Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: history of construction and amazing facts. History of the Savior on Spilled Blood (Church of the Resurrection of Christ)

Savior on Spilled Blood, or temple Resurrection of Christ on Blood, - one of the most significant church buildings in Russia at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and now the most popular tourist landmark of St. Petersburg. Deliciously multi-colored, shining with gold, mosaic and enamel, its silhouette grows above the surface Griboedov Canal. Despite its festive appearance, the cathedral was built on the site of one of the most tragic events in Russian history - a fatal wound Alexandra II, hence the common name “ Savior on Spilled Blood".

Today it’s even difficult to imagine that this area of ​​the city once looked different - this replicated postcard view of the temple from Nevsky Prospekt, in the perspective of the Griboyedov Canal, has become so familiar. Despite his not St. Petersburg, but rather Moscow appearance, strange among our discreet classic ensembles, Savior on Spilled Blood became an integral part of the St. Petersburg landscape and one of the most beloved churches among the people. The motley round dance of its chapters determines the appearance of the historical part of St. Petersburg along with the spiers of the Admiralty and the Peter and Paul Cathedral and the golden dome of St. Isaac's.

In this article we will talk about architecture this brightest example of the “Russian style” in St. Petersburg, we will admire the rich decorative decoration and mosaics on the facades, and at the same time the curves of the figured forged lattice separating the cathedral from the Mikhailovsky Garden. In conclusion, we will get acquainted with a brief creative biography of the creator of the Savior on Spilled Blood - the architect Alfred Parland .

Descriptions and photographs of the interior of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood can be found in a separate note.

Practical information about visiting the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood(how to get there, opening hours, ticket prices, etc.) is given below.

“Russian style”: where and why it came from in St. Petersburg

Lavishly decorated, picturesque and multi-colored, the Savior on Spilled Blood unexpectedly invades the traditional classicist landscape of St. Petersburg. Creating this festive temple , A. A. Parland in a sense, returned two centuries ago, to the pre-Petrine era, turning to architectural monuments Moscow and YaroslavlXVIIcentury.

Savior on Spilled Blood became the brightest example " Russian style", going back to the Orthodox traditions of religious architecture. This style began to emerge in Russia back in the 1830s, during the period of decline of classicism and the emergence of eclecticism, and received its greatest development at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Representatives of this direction sought to create a special national style, rooted in ancient Russian architecture and folk art, deep traditions of ethnic identity. “Russian style” was perceived as the opposite of St. Petersburg architecture of the 18th – early 19th centuries, which developed in line with pan-European baroque and classicism.

Below we will look architectural features of the Savior on Spilled Blood in more detail and let's talk about the rich decor of its facades.

Architectural composition of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Savior on Spilled Blood, or Church of the Resurrection of Christ, is a four-pillar temple. This means that its arch rests on four supports, pillars. The basis of the structure is a quadrangular volume in plan (in Russian architecture the name is accepted quadruple). They rise above him five chapters: middle tent and side bulbous. The central place is occupied by the octagonal tent- a pronounced altitudinal dominant, creating the impression of upward striving. The dome of the tent is smaller in size than the domes of the side chapters and the bell tower, which is why it seems that the tent seems to go into the depths of heavenly space (; ) (aerial photo - from the site).

The five chapters of the main part of the temple are covered enameled copper plates, which was " the world's first example of the use of enamel, and even on convex planes, in such wide, grandiose dimensions". Due to technological difficulties, the scope of application of enamel has always been quite narrow: it was mainly used in jewelry. So covering the domes of the temple with jewelry enamel- a very bold and unusual decision by the architect Parland.

These juicy colors domes give the building a special picturesque quality. The area of ​​their enamel coating is 1000 square meters. m is an unprecedented case in the history of Russian architecture.

It is precisely because of the characteristic shape, relief and polychrome nature of these bulbous heads in combination with a central tent Savior on Spilled Blood so often compared with Moscow St. Basil's Cathedral. In fact, the buildings have completely different compositions: the Moscow Cathedral consists of nine pillar-shaped churches with nine domes, and the Savior on Spilled Blood has a clearly defined cross-domed square volume with a five-domed structure. In addition, we should not forget that St. Basil's Cathedral dates back to the 16th century, and Parland was guided by later architectural monuments of the pre-Petrine era. Although St. Basil's Cathedral is also distinguished by its intricate silhouette and brightly colored decoration, the impression of similarity between these two buildings is rather only “ a superficial first impression, which is most strongly suggested by ornamental elements; so to speak, a color optical illusion» .

As for the production tent instead of the central head of the five-domed structure, this technique could be inspired by the Moscow Church of the Nativity in Putinki of the 17th century, the tent of which, like Parland’s, has keel-shaped openings. At the base of the octagonal tent there are eight oblong windows with kokoshnik-shaped platbands. Higher up, the tent narrows, and there are ledges with windows cut into it. The tent ends with a lantern crowned with a bulbous dome with a cross.

The facades of the cathedral are covered with a continuous carpet of complex crushed ornaments transferred from the works of Moscow and Yaroslavl architects of the 17th century - a period when decorative brick cladding and colorful patterned walls were one of the main expressive means of Russian architecture.

Similar to these prototypes, Savior on Spilled Blood decorated with ornaments in the form of belts and crosses made of colored porcelain and ceramic bricks, polychrome ceramic tiles in the square recesses of the walls (“flies”), glazed tiled tiles on the roofs of apses and hipped roofs, openwork arches, carved columns and kokoshniks made of marble... Against the background of brownish-red brick, all this splendor looks especially elegant.

As experts note, the shape of the blades (vertical protrusions) with tiles in the “flies” is inspired by Yaroslavl churches. They are also characterized by chapters with light drums. The pediment kokoshniks of the northern and southern facades go back to the temples with a “barrel” ceiling, and the tall windows with long columns on the central apse are reminiscent of a similar motif of the Moscow region churches in Taininsky and Alekseevsky. The cornice, saturated with decorative belts, could be suggested by the Moscow Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi, and the continuous carpet of “flies” with tiles on the walls of the bell tower - by the Church of St. Nicholas in Khamovniki, also in Moscow.

In the design of the tower-like entrances, the architect combined hipped lockers of the Moscow type (Trinity Church in Nikitniki, Nativity in Putinki) with Yaroslavl pediment porches (Church of St. John Chrysostom in Korovniki).

Curly window frames, presented in the form of kokoshniks, also make the Savior on Spilled Blood similar to the buildings of the 17th century. In the middle part of the side facades, frames with a complex triple finish were introduced, in which a rosette is mounted (this motif is known from the Church of the Nativity in Putinki). The side parts of the same facades are marked with platbands with a raised keel-shaped kokoshnik. This type of platband was taken from the Church of St. Nicholas in Khamovniki, and the originals for the ochelia (as the decorative top of the platband is called) could have been similar details from the Trinity Church in Ostankino and other monuments in Moscow and Yaroslavl in the 17th century.

