was possible to recreate the old look with the help of drawings and measurements made by Peter Baranovsky before the demolition of the temple.
Icon of the Kazan Mother of God
The acquisition of the icon dates back to 1579, whena strong fire turned part of Kazan and the Kazan Kremlin into ruins. Sagittarius Daniel Onuchin, whose housing was badly damaged by fire, immediately began to rebuild a new house, and under the layer of ash he found the icon of the Mother of God.
According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream three times.ten year old daughter archer. Our Lady asked the girl to find the hidden icon. At first nobody believed the child, but having gone to the indicated place, Daniel found a sacred image wrapped in cloth. Soon rumors about miraculous healings spread throughout the city, thanks to the icon.
Kazan icon has long served as a symbolprotection and patronage for Russian soldiers. Before the Battle of Poltava, Tsar Peter I prayed for victory, during the Russian-French war, Mikhail Kutuzov. During the war with the Poles, the Russian troops carried with them miraculous lists of icons, and upon the successful end of the battle they promised to build a temple in Red Square in honor of the Kazan Mother of God.
Kazan Cathedral: photos and architecture description
Initially, the stone church had the features of typical architectural structures of the end of the XIV century. A small pillarless cathedral repeated the outlines of the Rubtsovsk church of the Intercession of the Virgin and the cathedral in the Donskoy Monastery.
Unlike similar temples, Kazan Cathedral onRed Square was devoid of symmetry. The composition was broken by the fact that the chapel was only on one side. Later, the cathedral is attached another chapel in honor of Saints Gurius and Varsonofy. A hipped bell tower appears - one of its first of its kind in Moscow. Later, it is replaced first by a two-, and then a three-tiered bell tower.
At the top of the temple in chessboard orderkokoshniks. Small and large were placed in turns, giving the temple a toy and solemn look. In the second half of the XIX century, architect Nikolai Kozlovsky began to redesign the facade. The temple acquired a classic look, having lost its distinctive features. Many parishioners were outraged by such a transformation of the shrine, and Metropolitan Leonty even compared it with a typical rural church.
Thanks to the architect Baranovsky, who savedand restored not one Russian church, we can observe the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God almost in its original form. It is a square one-head structure in the plan, made in red and white colors. Kokoshniks decorate the top of the temple. The main dome of the temple is covered with gold. Three are galleries leading to the bell tower. Small and large kokoshniks alternating with each other create the effect of three-dimensional and ornamental composition.
Location, temple opening hours
Казанский собор расположен на Красной площади, opposite the State Historical Museum, on Nikolskaya Street, 3. Next to it are three metro stations: "Ploshchad Revolutsii", "Okhotny Ryad", "Teatralnaya". The entrance to the temple is located on the side of Red Square.
The cathedral is open daily from 8 am to 8 pm. On public holidays and on Sundays from 7 to 10 am, church services are carried out.
Conclusion
Казанский собор на Красной площади впервые был erected in 1625. From this time on, it was destroyed several times, and survived numerous renovations, each time changing its appearance. Re-erected in 1990, the cathedral is now a monument of history and architecture of Russia, testifying to the important historical events of the country.
