Many magnificent monuments of architecture have been preserved in our country. All of them belong to different styles and times, but still amaze both tourists and locals. Many objects have long been restored and look more modern, but they retain their individuality and have unique features. Being close to ancient architectural objects, people enjoy the unique atmosphere and always learn something new about history and culture.
Rostov is definitely worth a visit. Assumption Cathedral, which is located here, is of particular interest. The article will talk about him, his history and much more.
Rostov, Assumption Cathedral. General information
For starters, it's worth getting to know this architectural object in more detail. This is a wonderful cultural monument, which has a rich history. The date of its construction is unknown, but there is evidence thatit already existed in the 12th century. During this time, many changes took place in its appearance, several times it was completely destroyed and rebuilt.
The cathedral is located near the Rostov Kremlin. Interestingly, these two objects form a single architectural complex, which offers wonderful views. It is best to look at these objects from the side where Lake Nero is located. In general, this is the central architectural ensemble in the city, which always attracts a large number of tourists and visitors.
In addition, the Assumption Cathedral in Rostov-Veliky includes one more object, which is a belfry, located separately from the cathedral. This is a very unusual building, which has a lot of features. It will be discussed later.
History of the Cathedral
Now it is worth talking about the history of this wonderful architectural monument. It, as we have already said, is located in the very center of the city. Unfortunately, there is no exact data on the time of its construction.
It was originally made of wood. In 1160 the temple was destroyed by fire. However, a year later, his recovery began. This decision was made by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Then they began to build the building of the temple of stone. However, it did not last long in this form. In 1204, a fire broke out again at this place, which destroyed the building.
But the temple began to be restored again. This process took over 15 years. After that, at the beginning of the 15th century, another fire broke out. He wasso strong that the temple completely collapsed, as even the vaults of the cathedral and its head burned down. Despite this, it was again restored in white stone, and it again began to decorate the city of Rostov with its appearance. Assumption Cathedral in the version in which you can see it now, was built in 1512. The construction process took 4 years.
In the 17th century, there were also some changes in the appearance of the temple. A porch was added to it and the chapters were slightly changed. Some restoration work was carried out in the 19th century.
The cathedral in Soviet times and its restoration
It is worth talking about the future fate of the temple. As a result of the revolution, significant changes affected the city of Rostov itself, the Assumption Cathedral and many other objects. At first, the temple was handed over for the use of the community. After some time, it was decided to close it. Despite this, the cathedral survived and was not destroyed.
In 1953, a powerful hurricane occurred in the city, it tore off the roofs from many buildings in the city. Then the Assumption Cathedral suffered. Rostov was recovering for some time after such a revelry of the elements. The process of reconstruction also affected the temple. Its roof was completely replaced with a new one, and received a completely different coating. It was decided to leave the form of the heads of the church the same. At first they wanted to make them helmet-shaped, but it was decided not to change the onion shape so that the temple looked in the same style as the Kremlin.
In addition to repair work, excavations were also carried out in these places at that time. As a result, the origin althe masonry of the church, which, according to scientists, dates back to the 12th century. In the early 90s of the XX century, the temple was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Features of the architecture of the cathedral
Be sure to note the appearance of the temple. As mentioned above, the buildings of the cathedral and its belfries are located on the territory adjacent to the main building of the city - the Kremlin. The temple has 5 chapters, a brick building was built. However, some of its parts are made of stone - this is the plinth and several other elements. The cathedral is decorated with various decorative details. Its height is really amazing - it is 60 meters.
The architecture of this object, for the most part, resembles the traditional Vladimir-Suzdal architecture. The temple building has narrow window openings that look like loopholes. The domes of the cathedral are on high- altitude light drums.
Thus, we got acquainted with the external appearance of the cathedral, and also analyzed in detail how it looks and what architectural style it belongs to.
What is inside the temple?
Of course, it is worth telling in more detail about what is located in the premises of the cathedral, as well as about its interior decoration. It is believed that until the end of the 16th century, this object was decorated with various murals. Such data are contained in some annals. However, already at the end of the 17th century, large-scale work began on the creation of new murals, which later adorned the walls of the temple.
This process went on for quite a long time, it was done by well-known masters - I. Vladimirov and S. Dmitriev. After some time, other specialists were invited. Unfortunately, these works have not reached our time. They were destroyed by a fire that occurred in 1671. After that, the paintings were periodically updated.
However, much later, in the 50s of the XX century, ancient frescoes dating back to the 16th-17th centuries were discovered here. In addition to the murals, another remarkable item has been preserved - the iconostasis. It is made in the Baroque style and belongs to the middle of the 18th century.
To see these objects, you must visit Rostov-Veliky, the Assumption Cathedral. Photos of the temple can be seen in many guidebooks, as well as in other travel materials.
Cathedral belfry
Another interesting object worth talking about separately is the belfry. It belongs to the complex of the Kremlin and the cathedral. This is one of the important elements of the whole ensemble. It is located in close proximity to the temple building. These two buildings are remarkably combined in style, despite the fact that they belong to completely different times. Their age differs by more than 100 years.
The belfry itself consists of two floors. On the first of them there are premises used for economic purposes. The second floor is a large platform with 4 spans. Above each of them is a chapter. To get here, you need to climb a narrow staircase that runs inside the wall. Of particular interest is the fact that the building has many voids that amplify the sound.
History of the belfry
Now it's worth talking about how this wonderful object appeared. It is an important part, which includes the Assumption Cathedral. Rostov-Veliky boasts many attractions, but the belfry is a special building that deserves special attention.
Building the belfry began in 1682. Then it consisted of 3 spans. After 7 years, all construction work was completed. There were 13 different bells here. In the 19th century, it was decided to hang 2 more bells.
In the 20th century, this object was under the threat of destruction. However, in 1919 the director of the Rostov Museum came to the defense of the belfry. People's Commissar A. V. Lunacharsky arrived in the city, as well as several scientists. After that, it was decided to preserve this unique cultural monument.
Belfry bells
It is also necessary to note the peculiarities of the belfry. As already mentioned, it has many different bells. All of them differ in both weight and sound. Some of them have unusual names. The heaviest of them - "Sysy", it weighs about 32 tons. Much lighter than the bells "Polyeleiny" (about 16 tons) and "Swan" (8 tons). The smallest of them weighs 24 kilograms and is called Yasak.
Probably, the story about how the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral in Rostov took place, its description, as well as the interesting history of the belfry will push you to see this unique architectural monument.
Where is the cathedral?
Probably, many are already interested in the question, where is the described object. Every year many people come to see the sights of Rostov-Veliky. Assumption Cathedral is no exception, you can often see visitors here. Getting to it is not at all difficult, since it is located right in the historical center of the city. The building of the temple is located on the Cathedral Square of Rostov. The belfry is located next to the cathedral.
