Description of the interior decoration of St. Isaac's Cathedral. Orthodox church, its structure and interior decoration. Internal bypass gallery. Church of the Intercession Cathedral

Many Orthodox churches amaze with their beauty and elegance of decoration, architectural splendor. But in addition to the aesthetic load, the entire construction and decoration of the temple carries a symbolic meaning. You cannot take any building and organize a church in it. Let's consider the principles by which the structure and interior decoration of an Orthodox church is organized and what is the meaning of the design elements.

Architectural features of temple buildings

The temple is a consecrated building in which Divine services are served, and believers have the opportunity to take part in the Sacraments. Traditionally, the main entrance to the temple is located in the west, where the sun sets, and the main liturgical part, the altar, is always laid to the east, where the sun rises.

Prince Vladimir Church in Irkutsk

You can distinguish a Christian church from any other buildings by its characteristic dome (head) with a cross. This is a symbol of the death of the Savior on the cross, who voluntarily ascended the Cross for our redemption. It is no coincidence that the number of heads on each church, namely:

one dome marks the Commandment about the unity of God (I am the Lord your God, and you will not have other gods besides Me);
three domes are erected in honor of the Holy Trinity;
five domes symbolize Jesus Christ and His four evangelists;
seven chapters remind believers of the seven main Sacraments of the Holy Church, as well as the seven ecumenical councils;
sometimes there are buildings with thirteen chapters, which symbolize the Lord and the 12 apostles.

Important! Any temple is dedicated, first of all, to our Lord Jesus Christ, but at the same time it can be consecrated in honor of any saint or holiday (for example, the Nativity Church, St. Nicholas, Pokrovsky, etc.).

About Orthodox churches:

When laying the foundation for the construction of the temple, one of the following figures can be laid in the foundation:

cross (marks the instrument of death of the Lord and a symbol of our salvation);
rectangle (associated with Noah's ark, as a ship of salvation);
circle (means the absence of the beginning and end of the Church, which is eternal);
a star with 8 ends (in remembrance of the star of Bethlehem, which indicated the birth of Christ).

Top view of the Church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl

Symbolically, the building itself is associated with the ark of the salvation of all mankind. And just as Noah many centuries ago on his ark saved his family and all living things during the Great Flood, so today people go to churches to save their souls.

The main liturgical part of the church, where the altar is located, looks to the east, since the goal of a person's life is to go from darkness to light, which means from west to east. In addition, in the Bible we see texts in which Christ himself is called the East and the Light of Truth coming from the East. Therefore, it is customary to serve the Liturgy in the altar in the direction of the rising sun.

Internal structure of the temple

Entering any church, you can see the division into three main zones:

porch;
main or middle part;
altar.

The vestibule is the very first part of the building behind the entrance doors. In ancient times, it was accepted that it was in the vestibule that sinners stood and prayed before repentance and the catechumens - people who were just preparing to receive Baptism and become full-fledged members of the Church. In modern churches, there are no such rules, and in the vestibules there are usually candle stands where you can buy candles, church literature and submit notes for commemoration.

Porch - a small space between the door and the temple

In the middle part are all those praying during the service. This part of the church is sometimes called the nave (ship), which again refers us to the image of Noah's ark of salvation. The main elements of the middle part are the solea, the pulpit, the iconostasis and the kliros. Let's take a closer look at what it is.

Solea

This is a small step located in front of the iconostasis itself. Its purpose is to exalt the priest and all participants in the service so that they can be seen and heard better. In ancient times, when the temples were small and dark, and even crowded with people, it was almost impossible to see and hear the priest behind the crowd. Therefore, they came up with such an elevation.

Pulpit

In modern churches, this is a part of the salt, most often of an oval shape, which is located in the middle of the iconostasis right in front of the Royal Doors. On this oval ledge, sermons are delivered by the priest, petitions are read by the deacon, and the Gospel is read. In the middle and on the side of the pulpit there are steps for climbing to the iconostasis.

The Gospel is read from the pulpit and sermons are delivered

Choir

The place where the choir and reciters are located. In large churches, there are usually several kliros - an upper and a lower one. The lower kliros are usually found at the end of the salt. On big holidays in one church several choirs can sing at once, which are located in different kliros. In ordinary divine services, one choir sings from one choir.

Iconostasis

The most visible part of the interior decoration of the temple. This is a kind of wall with icons that separates the altar from the main part. Initially, the iconostases were low, or their function was performed by curtains or small gratings. Over time, icons began to be hung on them, and the height of the barriers grew. In modern churches, iconostases can reach up to the ceiling, and the icons on it are arranged in a special order.

The main and largest gates leading to the altar are called the Royal Doors. They depict the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and icons of all four evangelists. On the right side of the Royal Doors, an icon of Christ is hung, and behind it is the image of the main holiday, in honor of which the temple or the given limit is consecrated. On the left side there is an icon of the Mother of God and one of the most revered saints. On the additional doors to the altar, it is customary to depict the Archangels.

Above the Royal Doors, the Last Supper is depicted, along with icons of the great twelve feasts. Depending on the height of the iconostasis, there may also be rows of icons depicting the Theotokos, saints, places from the Gospel .. It was they who were coming on Golgotha during the execution of the Lord on the cross. The same arrangement can be seen on the large crucifix, which is located to the side of the iconostasis.

The main idea of the iconostasis design is to present the Church in its entirety, with the Lord at its head, with the holy and heavenly powers. A person who prays at the iconostasis, as it were, stands in front of everything that constitutes the essence of Christianity from the time of the Lord's earthly life to this day.

About prayer in the temple:

Altar

Finally, the holy of holies of any church, without which the service of the Liturgy is impossible. A church can be consecrated even in a simple building without domes, but it is impossible to imagine any church without an altar. Anyone can not enter the altar, this is allowed only to priests, deacons, sextons and certain males with the blessing of the rector of the temple. Women are strictly prohibited from entering the altar.

