Kaluga is one of the leading places among the most popular tourist destinations in Russia. This ancient city has many unique and magnificent temples. A description will be given below of the most significant and beautiful Kaluga churches.
Church of Cosmas and Damian in Kaluga
The Cosmodamian Church is located on Suvorov Street. Built in 1794 in the Baroque style, it compares favorably with its exquisite architecture from other temples of the city.
The church was built with public money, and cost the parishioners 70 thousand silver rubles. At that time it was the largest and most expensive temple in the city, built under the guidance of one of the students of the famous V. Rastrelli.
In 1937, the church of Cosmas and Damian was closed and converted into a prison. The temple was returned to the Kaluga diocese in 1992. The church has two Sunday schools and regular services are held.
Transfiguration Church of Kaluga
At the entrance to the city on Smolenskaya Street is the Church of the Transfiguration . The stone temple was built in 1700, instead of the wooden church that stood here. Money for the construction was collected by the whole world, but Princess Natalya Alekseevna served as the main contributor.
The bell tower was added to the temple in 1802. The church is very beautiful both outside and inside. Due to the fact that she was on the banks of the Oka River in the center of the city port and was the face of Kaluga on the Moscow-Kiev road, they did not spare money for its maintenance until 1917.
In Soviet times, the interior of the temple was destroyed and desecrated. Only in 1993, the church returned to the Kaluga diocese and became a courtyard of the St. Pafnutiev monastery.
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Its construction began in 1786 by personal order of Catherine II. The cathedral was built in the style of classicism, with the first unsupported dome in Russia, made on the example of the Byzantine churches.
Three Kaluga priests were buried inside the church: Bishop Yevlampy, Bishop Nikolai and Archbishop Gregory. In 1888, the city authorities allocated funds for the improvement of the square, located near the church. In the same year, Grand Duke Vladimir and his wife visited Kaluga. In honor of this momentous event, the square was named Vladimirsky.
After the revolution, the temple was used for various needs. Only in 1991, in a deplorable state, the church was returned to believers.
Church of the Intercession "on the moat"
Another significant church of Kaluga - Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary "on the moat." The temple is located on Marata Street and is recognized as the oldest stone building in the city. The church was built on the site of the moat in 1687, hence the name came from.
The temple resembles Moscow churches of the XVII century. Here was the revered icon of the Mother of God of Peter, which disappeared without a trace after the revolution.
Church of St. John the Baptist
The temple was erected in 1735, but later suffered from a fire, and was restored only in 1763 through the efforts of Priest Popov and local parishioners. This is another significant church in Kaluga, the architectural appearance of which is known to every citizen.
The internal painting of the temple is a copy of the painting of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev. Unfortunately, the unique painting was lost in Soviet times. In the photo of the church in Kaluga, one can see festive paintings that are distinctive from other temples and gold stars on blue domes.