Relief images of equilateral crosses in a circle, stylized flowers and other motifs in the design of tiles, platbands and kokoshniks are not a simple decoration. All these details have deep meaning. These are the oldest symbols, which are found in many civilizations. Thus, a blossoming flower symbolizes the emergence of the Universe from the center, symbolizing the Absolute. The circle in which the flower is located is the world in development, in circular motion around the center, and the core of the flower is the seed from which the Universe is born. An equilateral cross in a circle symbolizes the expansion of the Universe from the center in four directions.

The sound of the temple as a monument to autocracy is reinforced by such symbolic details as a cross crowned with a crown on the bell tower and double-headed eagles (three-sided) above the porch tents.

Mosaic on the facades of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

The Savior on Spilled Blood is an unsurpassed example mosaic architecture. This temple became the first example in Russia of such widespread use mosaics in decorating facades. The gigantic area of ​​the mosaic field covering the facades and internal walls of the cathedral, combined with the high level of execution of the mosaics, makes the Savior on Spilled Blood a monument of world significance.

Mosaic marks the main compositional details of the building and plays a special role in creating the festive appearance of the building. total area mosaic compositions on the facades of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood- more than 400 sq. m.

Manufacturing mosaics of the Savior on Spilled Blood Domestic and foreign firms were engaged, and the largest order was received by the famous workshop of A. A. and V. A. Frolov. The creation of the mosaic decoration of the Savior on Spilled Blood began in a private decorative mosaic studio founded by A. A. Frolov on the Kadetskaya Line. After the early death of A. A. Frolov in 1897, he was replaced by his younger brother V. A. Frolov, and the workshop moved and was later located in the Frolovs’ own building on Vasilyevsky Island. In a relatively short period of time, almost everything was created in this workshop mosaic decoration of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Vladimir Alexandrovich Frolov(1874-1942) 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 Spilled Blood).

Let us recall that in Frolov's workshop the frieze of the Nabokov house and the building of the Mutual Credit Society in St. Petersburg, mosaics for the apartment building of Duke N.N. were also made. Leuchtenberg, Feodorovsky Cathedral in Pushkin, the Alexander Nevsky Temple in Tallinn, the Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Kronstadt and other religious and secular institutions, mansions and apartment buildings.

Talented Russian craftsmen from Mosaic Department of the Academy of Arts.

This work began in 1895, and by 1900 most of the façade and half of the interior scenes had been completed.

Details about the history of the creation of the Savior on Spilled Blood, as well as about the progress of its construction and the further fate of the temple, read the note “History of the Savior on Spilled Blood (Church of the Resurrection of Christ)”. ABOUT mosaics inside the temple .

Most saturated mosaic the western part of the temple, namely Bell tower, built over the site of the mortal wound of Alexander II and therefore carrying a special meaning, because the cathedral, as we know from history, was supposed to play a role Memorial to the Tsar Liberator, overshadowed by the halo of a martyr. So its creators tried by all means to emphasize this idea, “ paying special attention to that part of the temple that surrounds the site of the disaster, that is, the bell tower» .

A distinctive feature of the bell tower is that it is located in square recesses on three sides of its base. 134 mosaic coats of arms(based on sketches by the artist A.P. Cherkasov): these are the coats of arms of all provinces and regions of the Russian Empire, supplemented by some county coats of arms. This design clearly illustrated the theme of nationwide sorrow and repentance. The coats of arms were designed to reflect grief for the emperor, " which, with the fatal news, gripped all the hearts in the vast expanse of the common homeland". They also testified that the temple “was built by all of Russia” (although, as we now know, the contribution of public donations was much less than is commonly believed).

Under the dome of the bell tower, the words of the prayer of St. Basil the Great are laid out in mosaics, reflecting the penitential idea of ​​the temple (“ Immortal King Himself, accept our prayers... and forgive us our sins, even in deed and word and thought, whether we have committed them, whether in practice or not.»).

However, only coats of arms mosaic decor The bell tower is not limited to. Church scenes were made using the same technique, expressing the main theme of the Savior on Spilled Blood as “Calvary for Russia” (). In the center of the western facade, the base of the bell tower is marked by an open chapel, where under a gilded canopy there is mosaic "Crucifixion" on a relief cross made of marble and granite. The mosaic was made according to the sketch of the architect himself A. A. Parlanda. This is probably the most poignant motive of the torments of the cross that befell Christ and the deceased emperor who is likened to Him. At the top of the composition is God the Father surrounded by six-winged seraphim.

On the same western façade, the bell towers on both sides of the “Crucifixion”, against a common background of golden mosaics, are placed mosaic icons framed in Estonian marble. They portray Saint Zosima of Solovetsky and Saint Evdokia. The days of celebration of these saints coincided with the dates of birth and death AlexandraII: Saint Zosimas was the patron saint of the emperor’s birthday (April 17), and the day of the holy martyr Evdokia coincides with the day of the regicide (March 1).

Until 1917, an unquenchable lamp burned in front of the Crucifixion.

Above the “Crucifixion”, on the sides of the large semicircular window, there is a large three-part mosaic composition « Our Savior Not Made by Hands with the upcoming Mother of God and John" It was created according to the artist's sketches M. V. Nesterova and depicts a cloth carried by angels with the face of Christ, to whom the eyes of those present are turned, praying for atonement for the sin of murder. On the right stands the apostle filled with reverence, on the left is the Mother of God with her hands raised in prayer.

The elongated figures of the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist, presented against the backdrop of a hilly “Umbrian landscape,” are distinguished by their refined silhouettes and soft tints of color. In this work of the Nesters there is a noticeable connection with the Pre-Raphaelite traditions and at the same time with the early modern. A huge window cutting through the bell tower in this part illuminates the interior of the temple with a canopy over the “memorable place”.

Even higher on the facade of the bell tower there is an icon of the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky(based on a sketch by the artist V. P. Pavlov).

The central part of the southern and northern facades of the bell tower is occupied by scenes of the glorification of the God-Man. On the south side there is a mosaic icon " Mother of God, Joachim and Anna"("The Mother of God on the throne with the Eternal Child and the upcoming righteous Joachim and Anna"), created according to the original by the artist N. A. Bruni. On the north side there is a mosaic icon “ Deesis"("The Savior with the Mother of God and John the Baptist") based on a sketch by V.V. Belyaev. Christ is presented here on the throne, in the greatness of glory, in the bishop's vestments.

The kokoshniks of the bell tower, as well as the kokoshniks that serve as the base of the chapters, are filled mosaic images many Russians saints, as well as saints named after representatives of the reigning house.

Triangular tympanums of four porches on both sides of the bell tower of the Savior on Spilled Blood are also decorated mosaic panels. These panels above the entrances to the temple, striking in color and composition, were created according to the artist’s sketches V. M. Vasnetsova and in accordance with the purpose of the bell tower-martyria, they are dedicated to gospel subjects, namely the most terrible moments of Christ’s earthly life.

The northern and northwestern tympanums contain scenes of " Carrying the Cross" And " Crucifixion"; in the south and southwest - " Descent from the Cross" And " Descent into Hell».

In terms of the style of composition, V. M. Vasnetsov is closer to examples of academicism than to modernism.