The main part of the altar is the Holy See, which symbolizes the Throne of the Lord God himself. In a physical sense, this is a large, heavy table, maybe made of wood or stone. The square shape suggests that food from this table (namely the word of God) is served to people all over the Earth, to all four directions of the world. To consecrate the temple, it is obligatory to lay the holy relics under the Altar.

Important! As in Christianity there is nothing accidental and unimportant, so the decoration of the house of God has a deep symbolic meaning in every detail.

New Christians may find it unnecessary to be so concerned about details, however, if you delve deeper into the essence of worship, it becomes clear that every thing in the temple has a use. Such an order sets an example for every person: we must live in such a way that both external and internal dispensation would lead us to God.

Video about the inner structure of the temple

A secret staircase leads from the basement directly to the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin.

Church of the Intercession Cathedral. Central Church of the Intercession of the Virgin

The church, consecrated in the name of the feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, serves as the main temple of the complex. According to it, the entire cathedral is called Pokrovsky. The Church of the Intercession is built according to the type: "octagon on a quadruple". The architects made the transition between the octagon and the quadruple with the help of triangular vaults and united them with half-columns, framing numerous portals, and window niches.

Portals and windows go along the quadrangle and the first tier of the octagon, visually uniting them. The transition between the four and the eight is completely imperceptible.

This design ensures the height of the building, its aspiration upward. The two-tiered octagon is covered with a tent that literally takes off into the sky.

The octagonal tent, in turn, is crowned with a small drum of light and, finally, covered with a hipped roof. The tent is decorated with ancient fresco paintings from the 16th century. It has a very unusual geometric pattern. Such murals are extremely rare for Russian temple painting of that time.

The frescoes of the cathedral were restored in the twentieth century. Under the tent, between the red cornices, a text is visible, consisting of five rows of initial caps. This is the foundation chronicle, uncovered in the 60s of the twentieth century. The exact date of the completion of the construction of the cathedral became known thanks to this inscription from the temple.

It says that the cathedral was lit on the day of Peter and Paul in 1561. It turns out that the cathedral was built for 6 years. However, at that time, the work was not carried out all year round, but only in the warm season, during the construction season. The season was in late spring, summer and early autumn. In total, the cathedral was built for about four years of clean time (excluding winters).
The height of the letters of the mortgage chronicle is different - from 60 cm to 1 meter. On average, it is about 90 cm. Different heights of the letters are needed so that from the point of view of a person standing in the temple, they look the same.

The walls have preserved various examples of murals that have adorned the cathedral throughout its long history.

Painting of the Intercession Cathedral

At first, the temple was painted for the main building materials of that time - brick and white stone. In the 17th century, a flower-herb ornament appeared. If in the old days the cathedral was painted using the fresco technique, then in the 18th century they used oil painting.

The iconostasis of the Intercession Church is well combined with the magnificent painting of the 17th century, because it was executed at the same time.

Iconostasis of the Intercession Cathedral

This is the same iconostasis from the Cathedral of Chernigov wonderworkers, which has not survived to this day. Such an iconostasis is called frame or frame. It is richly decorated with wood carvings and gilded pewter lace.

The former iconostasis of the Intercession Cathedral was sold to the church in the village of Svitukha, Tver province, because it went out of fashion. The outdated medieval iconostasis was replaced by a baroque one, which was considered more beautiful and graceful.

Temple icon "The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" in the iconostasis of the Intercession Cathedral

In the Church of the Intercession there is a wall icon, transferred from.

"Protection with the forthcoming Basil the Blessed and John the Blessed" with the traditional story "Miracle at sea"

A similar icon is located in the lower tier of the temple.
Three exits from the Church of the Intercession lead to three large side churches, oriented to the cardinal points.

Internal bypass gallery. Church of the Intercession Cathedral

Methodical recommendations for conducting an excursion: it is logical to consider the inner gallery in the passage between the churches of Cyprian and Justina and the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople.
Here it is very appropriate to ask: "Which side is Red Square?" (Red Square is in the north. It is located where the Church of St. Cyprian and Justina).

Here it is desirable to remember that there are nine churches in the cathedral. You might ask, "How many churches can you see from this point?" You need to wrap yourself around yourself. Four churches are always visible from each point on the inner bypass gallery.

Internal gallery of the Intercession Cathedral

One of them is the central church of the Intercession of the Virgin, the second is one of the 4 large churches, the third and fourth are two of the small churches around the central tent. One of the temples is always in front of the viewer, and the other is always behind him.

The inner bypass gallery encircles the central Intercession Church. On it you can go around the central temple and get into any of the side churches. Around all the churches there is a bypass outside gallery.

Outside gallery-gulbische

Between every two churches from the inner bypass gallery, there are passages to the outer gulchev.

Passage to the outer gulbische of the bypass gallery of the Intercession Cathedral

Church of the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople in the Church of the Intercession Cathedral

Portal of the Church of the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople

In the Church of the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople, it is worth paying attention to the low enclosure near the iconostasis, popularly called the “goat pen”. Divine services and prayers can be held in this church, and, if necessary, this structure can be disassembled in two minutes. In the Church of the Three Patriarchs of Constantinople, an iconostasis of the 19th century is installed. It is closed to the public.

The consecration of the church in honor of the Three Patriarchs Alexander John and Paul the New is directly related to the Kazan campaign - the memory of the patriarchs is celebrated on August 30 - the day of the victory in the Arsk field over the cavalry of Khan Yapanchi, who was marching from Crimea to the aid of Kazan.

The next temple is consecrated in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity.

Trinity Church

oriented strictly to the east, it is one of the four large side temples of the Intercession Cathedral. It resembles the central Intercession Church. All eight side churches are built according to the general principle: they are pillar-like, that is, they look like a tower. Pillar-like churches have no internal supports and ceilings. They differ from the Church of the Intercession in that they are much simpler in design. There is simply no quadruple in these temples, the octagon (eight walls) starts immediately from the floor level, consists of several tiers and ends not with a tent that gives the church a height, but with an octagonal drum and vault.

This vault masonry system is called the Italian vault. The bricks are lined with rings. In Italy, a similar laying of the vault was used in the 15th century, and in Muscovy they began to do it later - in the 16th century.

The upper dome is decorated with a spiral made using the fresco technique.

The church looks the way it looked in antiquity, that is, it is just whitewashed from the inside. It was whitewashed in the 17th century, the painting of the 16th century was not found. Perhaps the Trinity Church was painted, but the frescoes have not survived to this day.
Stepped window sills are also an interesting architectural decoration. They also have a functional purpose, because they reflect and scatter light well. There are few windows in the church, they are quite narrow, but the interior of the church is filled with air and light, because light hits every step, is reflected from them and scattered throughout the church.

Above, there is a belt of mashikuli (decorative loopholes), since the temple was built as a monument in honor of the military victory.

Small round holes are visible above the windows - these are voice-overs. Read more about them in articles and. The voices with their necks look into the interior of the church. There can be a different number of them - from 6-8 to 37 - and they are not always noticeable.

On the wall under the window, you can see a round hole - voice pick

Contrary to popular belief, voices do not amplify the sound, but cleanse it of unnecessary sound vibrations. The sound becomes rich and bright. Chants, prayers and sermons in such a temple are always clearly audible.
An ancient tyablo iconostasis has been reconstructed in the Trinity Church.

Tyablovoy iconostasis of the Trinity Church of the Intercession Cathedral

There are no copies here, only genuine medieval icons are presented in the church. The cathedral icon of the Trinity was written in the second half of the 16th century; it has always been in the Intercession Cathedral. Its iconography resembles the famous Rublev icon, but Rublev's Trinity is completely different in color, in terms of color.

Temple icon of the Trinity Church

Andrei Rublev's "Trinity" was recognized as canon at the church cathedral in 1551, and all the icons that were painted after 1551 over the next two centuries resemble this very image.

The consecration of the church in honor of the Life-Giving Trinity is associated with the veneration of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. Other researchers are inclined to believe that the Trinity chapel was built in memory of the previous Trinity Church, which existed on this site before the construction of the Intercession Cathedral.

Church of the Intercession Cathedral. External bypass gallery

goes around all nine churches. It was originally open. In the 17th century, ceilings were arranged over it.
During the restoration of the gallery, a fragment of an ancient painting was preserved. Despite the fact that the colors are not particularly bright here, the drawing is read quite clearly.

The artist wrote easily and freely. It was not at all constrained by architectural details - it “breaks” both the flower and the stem, passing from plane to plane. The painting does not lose anything from this, but the architectural structure, on the contrary, wins.

The gallery also contains paintings from the 19th century. Here the drawing is subordinated to the architectural structure and is inscribed in it. Architectural sections show that the restorers removed from seven to nine layers of plaster to get to the ancient painting.

The next church was consecrated in the name of Alexander Svirsky.

Church of St. Alexander Svirsky. Church of the Intercession Cathedral

This temple is one of the small churches of the cathedral.
Its iconostasis contains the temple icon of Alexander Svirsky, associated with the events of the Kazan campaign. When Ivan the Terrible went on a campaign against Kazan, he prayed to all the newly-minted saints, including Saint Alexander Svirsky.

Icon Alexander Svirsky in his life

Small churches have absorbed the features of both the central church and the churches oriented to the cardinal points. As in the central church, the lower tier in them is made in the form of a quadrangle, which turns into an octal.

But if in the Church of the Intercession this was due to a constructive need, then in small churches such a composition was used exclusively for decorative purposes in order to unite all the churches into a single ensemble.
The interior of the church is painted with brick and white stone.

The iconostasis of the church of Alexander Svirsky

Later icons of the 16th-17th centuries are in the local rank.

The consecration of the temple in honor of Alexander Svirsky is associated with the patronage of the Russian saints of the army of Ivan the Terrible in the campaign against Kazan. They also pray to Saint Alexander Svirsky for the prolongation of the clan, which was very important for the tsar. It should be remembered that the Metropolitan of Moscow at that time was Macarius, he previously held the Novgorod archbishop's chair and it was logical for him to consecrate churches in honor of the Novgorod saints, which were Alexander Svirsky and Varlaam Khutynsky.
The next large church was consecrated in the name of Nikolai Velikoretsky.

South Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

The iconostasis and interior of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Velikoretsky refers to the 18th century

In the city of Vyatka, where the image of St. Nicholas comes from, there was a terrible fire during which a lot of all goods and values burned down, and this image survived and turned out to be only slightly smoked.
The image was famous for the fact that it was miraculous, and all miraculous icons were always brought to Moscow and made copies of them. Miracles from the image of St. Nicholas began to occur soon after the Kazan campaign. Therefore, the tsar ordered to bring the icon to Moscow and make a list from it. The shrine was transported along the district river route, through the newly annexed lands. During this journey, various miracles and healings happened from the icon. A lot of people who lived on the Kazan land voluntarily converted to Christianity using this image. There was no violent Christianization, people saw miracles that came from the icon of St. Nicholas and voluntarily accepted the faith of Christ.

Fragment of the painting of the church of St. Nikolay Velikoretsky

Upon arrival in Moscow, a solemn meeting (meeting) was arranged for the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas. The best icon painters made lists from it. The original image was in this temple for some time. Unfortunately, the original was lost during the fire.

Icons of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Nikolskaya Church of the Intercession Cathedral

A change in the architectural appearance of the Intercession Cathedral is associated with the image of St. Nicholas. The fact is that Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible ordered the construction of eight churches, and the architects erected nine. It was a constructive necessity, because the authors of the cathedral knew that a symmetrical temple would look better, more splendid than an asymmetrical one. In such a miraculous way, another church was built, which did not enter into the logic of dedication to the victories of the Kazan campaign.

Painting of the Church of St. Nicholas Velikoretsky

The image of St. Nicholas seemed to find a place for itself and, according to legend, laid a new church.
In the Nikolsky Church, the original oak parquet has been preserved on the floor.

Oak parquet of St. Nicholas Church

Internal bypass gallery of the Intercession Cathedral

It is easy to distinguish the ancient interior from the later in the cathedral. In ancient rooms, a brick floor has been preserved everywhere, if the floors are covered with white stone, it means that these are late restructuring.
The Pokrovsky Cathedral has approximately the same amount of ancient and remake bricks. Ancient bricks appear darker and taller.

Ancient and new brickwork in the interior of the bypass gallery of the Intercession Cathedral.

The same masonry, where the brick is noticeably lighter and smaller in size, was rebuilt in the 20th century. There is a simple explanation for this - modern bricks wear out, and ancient bricks are much stronger, they are resistant to environmental influences.
There is another unusual structure in the inner bypass gallery, which we have not seen before - a flat ceiling.

For people of the 21st century, a flat ceiling is common. In the 16th century, the flat brick ceiling was a unique phenomenon. In Russia, no other room has yet found such a structure; this is the only ancient flat stone ceiling. In Europe, such a flat stone ceiling appeared only with the invention of cement in the 19th century. In the inner bypass gallery of the Intercession Cathedral, the ceiling is made entirely of brick.
Now the original masonry is covered with a brick-like painting. The fragments painted white are also made of special shaped bricks. The size of the brick tiles can be seen on the cleared fragment.

The secret of such brickwork has not yet been solved. To fix it, a very strong solution was used, consisting of slaked lime, sand and egg whites. But the biggest mystery is how the architects were able to calculate the maximum angle that could be given during masonry to keep the ceiling. Each brick is laid at a very steep angle to the adjacent one. If this angle was even slightly larger, the ceiling would have collapsed. Found a critical curvature, the ceiling is holding for the fifth century, it seems to us flat, but it works like a vault. This is a unique engineering solution of the 16th century.

Church of St. Varlaam Khutynsky

The Small Church of Varlaam Khutynsky is located in the southwestern corner of the Intercession Cathedral.
The Royal Doors in the iconostasis of the Church of Varlaam Khutynsky are not located in the center, as required by the canons, but are noticeably shifted to the left.

The iconostasis of the temple of Varlaam Khutynsky

The fact is that the altar of the church is also shifted relative to the central axis of the temple in order to leave space for the inner bypass gallery.
The temple is dedicated to Varlaam Khutynsky - a very revered saint of Novgorod. The decoration of this church resembles ancient Novgorod temples.
The ancient tyablo iconostasis has been preserved here.
In this temple there is an ancient multi-figured image called “The Vision of the Sexton Tarasiy”.

"Vision of the sexton Tarasiy"

This is a very rare image; very few such icons have survived. Its value lies in the fact that it is an excellent iconographic source for the topography of ancient Novgorod. The icon depicts the Torgovaya side, Detinets, and Lake Ilmen overflowing its banks.

The plot of the icon is connected with the famous miracle that happened on the Novgorod land. The action takes place in the Varlaam-Khutynsky monastery. Novgorodians were mired in sins, for this the Lord sent punishment on them: in the city there was a flood and a fire (a fiery glow), black angels hit people with arrows. The three figures on the icon are the image of the sexton Tarasiy, who climbed the bell tower three times and watched what was happening over the city.

Fragment of the icon "The Vision of the Sexton Tarasiy"

The vision of the sexton Tarasiy happened in 1505. Behind it are the real events of Novgorod history. According to the story, in 1505 the venerated Novgorod monk Varlaam of Khutynsky, whose relics are in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Khutynsky monastery, appeared at night to the sexton Tarasy. The saint showed the sexton that Lake Ilmen threatened to flood the city when flooded. Barlaam prayed to the Theotokos to save the city and revealed to Tarasius that for the sins of the townspeople they would be punished by the plague. Fire will follow three years after the epidemic.

Indeed, in 1506–1508, the predicted disasters overtook Novgorod. At first, the people of Novgorod suffered from a pestilence. In 1508, a terrible fire devastated the city; according to the chronicle, 2,314 people died in the fire.
For historians, the icon is a picturesque source. Thanks to the image of the "Vision" on Novgorod icons, it is possible to get an idea of the buildings that have not survived in Novgorod (for example, the church of Boris and Gleb, which collapsed in 1652).

The consecration of the temple in honor of Varlaam Khutynsky is associated with the monastic name of Father Ivan IV. Before his death, Grand Duke Vasily III Ioanovich cut his hair into a monk with the name of Barlaam.

Church of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem. Church of the Intercession Cathedral

Iconostasis of the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

The Church of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem had a special status. “Processions on a donkey” from the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin took place here. The ceremony took place a week before Easter, on Palm Sunday. With a huge crowd of people on Red Square, the Metropolitan sat on a donkey (if there was no donkey, they took a horse), the tsar took the donkey by the bridle, and led from to Red Square.

In the west, Palm Sunday is called Palm Sunday; Christians brought palm branches from pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The temple image corresponds to the traditional iconography of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem. Jesus Christ rides on a donkey, disciples follow him, they are met by the townspeople and a white shirt (a symbol of purity) and palm branches are thrown at the donkey's feet.

On another icon, the iconographer added an interesting detail: curious children are sitting on a palm tree. A red shirt is thrown under the donkey's feet, because red means royalty, and under the donkey’s feet you can see the branches of willow, traditional for Russia.

Since palm trees do not grow in our climate, in Russian custom a palm tree is replaced by a willow, and Palm Sunday is called Palm Sunday.

The consecration of the church in honor of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem is associated with the solemn entry into Moscow of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.

Church of St. Gregory of Armenia

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Gregory of Armenia

The church is dedicated to Gregory of Armenia, but his icon is not here. But here is a unique icon of the 16th century, originating from the Kremlin cathedrals. It is called “Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky” with 33 hallmarks or, in other words, the saint “Alexander Nevsky in his life”.

Icon "Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in the Life"

The lighting of the church in honor of Gregory of Armenia is associated with the capture of the Arskaya tower on September 30 (October 13 in the new style, the day before the Intercession), the memory of this saint is celebrated on this day.

The interior of the cathedral porch

On the northwest porch of the cathedral, there are interesting paintings of the 17th century.

This is a thriving vine, known to us from pictures in and in. It symbolizes the Garden of Eden, the flowers of Paradise. Russian masters of the 17th century painted Russian forest and wildflowers. In such an ornament, there are chamomiles, cornflowers, forget-me-nots, Ivan da Marya, and other meadow and forest flowers. This ornament, oddly enough, was called the "tulip period".
From the inner porch you can go down the stairs to the outside; at present, this is the only exit from the Intercession Cathedral.

The decoration of the facades, as well as the construction of the porch, were supposed to visually increase the height of the Intercession Cathedral. All architectural techniques are so thought out and rhythmic that the building seemed taller than it really is. Recall that the height in the Middle Ages expressed beauty. Height also served as a symbol of greatness.

The customer of the cathedral, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, for the first time in Russian history accepted the title of "Tsar", his predecessors bore only the titles of "Grand Dukes". Ivan the Terrible was married to the kingdom, received a new title and achieved his recognition at the Ecumenical Council. The status of the sovereign has changed, the status of the state has changed, and the height of this temple was an architectural reflection of the changed status.

The Russian tsar became not only on a par with the European sovereigns, but in relation to some of the monarchs, he became taller. The status of the state has changed accordingly. The state collected new lands, overgrown with them, expanded its borders. The Cathedral of the Intercession has become an architectural reflection of the symbol of the greatness and power of the state and the sovereign, as such.

In oct. 1846 parishioners of the newly rebuilt Epiphany Church. applied to the Holy Synod for permission "to decorate the interior of the newly built church with sacred images of the Greco-Fryazh style." By 1853, an 18-meter multi-tiered iconostasis was built, 65 images for it were painted in the traditions of the academic school. In 1895, the interior decoration of the church was completed, the walls were decorated with stucco and painting. In 1912, an artel of painters from the workshop of the court icon painter and restorer V.P. Guryanov with the participation of the artist. AE Kulikova painted the refectory anew, the gilder V.R.Chubarov decorated the iconostasis of the Nikolsky side-altar. On the eve of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the founding of Moscow, the restoration of the painting of the main dome with the image of “St. Trinity of the New Testament "and images of Russian. saints. The team of restorers-painters was headed by a graduate of the MDS artist. PA Golubtsov (Sergius in monasticism; later Archbishop of Novgorod and Old Russian), to-ry in 1954, already in the rank of archimandrite, was the assistant to the chief artist of the temple on the restoration of its wall painting. Since the 70s. XX century. work on the restoration of the interior of the temple is ongoing: expanded salt, reconstructed sowing. and south. balconies and a central balcony was built to accommodate choirs, wall paintings were washed and tinted, in 1987-1988. the main iconostasis was restored.
To the transfer of the relics of St. Alexy in 1947 at one of the defense enterprises in Moscow for B. with. the crab was made of a bronze alloy according to the sketch of M. E. Gubonin. An embroidered image of the saint is placed on the inner side of the lid of the shrine. In July of the following year, a carved wooden canopy was installed over the shrine, also made according to Gubonin's sketch by the Vornoskov brothers, woodcarvers. In the Nikolsky side-altar of the church in 1949, according to the project of Acad. A. V. Shchusev, a white marble tombstone decorated with bronze details was erected over the grave of Patriarch Sergius. This work was the last work of the venerable architect. A doll of Patriarch Sergius is kept at the tombstone in a glass case.

Centerpiece of the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal”. Con. XIX century.
At the sowing. the walls of the church, under the Crucifixion of the 19th century, there is a metal cancer with a particle of the Tree of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, the right hand of the ap. Andrew the First-Called, the head of St. John Chrysostom, particles of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Met. St. Peter. Since 1731, a particularly revered image of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” has been in the church. In 1894, within 2 months in the Yelokhovskaya c. was brought from the Athos Ilyinsky skete by its abbot, Archimandrite. Gabriel the icon of the Mother of God "Mammal". "As a gift and blessing" to the Epiphany Church Archim. Gabriel left a copy of the icon of the Athonite work of con. XIX century, which is kept in the cathedral. Many of the revered temple icons have long belonged to the Epiphany Church: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with the life of the 1st third of the 19th century. (centerpiece - a copy of the 11th century icon), the Annunciation of the Most Holy. Theotokos beginning. XIX century. in a silver icon case in 1813, etc.
At the turn of 1945-1946. in the local row of the iconostasis of the main altar, to the left of the royal gates, an icon of the 17th century was placed - a copy of the miraculous Kazan image of the Mother of God, which was previously in the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square. After the closure of the Kazan Cathedral in 1930, the community moved to c. St. Nicholas in Khlynovsky tup., Transferring the miraculous image there; after the destruction in 1936 of the Nikolo-Khlynovskaya c. the icon ended up in the Epiphany Dorogomilovsky Cathedral, then it ended up in the Yelokhovsky temple. The frame for the miraculous image is the Praise of the Mother of God icon with fragments of an old silver setting. Among the icons, to-rye entered the temple from Moscow churches, closed in the 20-30s. XX century., Our Lady "Redeemer" and the Great Martyr. Panteleimon Athonite letters (1893), originating from c. The veil in Fili, as well as the hagiographic image of the naval center. Irina (XIX century) from the Trinity-Irininsky church in the village. Pokrovsky. In the cathedral, the icons of the Mother of God "Seeking the Perished", Tikhvin (both - XIX century), the image of St. Seraphim of Sarov with particles of stone, on which the monk prayed, and a particle of his clothes (XX century). On the 5th week of Great Lent, on Friday evening, for an akathist in honor of the Praise of the Most Holy. Theotokos, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, they bring the icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness" to the cathedral - a cell image of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. XVII century
In 1897, at the expense of parishioners, gilded banners with enamel adornments were created in memory of the coronation of the Emperor. St. Nicholas II and imp. St. Alexandra Feodorovna. On one of them are placed icons of saints, the same names as members of the royal family, on others - icons of the Epiphany and St. Theodosius of Chernigov. Both banners are now fortified to the north. and south. the walls of the central nave. In the sacristy of the cathedral there are precious liturgical objects: altar crosses of the 18th - early 20th century. XX century, chalices (including those made at the imperial glass factory in St. Petersburg in the late 18th - early 19th centuries), air embroidered with gold, etc., as well as priestly vestments of the 19th century.
The cathedral has preserved the main set of 17 bells, formed in the 19th century, with the exception of the largest bell received in the 20th century. crack. The total weight of all bells exceeds 6800 kg.

