Church of St. Nicholas in Posada (Kolomna): history, architecture, how to get there

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

This temple is called the hidden gem of the city because it is off the usual tourist trails. And yet, experts strongly recommend travelers to visit the Church of St. Nicholas on Posada in Kolomna. Even if you can't get inside (the church works on a strict schedule), this white-stone cathedral is worthy of admiring it at least from the outside. An additional interesting point, according to many lovers of religious monuments, is that the temple is an Old Believer one, and everyone who is lucky enough to be here on one of the Orthodox holidays will have the opportunity to appreciate how different from the traditional and familiar services held in this church according to the ancient canons.

Church of Nikola in Posada: description

Tourists who come to Kolomna simply run up their eyes from the abundance of magnificent churches and temples. But no matter how many noteworthy sights there are, the Church of St. Nicholas in Posada evokesspecial interest of the guests. The cathedral, built in the eighteenth century, resembles a real fairy-tale tower. Travelers in their reviews call it one of the most beautiful churches in Kolomna. The snow-white, graceful, white-domed church, with magnificent kokoshniks, carved architraves, crowned with a miniature five-domed crown of domes, striking in its calm grandeur, is compared by many with a Russian beauty in a wedding dress.

It is known that the church has gone through a dramatic history, has undergone significant reconstruction several times. Today, the Church of St. Nicholas in Posada appears before the residents of the city and tourists in its original form. Since 1960, the church has had the status of a national monument.

Useful information

Church of St. Nicholas in Posada is one of the oldest churches in Kolomna. Since the 90s, it has belonged to the parish of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. Made in the style of Moscow patterns. The first mention of it dates back to the sixteenth century. Built in the period from 1716 to 1719. Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 to 11:00 and from 14:00 to 20:00.

Architecture

The main beauty of the church is its amazing architecture, accessible to the eyes of the curious at any time of the day or night. The attention of guests is attracted primarily by the high central space: the summer church in the name of the Resurrection of the Word is located on the utility basement, and next to it is a massive chapel, created in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Nearby are the remains of an unpreservedof our days hipped bell tower.

In the true traditions of the outlandish merchant style - Moscow patterns - the roof of the building is decorated with 105 carved stone "kokoshniks", towering one above the other. This solution is the only one not only in Kolomna, but throughout Russia. Also noteworthy are the magnificent carvings, the high utility basement with loophole windows located in it, and the unusual, as if growing from a single center, five cupolas of the cathedral, topped with gilded crosses. The central drum is light, the other four are "deaf". It is known that in the eighteenth century, many of the external architectural forms of the Church of St. Nicholas in Posada were changed to the early baroque style. The kokoshniks and platbands cut down in the seventeenth century were restored during the restoration that took place in the 1970s. Murals and icons, as well as the hipped bell tower, of which only the first tier has survived, were irretrievably lost after the October Revolution.

History

Church of St. Nicholas in Posada is an Old Believer church, built in 1716-1719, on the site of a wooden structure of the late sixteenth century, outside the city walls (hence the name "in the suburb", i.e. outside the city limits). The money for the construction was collected by parishioners, mostly merchants. It is known that a special financial contribution was made by local merchants Ivan Alekseev and Ivan Bichevin. In 1716, the main altar of the church was consecrated in honor of the Resurrection of the Word, the refectory adjoining it from the east - in honor of John the Theologian, andchapel temple, located to the north - in honor of St. Nicholas. Despite the re-consecration, it is still called the Church of St. Nicholas in Posada.

Many interesting features of the temple architecture were destroyed in the second half of the eighteenth century. The original appearance of the cathedral was restored only in the 1970s.

About an interesting legend

Especial attention of the guests was once riveted by crowned openwork crosses, which are associated with the existence of an interesting folk legend. Some time after the construction of the new church, a wedding was to take place in it. At that moment, when crowns were laid on the heads of the young, a terrible storm suddenly arose, the wind tore off their crowns and hoisted them on church crosses. People began to find out the reason why God refused to accept this wedding. The young were brother and sister. The young girl was kidnapped. God did not allow lawlessness to happen, and instead of the young, crosses were married.

Reconstruction

In 1792, the temple survived a terrible fire, after which a large-scale reconstruction was carried out in it, which changed its appearance far from for the better. Many unique features of the architecture were lost, including openwork crosses, which were replaced with simple ones. After the reconstruction, the style of the temple approached the baroque. The original view of the architectural and historical monument is captured in the paintings of the People's Artist of Russia M. G. Abakumov. In the 70-80s of the twentieth century, the temple was restored at the expense ofbudget and in the early 90s it was given to the Russian Old Believer Orthodox community.

Current State

The temple is active, services are held in it. However, it should be noted that the Old Believers categorically oppose visiting their church by "outsiders" persons.

Note for tourists

Despite all the losses suffered in the course of history, the church continues to attract eyes and fascinate with its beauty. Usually, tourists manage to see this monument only from the outside: the church is open for visits only during the hours of the service, the rest of the time its prayerful peace is zealously protected from inquisitive eyes. However, for travelers this is not such a significant loss: after all, the frescoes and icons of the temple were destroyed back in the 1930s, and today only Old Believer icons in its interior may be of interest to tourists. Entrance to the church is free, donations are welcome.

Address, how to get there

The temple is located at the address: Kolomna, Posadskaya street, house 18.

You can walk here from Kalachnaya or the Pastila Museum. From the Kazansky railway station you can get by train Moscow - Kolomna (get off at the Golutvin station), as well as by electric trains Moscow - Golutvin, Moscow - