Chernihiv Lane is a historical place. There are buildings that are several hundred years old. Six buildings of the XII-XVIII century, including two churches, represent the Chernihiv Compound in Moscow.
One of them was built in honor of the beheading of the head of John the Baptist, the other is dedicated to Mikhail and Fedor Chernigov. Until 1991, churches carried out their work separately from each other. The only thing that united them was one bell tower on two buildings. Now they represent the Chernigov Patriarchal Compound in Moscow, that is, they are its residence.
When did the first buildings appear
The construction of Orthodox shrines on this site began in the XIV century, when this area was not the center, but the outskirts of Moscow. Then John the Baptist Monastery tried to settle. But the constant raids that Moscow was subjected to at that time, the regular burning of all wooden buildings, including the temple, forced him to change his place. Even the stone temple, erected on the site of the former, could not stop this relocation. The street where the Chernihiv Compound in Moscow is located was chosen by Ivan the Terrible to meet the relics of the boyar Fedor and Prince Mikhail. The fact is that they arrived along the nearby Ordynka, that is, on the road from the Golden Horde. This memorable event was immortalized by building the Temple of Chernihiv Miracle Workers on Pyatnitskaya Street. First, wooden, and then stone.
Hard times
During the Soviet era, churches were closed to Orthodox believers. But they continued to use it as warehouses, desecrating the premises, arranging latrines in the altars. Gradually, the temples dilapidated, came to desolation. They lost their domes, plaster and gilding peeled off. Surprisingly, the buildings themselves survived. Perhaps because they were used as premises for Soviet organizations. For example, in the Church of St. John the Baptist was Food Management.
First restoration
When the city was preparing for the 1980 Olympics and the meeting of foreigners, many monuments of architecture began to be restored. Lucky and these two churches, which today housed the Chernihiv Compound. In Moscow, restoration work began , which, in addition to the main buildings, affected the bell tower and the refectory, located here. Worked on the conscience. They restored the dome and crosses, tiled the heads with tiles, whitewashed and plastered the walls, installed a grate and a fence. The restoration continued after the Olympic Games were completed, until 1984. Interestingly, during this period the buildings did not belong to the Orthodox Church, but to the Ministry of Building Materials. There was even an exhibition hall called Art Glass.
Rediscovery
Christians were able to go to the temple to serve only in the 90s. Between 1991 and 1997, the church was consecrated and began its Orthodox activity. Chernihiv Compound in Moscow is the address at which the General Church Graduate School is located. Moreover, her rector is the rector of the temple. A lot of time has passed since the last restoration work. The Chernihiv Compound in Moscow began to need them again. Therefore, the restoration of temples began in 2009. Completed these works in November 2015. Ancient structures are also interested in archaeologists. It was they who were engaged in the restoration of the foundation.
Preservation of an ancient fresco
After the restoration, the Chernihiv Compound in Moscow was inspected by the mayor of the city and the Patriarch of All Russia. They found that the quality of the work performed was very high. They noted that, in addition to the churches, the nearest buildings were restored, the adjacent streets were landscaped. In the process, artifacts were discovered. Of particular interest is the ancient fresco. Previously, the temples were painted using a special technology, directly using raw plaster using only natural paints.
These days it would be very laborious, and the materials used are semi-synthetic. Therefore, the masters did not restore the fresco, but they preserved it. That is, they covered a layer of plaster and painted the temple wall on top of it. Thus, they preserved the historical pattern for future generations. Other interesting artifacts are the original tombstones. Currently, the Chernigov Compound in Moscow is open for Christians. Address: Pyatnitskaya street, 4/2, building 9.
Despite the modern technologies used for restoration work, the craftsmen managed to maintain the atmosphere of old Moscow. These ancient temples are not the only ones that are being restored today. Therefore, soon the cozy old corners in Moscow will become more to the delight of residents and guests of the capital.