Much goes back to academic techniques. mosaic panel pediment kokoshnik of the southern facade " Christ in glory"("The Savior on the Throne" or "Christ in Glory with the falling St. Alexander Nevsky and St. Nicholas of Myra"), created according to the artist's sketch N. A. Kosheleva. The sparkling golden background is combined with a bright variegation of color. The central place in the triangular composition is occupied by the image of Christ, from which a golden stream of rays emanates, permeating the entire space of the mosaic. At the base of the throne are kneeling figures of those present: on the right is depicted Saint Nicholas (patron of Nicholas II, under whom the Savior on Spilled Blood was consecrated) with a book of the New Testament, on the left - Saint Alexander Nevsky(patron of Emperor Alexander II and one of the patrons St. Petersburg). In the hand of Alexander Nevsky is a model of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood). The composition of this mosaic fit so organically into the tympanum that mosaicist A. Frolov called it one of his best works.

Symmetrically to this composition, a kokoshnik was installed in the pediment on the northern façade. mosaic panel « Resurrection of Christ» according to the original M. V. Nesterova.Against the golden background of the tomb opening rises the airy figure of the Savior in a white shroud, with a red cross in his left hand. Despite the humble expression on the Lord’s face, He is entirely the embodiment of the triumph of life over death. On the side is a disembodied figure of an angel with outstretched wings. This mosaic reflects the main affirming theme of the temple - hope and salvation. Strict and sophisticated, full of internal expression, the composition is designed in a restrained, muted palette and is in tune with the style modern.

Finally, the central apse of the Savior on Spilled Blood is decorated with a mosaic “ Blessing Savior", created according to the sketch A. A. Parlanda .

Boards with inscriptions about the reforms of Alexander II and the events of his reign

In 1905, twenty memorial plaques made of dark red Norwegian granite - a chronicle of the life of Emperor Alexander II and the most important events of his reign, which went down in Russian history as the era of the “Great Reforms”.

Memorial plaques, alternating with blocks of gray granite, are placed on the southern, eastern and northern sides of the temple.

They are carved and gilded inscriptions outlining the main acts of Alexander II.

Niches with located in them memorial plaques form the arcade of the plinth - a kind of symbolic foundation of the part of the temple rising above it, where the events of the earthly life of the murdered king are elevated to the level of the highest spiritual values ​​of Christianity.

Some of the boards contain information about the events preceding the beginning of the reign of Alexander II: Birth of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich in the Moscow Kremlin (April 17, 1818); Marriage of the Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich with Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt (April 16, 1841); Proclamation of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich Heir to the Throne(December 12, 1852).

The following are the first official events of the reign: Accession to the Throne of Sovereign Emperor Alexander II(February 19, 1855) and Holy Coronation and Confirmation of the Sovereign Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich and the Empress Maria Alexandrovna in Moscow (August 26, 1856).

On one of these boards traces of a German shell were preserved. ( More details about the fate of the Savior on Spilled Blood during the siege).

Then begins the actual list of the main reforms of Alexander II, as well as territorial expansions of the Russian Empire and other foreign policy achievements.

The following internal reforms are noted:

Liberation of peasants from serfdom(February 19, 1861); Regulations on the State list and financial estimates and on their publication to the public (May 22, 1862); Transformation of State Control. Development of a network of railways and telegraphs(1862–1866); Limitation of corporal punishment(April 17, 1863); Public education(Regulations on primary public schools of 1864, City schools and teacher institutes of 1872, Charters of gymnasiums and pro-gymnasiums of 1864-1871, Charters of real schools of 1872, University charter of 1863, Care for the development of women's education); Judicial statutes(November 20, 1864); The way of life of peasants in the Kingdom of Poland(February 19, 1864); Regulations on zemstvo institutions(January 1, 1864); Law on Granting Seal of Possible Relief(April 6, 1865); City situation(June 16, 1870); Universal conscription(January 1, 1874).

Of the foreign policy achievements of Alexander II, the following are depicted on the boards of the Savior on Spilled Blood:

Conclusion of peace ending the Eastern War of 1853–1856. (March 19, 1856); Annexation of the Amur and Ussuri Territories to Russia(Treaty of Aigun May 16, 1858, Treaty of Beijing November 2, 1860); Conquest of the Caucasus(Capture of Gunib and capture of Shamil (1859), End of the Caucasian War (1864)); Conquest of Central Asia(1860-1881); Russia's return to its sovereign rights in the Black Sea(October 19, 1870); War for the Liberation of Balkan Christians(April 12, 1877-February 19, 1878); Conclusion of peace in S. Stefano(February 19, 1878) (Reunification of the seized part of Bessarabia, annexation of Kars and Batum, independence of Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Liberation of Bulgaria).

The twentieth plaque is dedicated to the Savior on Spilled Blood itself.

She reports that the temple was built on the site of the mortal wound of Alexander II with donations from the royal family and the entire Russian people; founded during the reign of Alexander III, and completed and consecrated during the reign of Nicholas II.

From Mikhailovsky Garden The Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood) is separated by a fancy semicircular forged fence with a gate opposite the eastern façade of the cathedral. This one is amazing lattice in the spirit of early modern is one of the most beautiful in St. Petersburg and forms an integral part of the architectural ensemble Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

The semicircular fence, more than 250 meters long, was manufactured in 1903-1907 at the art and locksmith factory " Karl Winkler". The craftsmen of this factory made the largest contribution to the creation of metal lace in St. Petersburg architecture. It was at the Karl Winkler enterprise that most of the forged grilles of the early twentieth century were created, which to this day adorn the old courtyards of St. Petersburg, balconies and staircase railings. However lattice of the Mikhailovsky Garden near the Church of the Resurrection of Christ became the most significant work of the plant.

The fence is fixed on a high granite base, between figured cylindrical columns, which are lined with glazed brick of two tones (Prince Golitsyn's enterprise). The capitals and bases of powerful supports are made of Estonian marble from the company Kos and Dur (the same company, as we know from the history of the construction of the temple, supplied marble for facing the temple itself). Savior on Spilled Blood) . The fence consists of 50 large (4 by 3.7 m) links with large floral patterns. Several sections of a similar fence separate the sacristy of the Savior on Spilled Blood from the passage to the 2nd Garden Bridge.

Author of the grid is unknown exactly, but the vast majority of sources indicate that it was created according to a drawing by himself architect A. A. Parland(although in a number of publications the authorship of the fence is attributed to the artist E.K. Kverfeldt).

Fence of the Mikhailovsky Garden In Petersburg- a truly unique work of early modern, at the same time similar to the fantastic flora of ancient Russian “herbal paintings”. This cast iron lace, which serves as a worthy frame for an elegant temple, seems to float in the air, practically not resting on the granite pedestal. The basis of the design of the spectacular fence is a large floral ornament with amazing forged flowers. These strange flowers, shrouded in elegant interweaving of metal stems, spread across the entire fence. The gates of the fence are made in the same patterns, and their pillars are decorated with lanterns and tiled majolica.

The original appearance of this symmetrical fence was destroyed in the 1960s (according to other sources - the 1970s) when a tram line was laid along the Field of Mars with access to the Trinity Bridge, across the bridge, named in 1975 as the Grinevitsky Bridge (now Novokonyushenny). In connection with the construction of a tram passage between the Mikhailovsky Garden and the building of the former School of Folk Art (house No. 2-a on the Griboyedov Canal embankment), the fence near the sacristy had to be “torn” and the removed sections installed along the tram passage.

