Trinity Church on Karamyshevskaya Embankment was built at the end of the XVI century. It is one of the main attractions of Moscow. This is a monument of history and architecture, which shows the level of skill of architects of that time. This temple, the history of its construction and interesting facts will be described in the article.
Temple history
The church on Karamyshevskaya embankment was built in the period from 1596 to 1598. The annals of those times say that the temple was erected during the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich on a petition (written request) of Boris Godunov. The church was built in the village of Khoroshevo, which the king presented to his brother-in-law B. Godunov in 1594.
Godunov ascended the Russian throne after the death of the tsar in 1598, and then the Trinity Church on Karamyshevskaya Embankment in Moscow is consecrated. The opening of the temple at this time is confirmed by the preserved church utensils (discos and chalice), which had an accurate dating. These vessels were donated to the church by Tsarevich Fedor, the son of B. Godunov. Unfortunately, the current location of these vessels is unknown.
Temple at Boris Godunov
In the church on Karamyshevskaya embankment, on one of the walls there is an image of Boris Godunov, who bows before the throne of the Mother of God and devotes the church to the Holy Trinity. It is known that he loved the estate in Khoroshevo very much and spent a lot of time here.
It should be noted that during his reign, Boris Godunov made a significant contribution to the formation and development of not only the church on Karamyshevskaya embankment, but also the whole of Russian Orthodoxy as a whole. So, for example, in 1589 the Patriarchate was established in Russia, and all the procedures associated with this fell on the shoulders of B. Godunov.
Church of the Romanovs
The first tsars from the Romanov dynasty tried to distance themselves from the name of B. Godunov, because it was with him that they connected the troubles that befell Russia. The Romanovs also remembered that their ancestors suffered during his reign. Immediately after the first Romanovs ascended the Russian throne, an inscription mentioning Godunov was smeared on the bell tower of Ivan the Great. It was because of her that the bell tower was popularly called the "Godunov Pillar".
However, Khoroshevo and the local church were popular with royalty and their immediate family. In troubled times, the church on Karamyshevskaya embankment was ravaged, but gradually re-consecrated, and the interior was renovated.
Over time, Khoroshevo and the temple located in it lost their status as a favorite place to relax and a revered holy place. In 1812, the church was plundered by the French during the war with Napoleon. In addition, the temple was threatened with complete destruction due to a possible landslide, the possibility of its transfer was seriously discussed.
In 1854, a large-scale reconstruction was carried out, the project of which was made by the famous architect V. Dregalov. In addition to the main thing, three more chapels were created: Ilyinsky, Nikolsky and Fedor Stratilat. In the last chapel there was an old iconostasis, which was very revered among the parishioners.
Temple architecture
Initially, the church on Karamyshevskaya embankment was rather three churches that stood close to each other, had separate entrances and were combined only with the western part by a covered gulbische (gallery), which was crowned with a small belfry.
In the 17th century, gallery openings were laid and a porch with small windows was created. In 1771, the bell tower was separately built, which in 1845 was combined with the main temple of the large double-pillar refectory. An interesting fact: the church itself is a pillarless type.
Inside you can see how the walls end with a complex stepped arch. This architectural technique was used in the XIV century in the Pskov churches. Also visible are the so-called vessels-voices, which are mounted in the walls. They have a dual purpose: firstly, they improve acoustics in the room and, secondly, lighten the load on the arch of the temple.
Church Description
The church on the Karamyshevskaya embankment in Khoroshevo (Mnevniki) currently is based on a single-domed church, at the base of which there are several rows of kokoshniks. Two chapels are attached to the sides of the temple, each having a dome with the same kokoshniks as on the main pommel.
The apse and walls of the church are decorated with thin, neat cornices and shovels, which have a complex profile.
The narrow temple windows were expanded, the dilapidated belfry was completely dismantled, and in its place a new bell tower was erected, which has survived to this day. The domed roof has a non-standard black color, only the top of the bell tower is made under gilding. The temple itself is painted white, and the bell tower is pale pink.
Church on Karamyshevskaya embankment: timetable
The temple is open daily, on weekdays from 8-30 to 20-00, on weekends from 6-40 to 20-00. However, on Orthodox holidays, the schedule of services is slightly changed.
The interior of the church is quite rich, there are icons related to the ruble school of icon painting. Most of them are located in three carved iconostases, which are recreated according to ancient patterns. The walls of the temple are painted with biblical frescoes and the faces of the saints.
Some icons are real works of art and are revered not only by believers, but are also valued among scholars and historians. The church on Karamyshevskaya embankment, of course, is a most valuable monument of history and architecture. It attracts a large number of pilgrims and connoisseurs of painting and Russian architecture. Once in Khoroshevo, you should definitely visit this ancient temple, which will amaze you with its beauty.