In previous posts, we talked in detail about the history and architecture of the St. Petersburg Church of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as Savior on Spilled Blood... But acquaintance with this unique architectural monument of the "Russian style" will be incomplete if we do not admire its interior decoration. Interior of the Savior on Spilled Blood is not inferior to the external appearance: entering the temple, you seem to find yourself inside a fairytale box, sparkling with precious stones, gilding and multicolor mosaic paintings, which cover the walls, domes and vaults of the temple with a solid carpet.

Below you will find description and photos of the interior of the Savior on Spilled Blood including unique mosaics inside the cathedral... You can read more about the architecture of the building in the article "Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg: Architecture and Mosaics on the Facades".

Finally, practical information about visiting the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg (how to get there, opening hours, ticket prices, etc.).

Savior on Spilled Blood inside: description and photos of the interior decoration

Decoration interior of the Savior on Spilled Blood(the Church of the Resurrection of Christ) amazes with its magnificence. The interior space of the cathedral is quite compact (although the cathedral is designed for 1600 worshipers), but it is so rich in decor that it takes your breath away from this grandiose beauty, sparkling colors and delightful light.

There are two rows of windows in the temple, and before that glass of different color was inserted into them: colorless, transparent at the bottom and blue at the top, with a smooth color transition. Because of this, in any weather, the effect of a bright blue sky outside the temple was created.

Although different artists have worked on the interior design, it looks like a holistic, harmonious work. High pylons, soaring domes and vaults create the impression of striving towards the heavens.

Especially striking mosaic decoration(we will talk about it in more detail later).

Mosaic inside the Savior on Spilled Blood

Savior on Spilled Blood is famous for the largest ensemble of works in Russia mosaic art, which is why the cathedral is even called the "museum of mosaics". While the mosaic on the outside only accentuates the main compositional nodes of the building, inside mosaic compositions almost completely cover the planes of the walls, pylons, vaults and domes of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. The images of the iconostasis and icon cases are also mosaic.

The mosaic decoration of the Savior on Spilled Blood is unique both in terms of its artistic level and its scale. If the area of facade mosaic compositions is more than 400 sq. m, then the total mosaic cover in the interior of the Savior on Spilled Blood occupies 7065 sq. m.

This is the only Orthodox church, the mosaic decoration of which is so large in area - even by European standards, it is one of the largest mosaic collections. According to Professor Pokrovsky, “ none of the Byzantine, Roman, even Ravenna and Sicilian temples has such an abundance of mosaics» .

It is well known that, in comparison with murals mosaic- a more expensive, but more durable form of fine art. Durability has proven to be a very useful property, given the difficult fate of the temple after the revolution. As subsequent events showed, the use of such durable materials as mosaic and stone helped the temple to somehow survive the years of trials.

Today it is already difficult for us to imagine the Savior on Spilled Blood without its "corporate" mosaic interior. In fact, the idea to decorate the church from the inside with mosaics did not appear immediately: initially it was supposed to paint the interior, and to include the mosaic only in the composition of the facades and make icons from it for the iconostasis.

In March 1895 (when there was still no talk of interior mosaic decoration), a competition was announced for the production of exterior mosaics for the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. The competition was attended by "Venice Workshop" by Antonio Salviati ( Antonio Salviati) and the Venetian Mosaic Society ( Società Musiva Veneziana), world-famous, the German firm "Pul and Wagner", as well as the Mosaic Department of the Academy of Arts, which had extensive experience in St. Isaac's Cathedral, and, finally, the first private mosaic workshop in Russia founded in 1890 A. A. Frolov... The preference was given to the samples of this workshop, due to their high artistic qualities, durability and quick and cheap dialing technique.

A year after the competition, it was proposed to use mosaic and interior... The creation of the originals was first entrusted to the workshop of A.A. Parland, but soon it was decided to order this work by famous artists, especially since already in 1894-1895 M.V. Nesterov, A.P. Ryabushkin, A.F. Afanasyev, V.V. Belyaev, N. A. Bruni, F. S. Zhuravlev, N. A. Koshelev, A. N. Novoseltsev and others made sketches and cardboard for outdoor compositions. By 1900, sketches and cardboards for interior painting were mostly completed.

The creation began in A. A. Frolov's private studio of decorative mosaics on the Kadetskaya Line. After the early death of the master in June 1897, his younger brother replaced him Vladimir Alexandrovich Frolov(1874-1942). The workshop moved, and later was housed in the Frolovs' own building on Vasilievsky Island. In a relatively short period of time, almost everything was created in this workshop. mosaic decoration of the Savior on Spilled Blood. V. A. Frolov became a major master of Russian and Soviet mosaics and is considered the main creator mosaic decoration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Blood).

V.A.Frolov continued his brother's research, who was the first in Russia to master accelerated "reverse" ("Venetian") dialing method... This method was designed to create large-scale compositions perceived from a distance. The picturesque original was transferred onto thick paper in a mirror image. Then the drawing was divided into parts, after which pieces of smalt were glued to each part (face down). The finished mosaic was surrounded by a frame and poured with cement mortar. Mosaic blocks were attached to the wall, and the seams between them were filled with mastic, along which the composition was then "reached" in a direct way.

In creativity V. A. Frolova Accuracy in conveying the authors' individual emphasis was combined with a craving for decorative generalization of the drawing and sonority of color. This fully corresponded to the artistic goals of Art Nouveau, and at the same time it corresponded to the character of monumental mosaic as an art inextricably linked with architecture.