In the 1990s, it became obvious that one of the most beautiful fences in the city had fallen into disrepair. Only 50% of the parts remained from it (the iron that was used at the Karl Winkler plant at the beginning of the 20th century was not of the highest grade and could not withstand the nasty St. Petersburg climate). So, half of the metal structures were lost, and the remaining 52 links of the fence were damaged by corrosion. The facing bricks have cracked, the lanterns (lampions) above the fence gates and the majolica tiles from the pillars have disappeared. Restoration required serious expenses. This large-scale project was sponsored by a tobacco company in 1998. J. T. International .

Restoration work to restore the fence of the Mikhailovsky Garden began in the late 1990s. The history of the restoration was reminiscent of a detective novel: the craftsmen conducted meticulous research, rediscovering the secrets of old technologies... Thus, in the archives a negative on silver was found, according to which it was established that the monogram of Alexander III and the imperial crown should be located on the gate (obviously, the monogram and crown removed in Soviet times for ideological reasons). Based on the same photographic materials, the lanterns on the pylons and the large forged leaves in the center of the forged gates were restored.

During the restoration of the grille, it was possible to restore the base, 33 links of the fence, pillars, as well as gates with monograms, tiles and forged lanterns. The links of the fence were removed and taken to a blacksmith's workshop in Tsarskoye Selo, where the lace was dismantled, cleaned and, checking with archival photographs and drawings, the missing fragments were forged using ancient technologies (; ). The craftsmen of the restoration workshops of the Specialist enterprise were responsible for the stone work (support columns, fence base). The metal decor was restored by the STEK company. The tiled majolica on the fence posts was almost completely lost. It was possible to return 25 tiles with 5 types of ornaments to their place, and pieces of tiles preserved in the sacristy of the Savior on Spilled Blood were taken as a sample. Glass shades for lanterns of non-standard design were ordered from Gus-Khrustalny (; ).

Chapel-sacristy of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God

Part of the ensemble of the Savior on Spilled Blood is the one standing next to chapel-sacristy of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, also built according to the design of A. A. Parland. It was consecrated on April 27, 1908. The Iverskaya chapel-sacristy contained icons and items of church utensils presented in memory of the death of Emperor Alexander II. There was also a cross with particles from the Life-Giving Tomb, pieces of stones from Golgotha, Bethlehem and Gethsemane caves. In addition, the sacristy was intended for displaying drawings and sketches. Samples of stones and other materials used in the decoration of the temple were also presented here. The sacristy was set up as a museum, accessible to everyone.

The sacristy was built on the model of the symmetrical pavilions provided architect A. A. Parland in an unrealized project under the motto “Old Age” (1882). At the same time, it is a copy of the corner towers of the gallery from the grandiose project created by Parland in 1883 (officially in collaboration with Archimandrite Ignatius). In the final version, only one chapel was built, and in the form of a separate building.

The sacristy was built in the “Russian style”, combined with motifs of Byzantine architecture. It is a rectangular building, lined, like the cathedral, with Siegersdorf decorative brick. The compositional scheme of the building is “octagonal on quadrangular” (this means that the octagonal dome is placed on a cube). The dome has a closed vault and a sixteen-slope ribbed roof.

The façade of the sacristy, facing the Griboyedov Canal, is decorated with columns of Estonian marble. The main entrance is highlighted by double columns, and above the opening there is a kokoshnik pediment, in the center of which there is a mosaic icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands.” On the sides of the facade there are massive pillars, in the recesses of which glazed tiles shine. The roof spire ends with a chrism - a monogram of Jesus Christ in a ring.

In Soviet times, the chapel was used for various economic needs. Some elements of the decoration were lost, as well as the roof top. In 1996, the building was restored, the mosaic icon above the entrance was restored, and in 2005, using archival photographs, the chrysma crowning the dome was recreated.

In 2013, in the restored chapel-sacristy of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God The Stone Museum opened. The first section of the exhibition is devoted to ornamental stone, which was used in the decoration of the interiors of St. Isaac's Cathedral and Savior on Spilled Blood. Here are presented samples of domestic and Italian marble, Russian jasper and porphyry, serpentinite, malachite and other colored ornamental stones, as well as objects of decorative and applied art made from these minerals.

The second section is devoted to precious amber products. Here you can see an amber model of St. Isaac's Cathedral by the modern master Alexander Krylov and six amber mosaic icons from his collection.

About the architect A. A. Parland

Alfred (Edward Alfred) Alexandrovich Parland (1842-1920) born in St. Petersburg. His father, a VI class official, was the son of a native of Scotland who made a brilliant career in Russia. The mother of the future architect was from Stuttgart. Alfred Parland studied at the 4th gymnasium on the 6th line of Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, and then at the Stuttgart Polytechnic School. In 1863 he entered the architectural department of the Academy of Arts.

Soon after graduating from the Academy of Arts (1871), Parland created his first buildings: the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage (1872-1876) (not preserved) and the mansion of N. G. Glushkova in St. Petersburg (1874) (rebuilt in 1913-1914 .). Later, Alfred Alexandrovich taught at the Academy of Arts, in the department of architectural orders, and at the Central School of Technical Drawing of Baron A. L. Stieglitz, in the department of watercolor drawing.

In 1881, Parland returned from a retirement trip abroad, where he spent 5 years (mostly in Italy), and received the title of academician of architecture. Since 1882 - professor at the Academy of Arts, and since 1905 - its full member.

Parland went down in history as a prominent master "Russian style" in architecture. Of course, the main work of the architect - and one of the brightest examples of the “Russian style” - was Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood), built in 1883-1907 on the site of the fatal wound of Alexander II on the Catherine Canal (the current Griboyedov Canal). In addition to the Savior on Spilled Blood and everything temple ensemble, which included a chapel-sacristy, a residential outbuilding and an artistic fence of the Mikhailovsky Garden, Parland created a number of others church buildings, including the mentioned Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage. In the 1880-1890s, he erected the Assumption Church in Opochka, churches in the Novgorod and Smolensk provinces, and rebuilt the Znamenskaya Church in Peterhof (1892-1896) (lost). In 1910, the architect was involved in the restoration of the Kazan Cathedral, and in 1915 he created the tombstone of V.N. Khitrovo at the Nikolskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Since 1915 A. A. Parland was an honorary member of the Archaeological Society.

Alfred Parland was one of the first St. Petersburg architects to turn to the architectural heritage of the pre-Petrine era and “scientific design.” national style". In his work, he often used decorative motifs and compositional techniques of the Old Russian architectural school.

After the revolution, all of Parland's regalia were taken away. He died of starvation (exhaustion and pneumonia) at the age of 77 and was buried on Smolensk Lutheran Cemetery. In 1924, during a flood, the cross from the grave was washed away. Only in 2012, at the Smolensk Lutheran cemetery, with the assistance of the museum, “St. Isaac’s Cathedral” was installed monument at the grave of the architect Parland .

