Majestic cathedrals decorated with bright domes. Mysterious, large and small churches, cathedrals and temples of Moscow are the spiritual wealth of the country. Many of them are of architectural value and are among the sights of the city.
Andronikov Monastery and Spassky Cathedral
The architectural creation of white stone is considered the oldest Orthodox church in Moscow outside the Kremlin. He appeared on the territory of the monastery, the first abbot, who was Andronika (student of Sergei Radonezh) in the XIV century.
It was established that Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny were engaged in the painting of the cathedral. From the original frescoes, only some parts of the ornaments remained. Now in the restored Cathedral operates the Central Museum. Andrei Rublev, church services are being held. The Museum contains church books, cult attributes, icons, frescoes from various churches in Russia.
There is a workshop for the restoration of ancient works, guided tours. The museum is open daily from 11.0 to 18.00 hours. Day off Wednesday. The Cathedral is located at Andreevskaya Square, 10. The easiest way to get there is by metro to the stops Chkalovskaya, Ilyich Square, Rimskaya.
Vysoko - Petrovsky Monastery
The modern architectural ensemble in the form of restored ancient monastic buildings began its activity in 2009. 700 years have passed since the founding of the monastery (in 2015). There are three options for the appearance of an architectural landmark of Moscow.
According to the basic version, the monastery was conceived by Metropolitan Peter. The wooden church of Peter, Paul was built in 1317. The second assumption is associated with a vision that arose from Ivan Kalita during a hunt in these places and who built the Peter and Paul Church.
The future male monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church was formed around it. According to the third version, the emergence of the monastery ensemble is associated with the victory of Dmitry Donskoy in the Battle of Kulikovo. Now on the territory of the monastery there are several famous temples and churches.
The ensemble of the monastery performs the functions of the Patriarchal courtyard. It hosts the Orthodox Institute of Russia of the Apostle John the Theologian. There is a courtyard with interesting cathedrals and churches at st. Petrovka, 28/2. You can get to it by metro, reaching the Chekhovskaya or Trubnaya stops.
Novodevichy Convent
Now you can admire the majestic ensemble, created in the 16th-17th centuries and preserved in its original form. Its founder is considered to be the Grand Duke Vasily III. The complex of architectural buildings is on the lists of world heritage, protected by UNESCO. It received the name "New" in comparison with the previously erected monasteries in Moscow.
The miraculous icon of Hodegetria, written by the Evangelist Luke, was transferred here. The central building of the ensemble is the five-domed Smolensk Cathedral. There you can see amazing frescoes of the 16th century.
The Novodevichy Convent is considered one of the most beautiful monasteries in the capital. Services are held in it, the halls of the Historical Museum are located. The attraction of the ensemble is the famous Novodevichye cemetery (the old one is on the territory of the complex, the new one is located outside its wall).
In terms of importance, it is in second place after the burials at the Kremlin wall. The cemetery contains the graves of Chekhov, Levitan, Khrushchev, Yeltsin, and other famous names.
The address of the ensemble: Novodevichy proezd, 1. You can get there by metro to the Sportivnaya station, bus routes 64, 132. Open daily from 9.00 to 17.00 hours.
Cathedral of the Archangel
The white, stately cathedral does not hold regular church services. Only on patronal holidays, on Radunitsa, calm prayers are heard here.
A solemn, mysterious mood fills the entire temple, erected in honor of the Archangel Michael. He was considered the guide of the souls of dead people to the kingdom of eternity, the patrons of the great princes. Russian tsars (from Ivan Kalita to F.M. Romanov), the great dukes, rest under the arches of the temple.
The first church building appeared on Russian soil in 1333 at the direction of Ivan Kalita. The new tomb was built in 1505 under the leadership of Tsar Ivan III. The Rurikovichs are buried along the walls, the Romanovs in the center of the hall. In the altar part are the bodies of Ivan the Terrible and his sons. There are 54 burials in total.
The temple is located on Cathedral Square, opposite the Annunciation Church. A visit to the sight is included in all excursions around the Kremlin. The architectural ensemble of the square is open for inspection with a single ticket, worth 500 rubles. There are benefits for schoolchildren, pensioners, students. Day off every Thursday.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
The temple is one of the oldest Orthodox buildings in Moscow. Its construction dates back to the end of the 14th century as a house church for the royal family. The first wooden church, built by the son of Dmitry Donskoy, was located next to the entrance to the palace, where the royal family lived.