Decorativeness was achieved by strengthening several basic tones, by clearly defining the boundaries of chiaroscuro, colors and shades. The set was simplified and enlarged with increasing height. Refusal to polish smalt helped to reveal the richness of its texture.

Unlike the mosaics of St. Isaac's Cathedral, which reproduced previously created works of oil painting, the originals of the Savior on Spilled Blood plots were immediately written with the expectation of their execution in smalt. There is not a single painting inside the temple. Amazing carpet of lovely mosaic paintings covers the entire inner space of the temple. This unique ensemble was created under the direction of architect A. A. Parland by a whole team of mosaic masters based on sketches 32 artists among which were V. M. Vasnetsov, M. V. Nesterov, A. P. Ryabushkin, N. N. Kharlamov, V. V. Belyaev and V. I. Otmar(;). Parland himself took part.

Creation mosaics for the Savior on Spilled Blood was supervised by a commission of experts on monumental painting headed by E.V. Pokrovsky, an authoritative expert on Orthodox iconography. The work of the painters was directly observed by V. I. Uspensky, who specially studied ancient Russian art.

The strict requirements of the commission hampered the creative freedom of artists, which is why, for example, V.M. Vasnetsov and M.V. Nesterov, this work did not bring creative satisfaction. Nesterov perceived this order only as an opportunity to earn money, as a job far from genuine creativity (;).

It is natural that artists who wrote originals for mosaics, differed both in the degree of talent and in the artistic manner. For example, mosaic icons based on sketches by A. P. Ryabushkin, N. A. Koshelev and N. K. Bodarevsky are made in the tradition of academic painting; in the works of M.V. Nesterov and N.A. As a result, the compositions remained unequal and varied in style. Despite this, the interior of the temple is perceived as a single whole.

Mosaics inside the Savior on Spilled Blood divided in accordance with the concept of the temple into several thematic cycles (;):

In the porches there are floral ornaments on a greenish-blue "night" background.

In the arched passageways of the porches, Old Testament scenes are located on a blue background, as well as images of the twelve feasts on a gold background (photo source:).

The pylons and pilasters of the walls depict saints, the "pillars" of the Church (over 200 ascetics in total: apostles, martyrs, saints, prophets). Among the Russian saints are Prince Vladimir of Kiev and Princess Olga, the passion-bearer princes Boris and Gleb, Mikhail of Chernigovsky and the boyar Theodor, as well as Alexander Nevsky.

In the central part of the temple, on the walls and vaults, against a blue background, the earthly life of Christ is depicted, starting with the Annunciation and ending with the entrance to Jerusalem.

In the western part of the temple, around the place where Alexander II was fatally wounded, there are scenes of the Savior's suffering, Crucifixion and Resurrection on a gold background; in the eastern part, also against a gold background, there are scenes that complete the Gospel cycle (the Lord's appearances after the Resurrection).

Numerous biblical stories separated by unique mosaic patterns. The pattern of this colorful baguette is varied, but the leading place is taken by the floral ornament. According to Parland himself, the ornaments “ predominantly take their motives from the vegetable, sometimes fantastic kingdom with an admixture of occasionally light whip". Mosaic icons and ornaments fill the surfaces of the pylons and walls, smoothly transforming into the curved surfaces of arches, vaults and domes.

As already mentioned, sketches for mosaic decoration of the Savior on Spilled Blood performed by a whole galaxy of painters. True, according to the original idea of the architect A.A. Parland, one artist was supposed to be the author of all the mosaics of the temple - Victor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov, already then famous as an outstanding master of religious painting. But at that time Vasnetsov carried out other orders, therefore, for the church, only two images were created in the iconostases - "The Savior" and "The Mother of God and the Child" - and five mosaics on the facades.

North wall mosaics (photo source):

The painting style of AP Ryabushkin is distinguished by its originality, a special spirit of "Russianness", but at the same time by the active use of the techniques of the academic school. This is especially noticeable in the example of the mosaic “ Feeding five loaves of five thousand people". The spherical semi-dome is perceived as a celestial vault, which is enhanced by a bright background of blue and dark blue smalt (photo source:).

Monumental mosaic compositions of the northern wall of the Savior on Spilled Blood, created according to the originals of A.P. Ryabushkin, are distinguished by the expressiveness of lines, the generalization and sonority of colorful spots. The scenes on the opposite southern wall (artists V. I. Otmar, V. P. Pavlov, I. F. Porfirov and others) are recognized by experts as weaker in artistic terms (photo source:).

Central to mosaic ensemble of the Savior on Spilled Blood belongs to works Nikolay Nikolaevich Kharlamov... By that time, he had gained fame as a monumental artist who breathed new life into the canonical techniques of Byzantine art. Kharlamov was entrusted with making sketches of plots for the large apse and for the plafonds of all five domes. In total, this artist is responsible for the preparatory work for 42 interior mosaics .

The largest of them is the mosaic image of Christ the Almighty, "Christ Pantokrator", in the plafond of the central dome - is one of the most significant works in the work of Kharlamov. The expressive, clearly outlined face of the blessing Savior with huge dark eyes is full of magnetic power. He is surrounded by six-winged seraphim. This striking work is made in the best traditions of Orthodox monumental painting and is the apogee of the church's mosaic symphony. IN mosaic "Pantokrator" such features of Byzantine icon painting as generalization and breadth of composition, laconism of forms (;) were manifested.

Mosaic covers all five domes of the temple... The main dome, as we already know, is occupied by the image of Pantokrator. In four small domes are represented: the Mother of God, Savior Emmanuel, John the Baptist and Savior the Good Silence. All these mosaics are created from sketches N.N. Kharlamova according to the canons of Byzantine icon painting. These compositions are comparatively small in size and are distinguished by a precise and clear set pattern.

Let's take a closer look at the mosaic of the northwest dome " The virgin". The artist depicted a female face of extraordinary beauty. The face is oval with rounded cheeks, the nose is slightly elongated with a hump. The hair is hidden by a bluish-turquoise veil, over which there is a dark purple cape with gold trim, covering the head and shoulders. The eyes of the Mother of God are nut-colored, but shaded with turquoise and violet colors, from a distance they are perceived as violet.