The architect Parland was not married, but had talented relatives. Parland's brother, Andrei, was also an architect. Andrei’s children (the architect’s nephews) also left their mark on art history: Alisa Andreevna Parland(1874-1938) was an artist, and Georgiy Andreevich was a writer. Great-nephew of the architect - Henry Parland(1908-1930) was a famous Finnish modernist writer who wrote in Swedish.

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Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

On the embankment of the Griboyedov Canal - in the very heart of St. Petersburg, a temple of extraordinary beauty rises, shining with gold domes, with colorful domes on the turrets. Even stormy gray days, so common in the Northern capital, are unable to dim its bright chord.

Disregarding the conventions of urban planning, it breaks the clear boundaries of the embankment and hangs over the water surface against the backdrop of austere classical buildings. As if descended from heaven, an intricate and elegant Russian tower stands on Russian soil.

Historical reference

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, or as the people call it - the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, was erected in memory of Emperor Alexander II, who was mortally wounded on this site at the hands of terrorists on March 1, 1881.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood from a bird's eye view.

Alexander II entered Russian history as a reformer and liberator. Assuming the throne of a country with a collapsed economy, weakened by the Crimean War, he was forced to carry out reforms in all areas, starting with the abolition of serfdom and ending with zemstvo, military, judicial, and public education reforms. By placing a heavy burden on the shoulders of citizens, progressive and inherently necessary changes created a great power, raised the international prestige of Russia, and at the same time caused discontent in all segments of the population.

It is no coincidence that this period is characterized by the strengthening of the revolutionary movement. Considering autocracy the main evil for Russia, and believing that the murder of the Tsar would help to overthrow the power of the monarchy and establish republican rule, members of the small but active organization “People's Will” chose terror as the main method of struggle. A real “royal hunt” began, assassination attempts followed one after another, repressions intensified, concessions were offered, gendarmes were knocked down, but nothing could stop the Narodnaya Volya.

The execution of a carefully prepared terrorist attack that had a number of backup options was accelerated by the arrest of the organization’s leader, A.I. Zhelyabov. The emperor's carriage, returning after changing the guards from the Manege on Sundays, always drove at high speed, but slowed down when turning onto the Catherine (Griboyedov) Canal. The conspirators took advantage of this circumstance. At a signal from Sofia Perovskaya, who was directing the operation from the opposite side of the canal, the first bomb was thrown by revolutionary N. Rysakov.

The emperor was not injured from the explosion; he got out of the carriage to give orders to help the wounded. Then the second Narodnaya Volya member, I. Grinevitsky, appeared from cover and threw a shell right at his feet. Both of them were thrown back to the fence by the blast wave and fell onto the stones of the pavement. The emperor, bleeding, was transported to the palace on a sleigh. The wound turned out to be fatal. Grinevitsky, without regaining consciousness, also died from his wounds in the hospital that evening. The remaining participants were arrested, five leaders were hanged by court decision a month after the events, others were sentenced to eternal hard labor.

At the site of the tragedy, on the initiative of the City Duma, a chapel was soon installed, which stood until the construction of the cathedral began in 1883, since the new Emperor Alexander III wanted to perpetuate the memory of his father by erecting a temple. A competition was announced. Most of the competition projects carried out by the best St. Petersburg architects represented the Byzantine style.

The Emperor rejected them all.

He stated two conditions that must be met: the temple must be built in the Russian style of the 17th century and the place where the august blood was shed must be designated as a separate area inside the church.

According to the monarch's plan, the building was supposed to serve as a metaphor for the introduction of St. Petersburg to Old Moscow Rus' - to the era when the first Romanovs ascended the throne. The new temple was conceived not only as a memorial monument to Alexander II, but was supposed to symbolize the Russian autocracy as a whole.

The project submitted to the second round of the competition from two authors received the highest approval. One of them is Archimandrite Ignatius (I.V. Malyshev), who studied at . To develop the project, he turned to the architect A. A. Parland, whom he knew well from his joint work on the construction of a church in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (monastery), of which he was the rector. After modifications that significantly changed the appearance of the temple, the final version was approved in 1887. Construction work began much earlier.

Archimandrite Ignatius also had the idea to consecrate the temple in the name of the Resurrection of Christ. The dedication carried a deep meaning of overcoming death and drew a parallel between the death of Alexander II and the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. This interpretation explains why the temple, erected on the site of tragic events in memory of the murdered emperor, has a bright, festive look.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

This was best expressed in the poem “March 1, 1881” by the wonderful Russian poet A. A. Fet, describing Christ on Calvary:

“...He is the cross and his crown of thorns

He gave it to the earthly king.

The machinations of Pharisaism are powerless:

What was blood became a temple,

And the place of terrible crime -

An eternal shrine to us."

Architecture of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ

The architecture of the Orthodox single-altar cathedral belongs to the late stage of the “Russian style” of the late 19th century. It has absorbed the best from the arsenal of architecture of pre-Petrine Rus' and is very reminiscent of the Moscow St. Basil's Cathedral - one of the symbols of Russia.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

At the same time, the architect A. A. Parland created an original composition based on a quadrangle topped with a five-domed structure. The technique of covering five patterned chapters with enamel and its recipe have no analogues. This unique work was performed at the Postnikov factory. The massive dome of the bell tower and three small onions above the altar apses sparkle with gold.

In order for the place stained with blood to be inside the cathedral, the embankment had to be completed. The temple extends beyond its boundaries into the depths of the canal by 8 meters.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and the Griboyedov Canal.

For the first time, a building in St. Petersburg is not being built on stilts. A concrete foundation was laid under the powerful Putilov slab of the cathedral's foundation. But this is not the only technical innovation. Steam boilers and air heaters, lightning protection were installed here, and the cathedral was illuminated by more than one and a half thousand electric lamps. Red brick, granite and marble, and various types of semi-precious stones were used in the exterior decoration.

The bell tower rises directly above the site of the tragedy and its decoration repeatedly reveals the memorial nature of the structure. The high cross on the golden dome is crowned with the imperial crown, the mosaic icon of Alexander Nevsky, the patron of Alexander II, is located above the window, and the faces of the heavenly angels of the Romanov family can be seen in the kokoshniks of other windows. The chronicle telling about the deeds of the reformer king is carved on twenty red granite boards. Above the entrances are double-headed eagles and mosaic panels “The Passion of Christ” based on sketches by V. M. Vasnetsov.

Shocked by the death of the emperor, citizens throughout the country raised funds for the construction of a monument temple. This fact is reflected in the images of the coats of arms of cities and provinces covering the lower part of the facade.

The main shrine of the cathedral is a kind of relic - a section of cobblestone pavement with granite slabs of the sidewalk and a fragment of the grating of the Catherine Canal, where Emperor Alexander II died. Above them is a building of extraordinary beauty. On columns of purple Altai jasper stands a canopy with a cross strewn with topazes. According to established tradition, memorial services are held near the memorial site.

The unique interior of the cathedral is created by a combination of stone and mosaic decoration and amazes with its splendor. The temple vaults are covered with a continuous mosaic carpet, the area of ​​which exceeds 7 thousand square meters. meters. Paintings on evangelical subjects represent a real museum of mosaics. The central place is given to the icons “The Savior” and “The Virgin and Child” based on sketches by V. M. Vasnetsov.