This explains the old name of the cathedral "Annunciation in the entrance". Weddings and baptisms of persons of the royal family took place here. The painting of the temple was carried out by the famous masters Prokhor from Gorodets, Andrei Rublev, Theophan the Greek. The stone cathedral, which has survived to our time, appeared 100 years later at the behest of Ivan III. Divine services in the cathedral were resumed in 1993.
They take place once a year at the Annunciation. Together with him, the old custom of letting birds free on this joyful spring holiday was revived.
The Annunciation Cathedral is located in the southwestern part of the square. You can visit the landmark of Moscow with a single entry ticket, which gives you the opportunity to see the architectural ensemble of Cathedral Square.
Verkhospassky Cathedral
The ornate cathedral with eleven golden domes is part of the presidential residence. It is difficult to get into it. Otherwise, he was called the Savior Behind the Golden Bars. The fabulous temple, erected during the reign of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, in ancient times was separated from the street by a wrought copper fence covered with gold leaf.
The cathedral is the house churches of the tsars and Moscow princes united by a common roof. This is the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, Catherine, the Resurrection of the Word, Verkhospassky, etc.
A common roof with 11 shallow chapters appeared in 1680. The entire complex of churches was included in the ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace. Some elements of different churches have been preserved. This is a chased copper iconostasis, icons on silk, a carved crucifix, gilded choirs.
Many elements have been restored to their original form. The cathedral is located on Verkhospasskaya square. Currently, there are no divine services in it. The temple is closed for public visits during excursions.
Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles
The passage to the main square of Moscow is organized through the festive arches of the church built in honor of the Twelve Apostles. It forms a single harmonious ensemble of the Kremlin together with the main temples of the square.
The temple was erected much later (1680), together with the creation of the magnificent Patriarchal Chambers, which became an example of the national architecture of ancient Russia. The ensemble includes two house churches, the World Chamber (cross), royal chambers, monks' cells. Initially, the cathedral served as the home church of the patriarchs of Russia.
The feast of honoring the holy apostles of Christ originated in the 4th century. The date of its holding was approved the day after the celebration in memory of Peter, Paul. Previously, this site was the location of the church of the famous Holy Solovetsky miracle workers.
Only the altar remained from the old temple, access to it is closed. The cathedral received its modern name in 1580 after the reconstruction caused by fire.The old gallery connecting the buildings was reconstructed in 1922.
Now the cathedral houses the Museum of Applied Arts and Life of the XYII century. Here you can see items made of fabrics, books, dishes, weapons, jewelry created by famous masters. You can visit the Patriarchal Palace and the Cathedral together with excursions every day, except Thursday from 10.00 to 17.00 hours.
St. Basil's Cathedral
One cannot help but admire the multi-colored domes of the most beautiful Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, which survived the hard times of Russia. For many centuries it has been a decoration of Red Square. The architectural complex includes ten churches or limits.
Initially, these were marching wooden churches, erected in honor of the victories in the struggle against the Kazan Khanate in the campaigns to Vzlobye (now Red Square). In October 1552, the day after the day of the Most Holy Theotokos, the tsar decided to erect a stone church (Pokrovsky Cathedral) on the site of small churches.
There are several versions about who built the cathedral. Not all the secrets of the unique style, combining elements of Russian architecture with the traditions that came from the Renaissance, are revealed in our time. Healing from many diseases, the relics of St. Basil the Blessed were transferred to the earth near the Intercession Cathedral.
In 1588, the ninth church was erected over his grave in the form of an independent cathedral church.Rare icons and frescoes can be seen in the cathedral. A bell tower was built on the site of the old belfry.
Address: Red Square, 2. Daily excursions from 11.00 to 16.00 hours.
Kazan Cathedral on Red Square
It's hard to believe that a small, beautiful cathedral, after three centuries of its difficult life, was completely destroyed around 1936. The building was completely restored and consecrated in 1993.
Its main shrine is the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Kazan. The cathedral became the first active Orthodox church, revived from the completely lost ancient heritage of the city.
One of the central churches of the capital continued the life given to it in the middle of the 17th century in gratitude to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God for the victory over the Polish-Lithuanian invasion under the leadership of Pozharsky and Minin. Images of the pre-revolutionary painting of the interior decoration of the church have not survived.
Located on the street. Nikolskaya, 3. When traveling by metro, you need to get off at the Teatralnaya, Okhotny Ryad, and Ploshchad Revolyutsii stations. Tourists can get to the cathedral from 8.00 to 16.50 hours. Daily at 8.30 am. and 16.50 are church services.
