The Russian city of Vladimir is located 176 km from Moscow, on the banks of the Klyazma River, and is the administrative center of the Vladimir Region. The city is part of the world-famous Golden Ring.
Historians consider the city of Vladimir one of the oldest in our country. It was founded by Prince Vladimir in 990. It is not surprising that there is a huge number of priceless historical and architectural monuments that attract tourists from all over the world.
Of particular interest among travelers are the churches of the city of Vladimir. They impress with a variety of architecture and interior decoration.
Trinity Church (Vladimir)
Unfortunately, the history of this church was very short. It was built in the year of the three hundredth anniversary of the Romanov dynasty (1916). The Trinity Church (Vladimir - the city where it was founded) appeared on the initiative of the Old Believer merchants, and was built with the funds they collected. The author of the project was the famous architect Zharov S. M.
The temple, built of red brick, had a high dome and a bell tower located next door. Trinity Church in Vladimir has become an example of a new, more advanced technique for the construction of religious buildings, which included decorative elements of different architectural styles.
Until 1928, divine services continued in the Trinity Church. In the mid-sixties of the last century, the city authorities decided to destroy the shrine to expand the city square. By this time, many churches in the city of Vladimir had ceased to exist, so it can be considered that the Trinity Church was saved by a miracle. More precisely, the people who performed this miracle: numerous defenders of the Trinity Church, among whom was the writer Soloukhin V.A., defended the temple.
Many churches of Vladimir and today are not used for their intended purpose. The Trinity Church did not escape this fate.
Restoration
In 1971, a large-scale restoration of the Trinity Church began, which lasted for two years. In the spring of 1974, the exhibition “Crystal. Embroidery. Lacquer miniature. " Since then, the building is located, a branch of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum. There is also an art salon where you can buy products of talented Vladimir masters.
Assumption Temple
The Assumption Church in Vladimir was built in 1649 at the expense of the townspeople: Semion Somov, Vasily Obroshim and his son, as well as Andrei and Grigory Denisov. These were people from rich and noble families, well-known surnames in the city.
The temple is made in the style typical of Moscow and Yaroslavl places of worship. A feature of the church is its white stone high walls, which are crowned by numerous kokoshniks. The Assumption Church has a refectory room and a bell tower located at its end. Above the tinned-iron kokoshniks, five onion heads rise first, which were initially covered by a scaly wooden ploughshare. Over time, he gained a beautiful silver color.
The church is surrounded by a porch arcade on the western and northern sides. Stairs lead to all entrances. Today the temple is operational and belongs to the Orthodox Old Believer church. Together with the St. George side chapel, it is considered one of the main operating temple of the city.
Church of the Ascension
Many churches of Vladimir have a very ancient history. In the place of the Ascension Church in the distant past stood a monastery, which was mentioned in the annals of 1187 and 1218. In 1238, it was destroyed by the Tatars.
Mention of the church built on this site is preserved in the patriarchal books. (1628, 1652, 1682). Until 1724 the church was wooden, then its place was taken by a stone church, which has survived to this day. In 1813, a cold chapel was added to the church in honor of the Protection of the Virgin. According to the researchers, at about the same time two bell tiers were added to the building. This is evidenced by the obvious similarity of the decorative solution of these two volumes.
In the church there is another warm chapel in the name of the Annunciation. Its stylistic features give reason to believe that the south aisle was built later than the north.
Today, the church includes an ancient building, which consists of the main volume, a small refectory, a porch with a porch, two aisles and a bell tower. All these rooms create a compact composition. The Ascension Church is an example of the Posad pillarless church, characteristic of the XVII – XVIII centuries.
Church of St. George
This temple was ordered to be erected by Yuri Dolgoruky in 1157. The church was consecrated in honor of St. George the Victorious not by chance: this saint was the heavenly patron of Yuri Dolgoruky and a particularly revered saint in Russia. In 1778, a fire almost destroyed the church. It was restored, but in the provincial baroque style.
At the end of 1847, a chapel was added on the south side of the temple, consecrated in the name of Prince Vladimir.
The fate of the temple
Today's Church of St. George the Victorious is very different from the original structure. In the first half of the last century, the church was closed. In Soviet times, the church was seriously damaged - the church headquarters was destroyed by machine guns. After the Civil War, the temple was used as an outbuilding for the needs of various institutions.
For ten years (1960-1970) an oil and fat factory worked here, sausage was produced. Specialists who examined the temple building in the eighties of the last century were horrified - the walls, floors, and ceiling of the unique building were covered with a layer of black oily soot, one centimeter thick. However, the temple was restored, and in 2006 was transferred to the Vladimir-Suzdal diocese (Moscow Patriarchate). Today the church is a monument of history and architecture of federal significance.
It is interesting that since 1986 the Center for Choral Music, led by the People's Artist of Russia, Professor E. M. Markin, has been giving concerts in the church.
Church of Prince Vladimir
The temple was built in 1785 in the area of the city cemetery, which occupied the land previously located here Bogoroditsky monastery. Church of St. Vladimir is located in the eastern part of the city. Its main volume is a square with a faceted apse on the east side. In the western part there is a rectangular refectory room, which is adjacent to the tier of the bell tower.
Interior decoration
In the Vladimir Church, the floors are made of wood and painted. The walls are covered with stucco at the base and are intended for painting. The first tier with rectangular window openings has wide slopes. The decorative design of the monument traces elements of traditional classicism and baroque.
On the north and south sides of the temple, where the doorways are located, there are decorations that mimic triangular fronts. An interesting fact - even in the Soviet period, when almost all the churches of the city were closed, in the Vladimir Church it was possible to perform communion and baptism, funeral services and weddings, partake in spiritual traditions, attend divine services - the church never ceased to function.
St. Nicholas Church
A magnificent monument of architecture dating back to the middle of the 18th century. A vivid example of the pillarless temple. The church was built in 1764 on the site of a wooden church burnt down in the fire. It is named after one of the most revered saints among Christians - Nicholas the Wonderworker.
For a long time, the holy icons of the work of ancient masters were stored in the temple: the icon of the Savior, St. Nicholas (on the plane board) and others. Today, the walls of the temple houses an urban planetarium, opened in 1962, and a library.
St. Nicholas Church
Not all churches of Vladimir are mentioned in ancient chronicles. Perhaps this information is simply lost. But about the St. Nicholas-Galeysky church, it was possible to find evidence that in the XII century on the site where it is located today, a wooden church was erected in honor of St. Nicholas - the patron saint of all travelers and sailors. The stone church was built here in 1735 at the expense of Ivan Pavlygin, a wealthy merchant. It got its name, somewhat unusual for Russia, due to the fact that near the Klyazma river, directly opposite the temple, there was a pier on which the "galleys" (galleys) - rowing ships moored.
According to the priests, the church consecrated the waters of Klyazma with its location. It was this fact that gave the church a second, popular name - St. Nicholas the Wet. The stone church existing today was created in accordance with the traditions of Russian posad architecture of the 17th century. Inside, the church is striking in its spaciousness, since there are no supporting pillars in it.
Two tiers of windows well illuminate the interior of the temple. The magnificent painting dating back to the middle of the 19th century, which was executed in an academic manner by magnificent Vladimir masters, was preserved here. Today it is an active temple.