Picturesque sketches of sacred images and ornaments were created by 32 artists, with a range of creative styles from the canons of academicism to modernist style, among them V. M. Vasnetsov, N. N. Kharlamov, M. V. Nesterov, A. P. Ryabushkin. Most The mosaics were made by Frolov's private workshop, which used the “reverse” typing technique, which is excellent for large-scale compositions. The prototype of such a letter was the frescoes of Yaroslavl churches of the 17th century. The creation of the temple mosaic marked a new stage in Russian mosaic art.

Interior of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg.

A masterpiece of stone-cutting skill is a single-tier iconostasis, made according to a drawing by A. A. Parland from Italian marble by the Nuovi company. Subtle transitions of dark red color to light tone create lightness, and the masterly carving amazes with its variety. The floor of the temple, with an area of ​​600 square meters, is laid out with a beautiful colored pattern of marble tiles, made by the same company according to the architect’s drawing, but it was assembled on site by Russian craftsmen.

Interesting facts, fiction and legends

The history of the temple, one of the ten best attractions in the world, is filled with interesting facts with a touch of mysticism, which attracts tourists no less than the splendor of its architectural merits. Here are just a few that we think are most significant:

• The proportions of the temple are symbolic: the highest dome is 81 m, the height of the bell tower is 62.5 m, which corresponds to the date of death (1881) and the age of Alexander II (died at the age of 63).

• Since the 30s, a belief has developed about the indestructibility of the temple. Many times it was planned to demolish it, but the execution of the decision was postponed. They planned to blow it up in the summer of 1941; they say that they had already drilled through the walls and laid explosives, but the war prevented the plan from being carried out - the bombers were called to the front.

• During the war, a German landmine weighing one and a half centners hit the dome of the bell tower, but did not explode. It was discovered by accident in the 60s. During the operation, the shell was recovered and neutralized in the Pulkovo Heights area. Sappers led by Viktor Demidov risked their lives saving the temple. No harm done.

• There was a rumor among the people that the temple was “bewitched”, and it was protected by the symbols of “crosses in a circle” decorating the kokoshniks of the windows, that this was an ancient protective sign. And, indeed, the decree on the demolition of the cathedral, which interfered with the construction of a transport highway during the reign of N.S. Khrushchev, was miraculously canceled. The temple survived again!

• Finally, it was transferred as a branch to the state museum “St. Isaac’s Cathedral” and in 1970 they began reconstruction and “put on” scaffolding. Years passed. The temple continued to stand in the “forests”. At the end of the 80s they began to say (a joke or a prophecy) that when the scaffolding was removed from the temple, Soviet power would fall. The scaffolding was dismantled in the summer of 1991...

• There is a legend that the city residents hid the crosses from the domes of the cathedral from the Bolsheviks at the bottom of the canal, and when restoration began, they reported it. A team of divers raised the relics, and they returned to their places.

Upon completion of restoration work in 1997, the temple was again opened to visitors, and in 2004 a liturgy was served there, which restored the Orthodox essence.

Today, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of the main attractions of St. Petersburg, an active temple and at the same time a museum where thematic excursions are held. The building of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ is an object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation.

Where is it and how to get there

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is located in the historical center of St. Petersburg, not far from Nevsky Prospekt.

Address: Griboyedov Canal Embankment, 2 B, adjacent to the Mikhailovsky Garden.

From the Nevsky Prospekt metro station you can walk along the Griboyedov Canal - a distance of about 700 meters.

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood - this is the full name of this temple - in its execution is a little reminiscent of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. In addition, the Moscow Trinity churches in Ostankino and Nikitki, as well as the Yaroslavl churches of St. John the Baptist in Tolchkovo and St. John Chrysostom in Korovniki, became prototypes for it. However, the differences between it and the named religious buildings are obvious. The Savior on Spilled Blood is completely unique and original not only in its architectural but also in its artistic characteristics.

The quadrangular building, crowned with five large and four smaller domes, three rounded apses with golden domes on the eastern side and kokoshnik pediments decorating the northern and southern facades, make this monumental Orthodox shrine recognizable throughout the world. No less impressive is the height of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which is 81 meters, and its capacity - up to 1,600 people can be inside at the same time.

Some tourists, especially those who come to St. Petersburg and Russia for the first time, do not even realize that the Cathedral of the Savior on Spilled Blood was erected over the place where real blood was actually shed more than 135 years ago. The terrible event that happened then predetermined the appearance of a memorial single-altar church here, which became a symbol of the repentance of the entire people for the act committed by a group of adventurers. The mere fact that funds for construction were collected throughout Russia speaks for itself.

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood is a striking monument of Russian architecture, in which the best traditions of the Russian architectural style are embodied. Currently, it is a museum, an acquaintance with which is invariably included in excursion programs around the Northern capital.

Background of construction

The second half of the 19th century turned out to be very difficult for Russia. On the one hand, the state was weakened by participation in the Crimean War and the difficult economic situation, on the other hand, large-scale transformations took place, at the origins of which stood Emperor Alexander II. We are talking, first of all, about the abolition of serfdom in 1861, which became a powerful impetus for the further development of the country. Having freed 23 million peasants from the slavery of the landowners, he received the noble nickname “Tsar Liberator” among the people and went down in history.

At the same time, the reforms carried out by the sovereign - zemstvo, judicial, military, education and a number of others - although they brought generally positive changes, there were mistakes in their implementation, which provoked a strengthening of the revolutionary movement. Part of the population was dissatisfied with the innovations, and the radicals took advantage of this and entered into the fight against the autocracy - which they considered the main evil. At the end of the 70s, the People's Will organization arose, using terror in its methods of struggle. They set out to kill the Tsar and a number of representatives of the country's top leadership, believing that their elimination would set in motion the masses who would overthrow the autocracy and the huge empire would become a republic.

Having declared such intentions, they immediately began to implement their plans, passing a death sentence on Alexander II and starting a real hunt for the autocrat. Several assassination attempts were organized on him, which followed one after another. The terrorist attacks were not successful, but many innocent people died in their execution. In response, the authorities were forced to intensify repression against the “People's Will” and even make some concessions. However, this only seemed to inflame the regicides. And on March 1, 1881, they staged another attempt on the Tsar’s life, which became the last.

The brutal terrorist attack was carefully prepared, which is why it achieved its goal this time. This happened at the moment when the emperor, returning from a military parade in the Mikhailovsky Manege, was driving in his carriage along the embankment of the Catherine Canal: the revolutionary N. Rusakov threw a bomb at it. Several people from his retinue were seriously injured, including fatally, but the king remained alive and refused to immediately leave the scene of the assassination attempt. One of the accompanying bodyguards, with the help of the crowd, tied up the attacker, another ran up to report that the villain had already been caught. “Thank God, I survived, but here...” said the emperor, pointing to the wounded moaning on the pavement. At that moment, a second bomb flew under his feet, thrown by another terrorist who was waiting in the wings, I. Grinevitsky...

