In the north of our country is one of the oldest and very beautiful cathedrals. Today we will talk about the Znamensky Cathedral of Tyumen. It attracts attention not only with its long history and unusual architecture, but also with unique miraculous images that are carefully stored in its walls.
History of the main temple in Tyumen
The current stone Znamensky Cathedral is the third on this site. He had two predecessors made of wood. In the hot summer of 1766, a fire destroyed almost the entire city. The Znamensky temple did not escape a sad fate. In 1768, a new stone Znamenskaya church was laid on the ashes, which was built in accordance with the new concept of the city's development.
It was originally planned to erect a cold temple, but for worship in the winter, it was decided to lay a warm throne, consecrated in honor of John Chrysostom. In 1769, the blessing of the Bishop of Siberia and Tobolsk Varlaam (Petrov) was received for this construction.
Ioannov’s chapel was consecrated in 1775, but construction work in the church dragged on. The construction of the cathedral was carried out with parish funds - a very substantial amount was spent on it at that time - 10 thousand rubles. Funds were constantly in short supply, and construction work, like the works of graphic designers, was periodically frozen.
Reconstruction
The history of the Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen has several major transformations. The first repair of the cathedral was carried out in 1820. A year later, the wooden fence was replaced with a stone one with two gates and metal bars. In 1839, a new stone foundation was poured under the building, since by that time the old one had sunk.
The next repair was carried out in 1850, with funds collected by the entire parish. In 1901, the Yekaterinburg merchant Ivanov built the Chrysostom side chapel (summer), which had burnt shortly before. The height of the dome has been increased. And in 1913 the temple received a new status - from the parish it was transferred to the category of cathedrals.
An interesting feature of additional outbuildings and structures is the preservation of a single style - Russian Baroque. Thus, the entire cathedral complex is a single and complete composition, which is characterized by expressive decorative ornaments and the grandeur of forms.
Domes directed to the sky create a feeling of lightness. Unfortunately, history has not preserved the names of the authors of the Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen. But the names of icon painters who worked in the temple are known - F.I. Cherepanov, the Tobolsk coachman (since 1799), E.K. Solomatov, the Tyumen tradesman (1789).
Soviet period
It can be assumed that with the advent of Soviet power, like most Orthodox churches, the Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen was supposed to cease its activities. But, despite the persecution, services were held in the temple until 1929. This year the cathedral was closed, and its building was transferred to a sports club. Later it was used as a prison and as a machine and tractor station.
Interestingly, in 1933, believers in the city and the region managed to achieve the resumption of church services. And despite the fact that during the Second World War the church was again closed, after the end of hostilities the church was returned to the bosom of the Orthodox Church completely. This saved the ancient building from destruction.
In 2003, crosses and domes were replaced with parishioners' donations. Today the Znamensky Cathedral in Tyumen, the photo of which we posted in this material, is a major center for the spiritual life of the city and the Tyumen region. The cathedral complex has craft clubs and a Sunday school.
Architecture
The main temple of Tyumen looks very solemn and festive. Here, the compositional features, magnificent decor, white-blue shades of the facades that imitate sculpting even in cloudy weather, and a variety of forms that wonderfully create a beautiful structure play a role.
Most striking is the fact that the temple, created at the end of the 18th century, consecrated in the first half of the 19th century and rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century, preserved the unity of the style decision. The baroque preferences of the builders of the Znamensky Church are quite understandable and justified: classicism, which already played the first roles in the capitals, had not yet reached the provinces, and the baroque in its Siberian version provided architects with freedom in their work. One can only be surprised at how thin the stylist the unknown author of the temple reconstruction project was, who felt the peculiarities of its organization and was able, expanding the church, not to spoil anything from the previously created, and brought all the innovations in full accordance with what was already built.
Interior decoration
The main entrance to the Znamensky Cathedral of Tyumen is located on the west side, under the bell tower. Passing through the narthex and under the choirs, you can get into the refectory. Choirs are the only place where today decor elements dating back to the old pre-revolutionary era are preserved: the lathing of wooden railings with a geometric pattern, carved wooden consoles.
The four pillar refectory is the most spacious part of the cathedral. At the beginning of the last century, a light octagonal drum was built over it, equipped with a small glaucus. Through the arched openings, the refectory passes into the aisles: the south — by John Chrysostom and the north — by Nicholas the Wonderworker. The same arched openings combine the narthex with the refectory, as well as with the fours.
This roundness of forms and the combination of individual rooms with wide passages impart softness to the interior. The temple is distinguished by rich interior decoration: murals, architectural decorative elements, plot ornaments - they all belong to the end of the 20th century, although experts do not exclude that they were performed on top of the remains of ancient murals that were made during the reconstruction of the cathedral at the very beginning of the 20th century.
The main quad, compared with the refectory, is not very spacious. Two rows of large windows perfectly illuminate it, and its impressive height gives it a striving upward.
Iconostasis
Unfortunately, the ancient iconostasis, for which F. Cherepanov (the Tobolsk coachman) once painted icons, has been lost, as well as other decoration of the 19th century church. The modern three-tier iconostasis was made in the late forties of the last century, when services were resumed in the cathedral.
It was made by the famous Tyumen master I. S. Shavrin. Even before the revolution, he worked in the icon-painting workshop of M. S. Karavaev in Tyumen. The Znamensky iconostasis by Shavrin looks very dignified and solemn.
Temple shrine
The main shrine of the Tyumen Cathedral is the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”. A terrible misfortune came to the city in 1848: in the summer in Tyumen, an unprecedented epidemic of cholera began - a disease that was not previously known in these places. It would seem that the city is doomed and there is no place to wait for salvation. But it was brought by the image of the Mother of God, which was known to the townspeople from the beginning of the XVII century.
The “Sign” icon was a copy of the Novgorod miraculous image, which became famous during the siege of the Suzdalites of Novgorod in the winter of 1169-1170. In the troubled thirties of the last century, traces of the miraculous icon were lost. There are several guesses about her future fate. One of them is based on the memoirs of A. Sartakova, a participant in the restoration of the cathedral after the war (1945).
She claims that after the transfer of the cathedral to believers, the Znamenskaya Icon was found on the bell tower. She was turned face to the wall. If this is true, then later the icon was restored, since already in 1903 it needed a serious restoration. According to another version, the cathedral icon "Sign" is new. It was written in the middle of the 20th century.
Tyumen Znamensky Cathedral : Schedule of Divine Services
In the main cathedral of Tyumen, liturgical services are held somewhat differently than in other churches:
- 08:30, 13:00 and 17:00 - services;
- on Friday at 06:30, 09:00 and 17:00 the liturgies are read;
- at 08:30 and 17:00 - on Saturday;
- at 06:30, 09:00 and 17:00 - on Sunday.
How to get there
We told you about the history of the Znamensky Cathedral of Tyumen, whose address is: st. Semakova, 13. Today, he is visited by numerous pilgrims from different regions of our country who want to make prayers at the miraculous images of the temple. Tyumen is a modern, dynamically developing city, so it will not be difficult to get to it from other Russian regions. Airplanes fly to this northern city; the main railway line to the east, the Trans-Siberian Railway, passes through Tyumen. Car enthusiasts can get to the city on the roads R-254 (from Kurgan), R-351 (from Yekaterinburg), R-402 (from Omsk).
The Znamensky Cathedral of Tyumen is located in the city center, on the street. Semakova, 13. There are several public transport nearby. From the railway station you will be taken by buses No. 13, 20, 34 or a minibus No. 34.