In the twelfth century, when the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was ruled by the great Vladimir prince Vsevolod, the principality was at the peak of its development. At this time, the Grand Duke is building a cathedral to glorify the Vladimir land. The greatest monument of architecture, history and culture, the Demetrius Cathedral is a true value not only of the city of Vladimir, Russia, this monument is the heritage of mankind.
Unfortunately, the ancient chronicles did not preserve the exact date of construction of the cathedral. Scientists believe that the cathedral was built between 1194 and 1997. It was built by Russian masters. In 1237, the cathedral was looted and damaged by the Tatars, after which it burned several more times. In 1839, by the greatest command of Nicholas I, “restoration work” was carried out in the cathedral in order to give the temple its original appearance. As a result of this kind of work, the Dmitrievsky Cathedral was mutilated to such an extent that it no longer resembled the original version.
The temple was conceived as a church in the palace of Prince Vsevolod. At the same time, several outstanding buildings were built in Vladimir, but among them the Dmitrievsky Cathedral occupies a central and honorable place. Experts consider it a true masterpiece.
Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir is the embodiment of harmony and measure. Perfect proportions and nobility of forms make it completely unique. He is beautiful. Every corner of it is permeated with the spirit of solemnity. All the achievements of Russian masters in the technique of engraving, enamelling, filigree and, most importantly, wood carving have found their place in the motives of the cathedral. Its walls are decorated with white stone carvings, so it is often called a stone poem, a stone carpet, a precious casket.
The authors of lace carving are carvers from Vladimir, but Bulgarians and Serbs worked next to them, so there are many motifs in white stone carving that were used throughout Europe. 566 carved stones on the facade of the temple represent an original picture of the world, in which the images of Christianity are intertwined with the images of folk mythology. They tried to find the origins of the Vladimir temple carving in Kyiv, Galich, and the search led researchers to many countries of the world.
Dmitrievsky Cathedral has several large compositions on the facade. On the south - "Ascension of Alexander the Great." It would seem a somewhat unusual plot for a Christian cathedral, but historians say that in the Middle Ages this plot was very popular not only in Russia, but throughout Europe.
The northern facade is decorated with a composition depicting a scene from the family life of Prince Vsevolod. In this relief, Prince Vsevolod sits on a throne with a newborn son in his arms, surrounded by other sons. He was the proud father of twelve children.
The main figure in the decoration of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral is King David, whose image is located in the center of all three facades.
The inner walls of the cathedral were painted by masters from Greece, who were invited by the Grand Duke. The Greeks created frescoes that take your breath away when you look at them. Demetrius Cathedral keeps an episode from the Last Judgment. Historians believe that Russian and Greek masters worked on the composition.
Scientists from all over the world consider the Demetrius Cathedral to be a true work of art. Vladimir, where the monument is located, is rich in historical sights, but the Cathedral of Prince Vsevolod is its snow-white pearl.