When the gunpowder smoke cleared, the people, struck by horror, saw a bloody body stretched out on the ground. “Hurry up... in the palace... to die there,” whispered the wounded man to Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich bending over him. These were his last words, and at 16:35, already in the Winter Palace, the emperor died. The son of the deceased, Alexander III, decided to perpetuate the memory of his father with a temple at the site of his villainous murder. Construction, which dragged on for almost 25 years, was carried out according to the design of the architect Parland and the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage, Archimandrite Ignatius.

The complete regicide shocked the whole country. The expectations of “Narodnaya Volya” that the people would then come out to overthrow the autocracy were not justified. People, on the contrary, sought to get to the scene of the terrorist attack to pray for the soul of the emperor and those killed among those accompanying him. Believers were especially indignant, seeing in the tragic death of the emperor an echo of the events of the Gospel. Then, in biblical times, Jesus Christ died on the cross, atoning for the sins of all mankind, and Tsar Alexander Nikolaevich, like him, was killed for the sins of the Russian people, so it is not surprising that the idea of ​​perpetuating the memory of the martyr was born by itself.

This desire has reached all segments of the population, including the poorest. And so, a few years later, on the spot where the emperor was mortally wounded, his son and successor Alexander III ordered the construction of a memorial temple, a temple of repentance. Its construction, which lasted 24 years, continued the long tradition of erecting places of worship to commemorate important historical events or in memory of the dead. By issuing a corresponding decree, the emperor supported the decision of the St. Petersburg City Duma. True, the deputies proposed building a chapel at the site of the Tsar’s wound. The emperor considered that a real temple should stand in this place.

However, the construction of a full-fledged religious building was neither easy nor quick, and I did not want to waste time. At the site of the death of the emperor, it was decided to first install a wooden tent chapel, which was built by the architect L.N. Benois at the expense of the merchant I.F. Gromov. On April 17, 1881, Alexander II, had he been alive, would have turned 63 years old, and his birthday was chosen as the date for the consecration of this chapel.

A memorial service for the repose of the soul of Tsar Alexander Nikolaevich was performed here every day. Part of the pavement and a small section of the embankment fence, on which traces of the emperor’s blood remained, were all very clearly visible through the glass doors of the chapel. Two years later, it was moved to Konyushennaya Square and subsequently dismantled, and in its place the construction of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood began.

How the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood was built

The start of work was preceded by two competitions for the best project. The first 26 of them were ready on December 31, 1881. Many architects of that time presented their vision of the future memorial temple, such as I. S. Bogomolov, A. L. Gun, I. S. Kitner, the already mentioned L. N. Benois and a number of others. A special commission selected 8 projects that it considered the most successful, recognizing the best work by A. I. Tomishko, made in the Russian-Byzantine style and called “Father of the Fatherland.”

The winning projects, of course, were demonstrated to the current sovereign, but he did not like any of them. Alexander III wanted to see in the future temple the features of truly Russian architecture, inherent in churches of the 17th century, especially in Yaroslavl. And the actual place where the king was mortally wounded was to be decorated as a separate chapel.

The second competition, the results of which were summed up on April 28, 1882, also did not reveal a final winner. It already presented 31 projects, their authors were many famous architects - for example, R. P. Kuzmin, N. V. Sultanov, R. A. Gedike, A. I. Rezanov, A. L. Ober, A. N. Benoit and others. Alexander III was forced to reject them too, since not a single work corresponded to his vision of the future cathedral.

And so, after some time, a project finally appeared that, although not completely, still satisfied the demanding tastes of the sovereign. Its developers were the architect Alfred Parland and the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage, Archimandrite Ignatius (Malyshev). The Emperor imposed his highest resolution on it on July 29, 1883 and ordered the authors to finalize their research, and on May 1, 1887 it was finally approved.

The first stone for the foundation of the temple, however, was laid back in October 1883. A special commission was formed for the construction of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, headed by Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the youngest son of the deceased Tsar. The commission included architects R.B. Bernhard, D.I. Grimm, A.I. Zhiber, R.A. Gödike, who made adjustments to the project as the work progressed. I.V. Storm played a significant role in improving the cathedral: thanks to his proposals, the overall composition of the temple only benefited.

If it were not for the mosaic work, which was not progressing as quickly as we would have liked, the consecration of the Savior on Spilled Blood could have happened ten years earlier. And now this long-awaited and blessed day has come: on August 6 (19), 1907, on the day of the Orthodox holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) performed the consecration ceremony. It was furnished very solemnly, with the participation of Emperor Nicholas II and members of his family. Less than a year later, in April 1908, the same Metropolitan Anthony consecrated the Iveron chapel-sacristy, which stood next to the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood. The sacristy was a repository of icons that were ever presented in memory of the tragic death of Alexander II.

The Savior on Spilled Blood was built using the latest technologies for those years, so it can rightfully be called one of the most modern buildings of the early 20th century. Moreover, it was even completely electrified, something that even many important government institutions could not dream of. 1689 lamps illuminated the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood from the inside, which was simply unthinkable at that time! As for the cost of the entire construction, it is estimated at a rather impressive amount - 4.6 million rubles. The cathedral in memory of the murdered Tsar-Liberator was the second religious building in St. Petersburg after St. Isaac's Cathedral, which, being under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was entirely supported by the state.

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood differed from other churches in that it was not planned for mass visits. Parishioners could only enter it with passes. Some of the services held there were dedicated to the memory of Alexander II, who died at the hands of terrorists. Professor P. I. Leporsky was appointed rector of the cathedral in September 1907.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Bolshevik government stopped allocating funds for the maintenance of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. As a result, the rector had no choice but to turn to the people of Petrograd with a request to support the cathedral in these difficult times and, if possible, financially, contributing feasible amounts for its maintenance.

At the end of 1919, city authorities decided to organize a parish at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood. Peter Leporsky actively objected to this, rightly noting that he had never been a parish. But the Petrograd Soviet did not give up on its goal, and already on January 11, 1920, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was transferred to the so-called “twenty,” that is, to the newly formed parish. In 1922-1923, the cathedral was administered by the Petrograd Autocephaly under the leadership of Nikolai (Yaroshevich), Bishop of Peterhof.

After the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergei (Stragorodsky), issued a “declaration” declaring unconditional loyalty to the communist regime, the Savior on Spilled Blood became the center of an opposition movement in the Russian Orthodox Church known as Josephiteism. His followers did not support the line of cooperation with the Bolsheviks. And the matter did not rest with the latter: on October 30, 1930, according to the resolution of the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, the temple was closed.

A year later, the commission of the Leningrad Regional Council on Issues of Cults made the case that it was advisable to dismantle the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood, but they decided to postpone the implementation of this task indefinitely. In 1938, the authorities again returned to the issue of the need to demolish the temple, and they had already resolved it positively, but then the Great Patriotic War began, which distracted the city authorities to solve more important problems. Thus, during the siege, the cathedral premises were used as a morgue for Leningraders who died from hunger, cold and wounds. After 1945, scenery for performances was stored in the former church, which by that time was rented by the Maly Theater.