Assumption Cathedral on Cathedral Square
The oldest square in the Kremlin is Cathedral Square. Each meter of its area creates an atmosphere of distant events of antiquity, the times of the life of tsars, the numerous grand duchy. Among the main architectural gems of the square is the simple and at the same time majestic Assumption Cathedral.
For a long time it was the main Cathedral of Russia. The temple was erected by order of Ivan Kalita around 1326. The white-stone building of the temple appeared in 1479, and the golden domes were born during the life of Ivan the Terrible in about 1547.
The coronations of the kings of the 16th and 17th centuries took place in this temple. Under the vaults of the cathedral, chants sounded during the wedding of royal persons. The burials of patriarchs and metropolitans of that time were also created here. Festive services have been held in the church since 1955.
Since 1991, it has been an important element of the Moscow Kremlin State Historical Museum-Reserve.
Krutitskoe Patriarchal Compound
This place of Moscow is often called “the island of antiquity” in the modern city. In the distant depths of antiquity, on a steep and steep river bank, stood the princely village of Krutitsy. Important trade routes of ancient Russia passed through it, merchants and princes settled.
In 1272, a temple was erected in the village, and then a man's monastery. An old cobblestone pavement, streets with wooden buildings, flowering trees from the remains of an orchard create a special atmosphere in the courtyard.
The architectural monuments of the Krutitsy courtyard include the small Assumption Cathedral, the church in the name of Peter and Paul, and the bell tower. The Metropolitan's Chambers, the Holy Gates, their connecting gallery, the Cross Chamber (Church of the Resurrection of the Word). Embankment, Drying, Order Chambers. He did not manage to avoid destruction and robberies. Now, along with traditional church activities, the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for Youth Affairs functions in it.
The Krutitskoye courtyard is located at the intersection of the 1st Krutitsky lane with Krutitskaya street in the Tagansky district of the capital. You can visit the restored ensemble on your own or together with organized excursions. Ticket price is 350 rubles.
Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Kolomenskoye
The white-stone temple, directed upwards, proudly rises above the Moscow River, in the vicinity of the ancient village of Kolomenskoye in the former Tsar's estate near Moscow. The temple has long been included in the UNESCO lists, it is considered a worthy monument of Russian architecture.
The architecture of the majestic temple had an unusual shape for the time of its construction in 1530. The site for the construction of the church in honor of the birth of the future Tsar Ivan the Terrible was chosen in accordance with the traditions of Russia next to a healing underground spring (unfortunately filled up in 1970), which heals from infertility.
There is still a legend about the untold treasures, the library of Ivan the Terrible, hidden in the dungeons of the temple. Now the first tent-roofed church made of bricks and stones is part of the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve complex. There is an exposition of elements that allow you to learn the history of the temple.
For tourists, it is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00 hours. The address of the church: Moscow, Andropova Avenue, 39. It is easy to get there by metro to the station. Kolomenskoye. Services are held on Sunday, on church holidays.
Church of Pope Clement
The largest church in Zamoskvorechye, erected in honor of the Apostle Clement, who was martyred, is considered a monument of federal significance. The Orthodox church in its original form was a small wooden church.
In the middle of the 18th century, a majestic five-domed church was erected in honor of the new queen Elizabeth Petrovna. The temple is well preserved due to the presence of the funds of the Russian Library in it. It contains more than 1.5 million books taken from the libraries of monasteries and churches.
The structure of the modern church includes the borders of the Inempted Bush, Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Sign of the Mother of God, the Patriarch of Alexandria, and the Pope Clement of Rome. A large number of ancient and modern revered icons are kept here. Among them is the "Mammal", the icon of Clement of the Pope. The rich interior decoration of the temple includes a beautiful baroque iconostasis.
Located at st. Pyatnitskaya, 267, next to the Tretyakovskaya metro station.
Ivan the Great belltower
Bell ringing at all times of the existence of Russia was considered holy and mighty. All the most important events in the country were announced by the ringing of bells. The ringing from the bell tower of Ivan the Great was considered the symbol of the Mother See.
For more than 500 years, the church harmoniously unites all the buildings of Cathedral Square into a single ensemble, towering above it. Initially, it was a small wooden church built in honor of St. John Climacus on Borovitsky Hill by the order of Ivan Kalita. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower acquired its present appearance around 1630.
The church has 22 bronze bells decorated with an interesting pattern. The heaviest bells "Novgorodsky", "Bear", "Swan" are on the first floor. The most ancient "Nemchin", "Korsunsky" Cast in the XVI century.