The mosaic of the southwestern dome is very expressive. John the Baptist". In the center of this plafond, there is a bust image of John the Baptist. The face is typed in smalt of beige shades, a clear black line frames the eyes and nose of the saint.

Mosaic of the southeastern dome " Spas Emmanuel"Represents Christ in adolescence, and the mosaic of the northeastern dome" Spas the Good Silence”- Christ in the angelic rank, before incarnation (that is, before coming to people), in the form of a beardless youth with wings behind his back. The halo of the Savior here is like an eight-pointed star.

The same N.N. Kharlamov is the author of the mosaic composition " Eucharist"On the theme of" The Last Supper "in the main altar. Ordinary visitors to the temple cannot see it, except sometimes when the royal gates of the iconostasis are ajar (but even then only the central part of the mosaic is visible) (photo source:).

The wide mosaic frieze adorning the concave surface of the wall is at a low height. This mosaic depicts the liturgical type of the Last Supper plot, which represents the sacred meaning of the establishment of the rite of Communion (Eucharist), in contrast to the historical type, which shows the moment Christ predicted the betrayal of Judas. The angels bowed the ripids over Christ, and the seraphim were the instruments of the passions. The movement of two groups of apostles with expressive gestures is directed towards the Savior. The sacrament of the Eucharist is being fulfilled. With his right hand, Christ gives by his teaching the holy bread ("this is my body"), with his left hand - a cup of wine ("this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many"). In this work, the artist harmoniously combined the Byzantine traditions with the characteristics of the academic school (photo source:).

The mosaics of the apses and domes are made on an exaggerated large scale. They are in the focus of perception and crown the entire picturesque ensemble. Mosaic “ Christ in glory"Above the iconostasis (in the middle apse), also created from sketches N.N. Kharlamova:

In the center of the mosaic is the figure of Christ carried by fiery seraphim. The image with a beautiful dark face is inscribed in a shining halo - Mandorla. The figure of Christ is enveloped in a light white-turquoise cloak, from under which the sleeves of a red tunic are visible. Christ is absolutely motionless, only the eyes live. Along the edges are the symbols of the four evangelists and two groups of representatives of the heavenly host.

In addition to the above songs, N.N. Kharlamov was the author of the cardboards on which some other mosaics in the interior of the Savior on Spilled Blood: 8 seraphim, 4 evangelists, 4 images of angels with passions, 8 images of the powers of heaven, 8 images of angels, “Saint Basil the Great”, “Saint John Chrysostom”, the text of the prayer before communion, “Saints Cyril and Methodius”, “Saints Stephen of Perm and Isaac of Dalmatia ”, a frieze of seraphim, images of seraphim and angels.

The artist also took part in the work on the mosaic decoration of the temple. N. A. Koshelev... In addition to the mosaic panel of the kokoshnik of the southern facade "Christ in Glory", he developed sketches for two panels in the interior of the Savior on Spilled Blood: « Transfiguration"(On the eastern vault) and" Flight to Egypt"(On the east side, in the salt):

Mosaic " Transfiguration"According to the original by N. A. Koshelev:

The authorship of the largest number of mosaics in the interior and on the facades of the Savior on Spilled Blood (48 sketches in total) belongs to the artist Vasily Vasilievich Belyaev... In particular, large mosaic compositions “ Sermon on the Mount"On the southern vault," Entry to Jerusalem"On the western vault and" Blessing children»On the east side (in the salt):

Mosaic of the western vault " Entry to Jerusalem"According to the original by V. V. Belyaev:

South Vault Mosaic " Sermon on the Mount"According to the original by V. V. Belyaev:

Mosaic of the small northern apse " The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles"According to the original by V. V. Belyaev:

Small southern apse mosaic " Ascension"According to the original by V.P. Pavlov:

Exactly V. V. Belyaev was entrusted with the responsible task of creating originals for the mosaic scenes of the western part of the temple, which, as we remember, is located on the site of the fatal wound of Alexander II and therefore - along with the altar - is the semantic and compositional center of the space. The theme of martyrdom, assimilation of the murdered king to Christ and the desire to preserve the memory of the place of his death was one of the main ideas Church-monument of the Savior on Spilled Blood... Hence the theme mosaic compositions surrounding the canopy over the “memorial place”: images associated with the Passion of Christ, with the Golgotha drama dominate here.

Cycle mosaics of the western part of the Savior on Spilled Blood created according to the originals of V.V.Belyaev ("Entombment", "Crucifixion", "Descent into Hell"), is distinguished by a wide measured manner of writing, clarity of drawing and strict adherence to the law of complementary colors. In these mosaics, the theme of the martyrdom of Alexander II is revealed associatively through the fate of the Savior.

Stone in the decoration of the temple

The canopy is surrounded by a balustrade made of pink eagle (rhodonite), complemented by an openwork gilded lattice. The balustrade was made at the Yekaterinburg Lapidary Factory in 1911, and then sent for revision to the Peterhof Lapidary Factory. The balustrade was installed only in 1913.

The inner surface of the vault was once distinguished by an amazingly rich decoration in the technique of Florentine mosaic of more than thirty types of precious stones. The vault was inlaid with Siberian agate, jasper, stars from faceted topaz (according to other sources, it was not topaz, but rock crystal). It took about 50 kg of Bukhara lapis lazuli (;;) only to create the background.

By the time the restoration of the Savior on Spilled Blood began, it became clear that over the many years of abuse over the temple, the canopy was almost completely destroyed. The upper part (tent) was absent altogether. Only the jasper columns with drip pillars and mosaic inserts, as well as part of the balustrade, survived. The restoration of the canopy was completed quite recently.

Model of the Savior on Spilled Blood

In addition to all the sights described above, in the cathedral you can see a model of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

This model was made by the masters of the Bushnev bronze factory in 2003 (bronze, pewter, casting, hand-painted) and donated to the State Museum of St. Isaac's Cathedral (the branch of which is the Savior on Spilled Blood) from the company StanMark.

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