At the end of the 60s, the Savior on Spilled Blood was taken under state protection. In July 1970, it was decided to organize a branch of the St. Isaac's Cathedral Museum there, which became a salvation for this monumental structure from final oblivion: after all, it was in disrepair and needed urgent restoration. Work began in the early 80s, the first stage of which was completed only in 1997. At the same time, the memorial museum-monument “Savior on Spilled Blood” opened its doors to visitors, this happened exactly 90 years after its consecration.

On May 23, 2004, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Vladimir (Kotlyarov) celebrated a solemn liturgy at the Savior on Spilled Blood - the first after a long break that stretched over more than seven decades. Ten years later, the parish of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood received official registration.

Video: Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in winter

Architectural features of the temple

Despite the fact that the Savior on Spilled Blood was built as a memorial church in honor of the murdered emperor, its appearance is rather festive and bright. The temple is decorated with numerous figured platbands, kokoshniks, tiles, and multi-colored tiles. At the heart of the religious structure is a compact quadrangle, topped with five chapters, covered with four-color jewelry enamel. In total, there are nine of them in the temple, as mentioned above, and it is they who create that unique asymmetry that makes the Cathedral of the Savior on Spilled Blood one of the most recognizable on the banks of the Neva and in Russia.

The role of the central chapter is assigned to an 81-meter tent, at the base of which, on the wall, there are 8 oblong windows. Their platbands are made in the form of kokoshniks. The tent, which is narrowed at the top, is crowned by a lantern with a bulbous dome with a cross. It is covered with white, green and yellow enamel in the form of stripes that seem to wrap around it. Another element that gives the building recognition is the bell tower topped with a dome, located in the southwestern part. It has a certain resemblance to the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in the Moscow Kremlin.

It is difficult to name materials that would not be used in the decor of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: this includes ordinary brick, granite, marble, and enamel, not to mention copper with gilding and mosaics. The walls, towers and domes are covered with magnificent patterns. Against the background of decorative red brick, white arches, arcades and the aforementioned kokoshnik pediments look surprisingly harmonious. Mosaics play a special role inside the temple, occupying an area of ​​7065 square meters. meters, and this exhibition is one of the largest on the entire continent. It is not surprising that the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is called the “Museum of Mosaics”. All this splendor was created in the workshop of V. A. Frolov based on sketches by a large number of artists - Vasnetsov, Koshelev, Parland, Nesterov and others. Mosaic panels with gospel scenes almost completely cover the walls, pylons, and ceilings. This is a stunning sight that will impress anyone, so we definitely advise you to go inside.

The floor, lined with colorful patterns of marble slabs, is in amazing harmony with the mosaic decoration of the temple. The carved iconostasis is also made from Italian marble. In general, more than 20 types of different minerals were used in the design of the building (different types of marble, Ural and Altai jasper, porphyry, orlets, etc.).

The place where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded

The main place in the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is a fragment of the Catherine Canal, which includes a cobblestone pavement, paving slabs and part of a lattice - it is highlighted by a tent-like canopy made of jasper, carved by domestic stone-cutters. This fragment has remained untouched since those tragic and memorable times when Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded here. At this place, a “Crucifix with those present” was installed, made of marble and granite. There are always red carnations there. On the sides of this unique cross there are icons with images of saints.

The external appearance of the temple and its interior decoration, generally speaking, are thought out and executed in such a way as to emphasize even in the smallest detail its monumentality, subordination to one main task - to perpetuate the repentance and memory of the Russian people about the innocently murdered Tsar-Liberator.

Thus, above the semicircular window of one of the bell towers of the Savior on Spilled Blood there is a mosaic icon depicting the heavenly patron of the emperor - St. Alexander Nevsky. In kokoshniks we see images of the heavenly patrons of other members of the imperial family. In the niches of the false arcade (they are located in the lower part of the walls of the facade) there are two dozen boards on which are carved the main transformations associated with the reign of the deceased. Moreover, the boards are not wooden, but made of red granite.

People kept coming and coming to the fragment of the embankment where terrorists mortally wounded the emperor. They offer prayers here for the repose of his soul. Funeral services are still held near this tragic place.

Working hours

The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ on the Blood is open daily, except Wednesdays, from 10:30 to 18:00. During the high tourist season, namely from May 1 to September 30, this temple, like many other attractions of St. Petersburg, is open to visitors until late: it is open until 22:30. The ticket office closes at 22:00.

Ticket prices

The price of one adult ticket to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in 2016 was 250 rubles. Children and youth aged 7-18 years, as well as university students, graduate students, and cadets of military educational institutions paid 50 rubles for a ticket. The same cost was established for pensioners from among the citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Please note: to purchase a ticket at a reduced price, a pensioner must present not his ID, but his passport.

Ordering an audio guide in Russian, English, French, German, Spanish and Italian will cost 100 rubles.

Artists paint the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

How to get there

The closest metro station to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is Nevsky Prospekt. Upon exiting, on the right side of the former Catherine Canal (next to Konyushennaya Square and Mikhailovsky Garden, not far from the Field of Mars), you will see this monumental temple, built on the site of one of the most notorious political murders of the century before last.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg is a museum and monument of Russian architecture. It was erected by order of Alexander III and the decision of the Synod on the spot where on March 1, 1881, the People's Will member I. Grinevitsky mortally wounded Alexander II, who was popularly called the Tsar Liberator for the abolition of serfdom.

Although the temple immortalized a tragic event in the history of Russia, the nine-domed building amazes with its bright, colorful beauty. Against the backdrop of the austere architecture of the Northern capital, it seems like a toy. There are similarities between the cathedral and St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

Interior decoration of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg

The cathedral was not designed for mass attendance. This influenced its interior decoration, which is striking in its beauty. The decoration includes a collection of Russian mosaics of that time. Inside, it completely covers the walls, pylons, vaults and domes. In the cathedral we see a rich collection of gems, jewelry enamel, colored tiles, made by the best craftsmen. Craftsmen from the Yekaterinburg, Kolyvan and Peterhof lapidary factories took part in creating the decoration of the cathedral. Of the variety of mosaics and mosaic compositions, it is necessary to note the works made according to originals by artists V.M. Vasnetsova, M.V. Nesterova, A.P. Ryabushkina, N.N. Kharlamova, V.V. Belyaeva. The cathedral's mosaic collection is one of the largest in Europe. Ornamental and semi-precious stones were used as decorative decoration for the interior of the cathedral, with which the iconostasis, walls and floor of the building were lined. For the iconostasis, icons were made according to the sketches of Nesterov and Vasnetsov - “The Mother of God and the Child” and “The Savior”.

Particularly significant in the temple, after the altar, was the place where the assassination attempt on Emperor Alexander took place. A canopy was built over a fragment of the cobblestone street, a special structure that was supported by columns of gray-violet jasper. At the top of the canopy stood a topaz cross. Under the canopy are kept the relics of the cathedral - part of the grating of the Catherine Canal and the cobblestones on which the mortally wounded Alexander II fell.

Forests stood around the cathedral for a very long time. And the people said that the forests would stand as long as Soviet power stood. It's possible that this is a coincidence. But the scaffolding was dismantled shortly before the August events in Moscow in 1991.

The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is the first temple built on the site where the emperor of the state died. The constructed architectural monument was a symbol of the impending revolution.