Many visitors tend to climb the spiral staircase almost to the very top in order to enjoy the extraordinary view of Red Square. You can visit the bell tower with a single ticket that gives you the right to enter the square or as part of an excursion.
Church of All Saints in All Saints on Sokol
The history of the appearance of the temple is connected with the life of the ancient village of Vsekhsvyatsky. It is believed that this happened in 1398, together with the emergence of the ancient monastery and the surrounding village with the name “the village of Holy Fathers on the Khodynka River”.
A stone church in the village on the site of a monastery (exact information about it has not been preserved) was built in 1683. The existing temple was built in 1736 by the daughter of Prince Miloslavsky. For a long time (until the destruction in 1982), there were many graves of Georgian princes (from the Bagrationov, Tsitsianov family) in the cemetery near the temple.
Among them is a monument to the father of the famous military leader Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration. Its location changed frequently. Now it rises next to the "Reconciliation of Nations" memorial and is a historical monument of federal significance. Since 1992, the temple, made in the Baroque style, received the status of a patriarchal courtyard.
Divine services are held daily in the church. It is located at the address: Leningradsky Prospekt, 73, Sokol metro station.
Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Yasenevo
The temple did not come to the inhabitants of the densely populated area of Moscow Yasenevo from ancient times. It was built at the beginning of the XXI century. The first Divine Liturgy was performed in the church on December 4, 2008. The large five-domed temple was erected within the framework of the program of 200 New Temples of the capital. Rich exterior decoration (in the form of Byzantine mosaics), copies of famous Christian shrines adorn the new temple complex. Copies were created according to the project "Icon of the Holy Land".
By the way, for the first time such a project was implemented under the leadership of Patriarch Nikon in the New Jerusalem Monastery. The cathedral consists of an upper church, erected in honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos as a monument to those who died in modern armed conflicts. Below is a temple in the name of the Archangel Michael.
The temple is located at the address: Litovskiy Boulevard, 7. To get here simply by metro to the stop "Yasenevo". You can see the church on your own or with guided tours (carried out on donations) daily from 6.00 to 19.00 hours.
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
In the main Russian Cathedral, the services of the Patriarch of Moscow, All Russia are held, meetings of Bishops' Councils, important church events are held. The temple is a monument erected in honor of the victory over Napoleon.
It was blown up during the Stalinist regime. At the end of the 20th century, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was rebuilt in accordance with the surviving drawings and drawings. The inner hall of the temple can accommodate about 10,000 people.
The thickness of the walls of the new building reaches 3.5 m, its internal height is almost 100 m. The interior decoration of the temple is striking in its beauty and wealth. Gold leaf, jewelry made of precious stones, rare minerals are used to create elements of sculpture and painting. By the way, there are Christmas trees for children in the Hall of Church Councils.
You can see the temple along with excursions. During their passage, it is possible to visit viewing platforms that offer an extraordinary view of Moscow. The entire history of an important era of the Russian state is reflected in the design of the temple. Located on the street. Volkhonke, 45.
Open daily (closed on Monday). Entrance to the temple and museum is free. To get to the sights just take the metro to the Kropotkinskaya stop.
Cathedral of the Epiphany in Yelokhov
This name was given to a small village temple operating in the 16th century. The consecration of the New Stone Church took place around 1853. In 1945 the temple received the title of the Patriarchal Cathedral. Before the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, it was the main cathedral in Moscow. The enthronement and funerals of the patriarchs were held here (there are tombs of Sergius and Alexy II in the cathedral). In one of its limits, A.S. Pushkin.
Local legends say that in the village of Elokh (from the name of the Olkhovets stream) the famous holy fool Vasily the Blessed was born, after whose name the famous cathedral of Moscow is named. The temple was not closed even in the most difficult times.
The relics of the miracle worker Alexy, a list of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan are considered the relics of the temple. The cathedral is located at the address: Basmanny district of Moscow, Spartakovskaya street, 15. Divine services are held regularly and on patronal holidays. You can visit it yourself, along with excursions.
Church of Peter and Paul in Yasenevo
The beautiful temple is located in the Moscow region, where the oldest Yasenevo estate was once located. The mention of the village and the temple dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. The first wooden church (Novopribyla) was erected during the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich in honor of the martyr Sophia, her daughters in 1630.
For almost 700 years of existence, the church has been restored, some architectural elements have changed. In 1973, crosses appeared over the church. During the 1900s, the building housed the "human rooms of the horse yard".
The return of the building of the Orthodox Church in 1989 helped to resume services and carry out the necessary repairs. The temple became part of the Moscow courtyard of the Svyato Vvedenskaya hermitage. Particles of the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Saints Barbara, Catherine, Tatiana, and many other saints are considered to be the shrines of the church.
Church of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane
This ancient temple of Moscow can be kindly envied. It appeared on the Russian land in the 16th century. As follows from the existing legends, it was built around 1597 for a whole day (the meaning of the word everyday). A stone temple in honor of the revered prophet Elijah appeared instead of the old wooden one in 1702.
Almost 100 years later, the Belfry and the refectory grew up nearby. The temple was not closed, services were held even in times of trouble. There is an image of the Holy Trinity, Pozharsky and Minin prayed in front of him. The icons "Unexpected Joy", the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya, Vladimirskaya are considered to be the shrines of the temple.
The famous icons "The Fiery Ascent of St. Elijah the Prophet", famous saints Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov. Since 2008, small particles of his relics have been considered the shrine of the church. Divine services are held daily in the church. From 7.00 to 22.00 hours, the church is open to the public.
The church has a Sunday school for children and adults, one of the largest church libraries in Moscow.
It is located at the 2nd Obydensky lane, 6. The convenient metro station is called "Park Kultury".
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Khamovniki
In the period of 1679, a church appeared in the place of residence of the tsar's weavers (khamovniki), which became a monument of the ancient architecture of the capital of the 17th century. The first building (Nikolskaya, Svyatonikolskaya church) stood until 1677. The new stone building began to be called the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
The last restoration of the church took place around 1972. And at the end of the century, a huge 108 pound bell was installed on its bell tower. The wall paintings, the interior decoration of the church have been preserved since 1845. The shrine of the temple is the miraculous icon "The Assistant of Sinners".
A gilded iconostasis was installed, painted with golden, bluish shades of colors. The church has never been closed. In it, even in the years of atheism, believers prayed for their loved ones, all those who needed help in front of the holy icon of the Mother of God. The church has a Sunday school and a youth group. By the way, Leo Tolstoy, who lived nearby, went to this church.
Located at: Leo Tolstoy Street, 2. The easiest way is to get by metro to the roundabout station "Park Kultury", then walk along Komsomolsky Prospekt. The temple, which is visible from afar, stands at the intersection of Frunze and Tolstoy streets.
Church of Michael the Archangel in Troparevo
The center of spiritual life in the ancient village of Troparevo was considered the Temple, erected in the name of the Archangel Michael. At first it was a wooden structure in the name of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael, built with the financial support of the Novodevichy Convent. A fire in the 17th century completely destroyed the church.
The stone temple was built at the expense of the monastery around 1694.Now we see this active, five-domed Orthodox church with beautiful bell tower tents. The architecture of the temple harmoniously combines the traditions of building rural churches with an exquisite facade design.
The icon of the Archangel Michael is located here, which is considered to be his shrine. The number of shrines includes icons of the Virgin of Donskoy, Smolenskaya. The famous Image of the holy princess of Kashinskaya, the healing relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the remains of Charalampius.
The ensemble includes a house with a baptismal church, a library with a reading room, and a beautifully painted refectory. New buildings for Sunday school, kiosks selling icons, church books. Church events are held daily. The church is located at 90 Vernadsky Avenue. Nearby is the Yugo - Zapadnaya metro stop.
Church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka
One of the most beautiful Moscow churches is located in the midst of the old alleys of Yakimanka Street. The street is named after the righteous Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Mother of God (grandfather and grandmother of Jesus Christ). In the name of the patron saint, the defender of the warriors, a temple was built in 1717.
The first building of the temple, which served as a parish church during the time of Ivan the Terrible, was located near the river and was often flooded during floods. His famous frescoes and decorations created by Vasily Bazhenov and Gabriel Domozhirov have been lost forever.
Nowadays, among the attractions of the interior decoration of the temple are wooden sculptures of the Crucifixion, the Seated Christ, made in the 18th century. Particles of the Tomb, the Robe of the Lord, a stone from the Jordan River are considered revered shrines of the temple.
In the outstanding monument of architecture of the Petrovsky Baroque, regular church services are held, a Sunday school and a youth club work. The temple of John the Warrior is located on Bolshaya Yakimanka Street, 46. The nearest metro station is Oktyabrskaya on the Kaluzhskaya line.
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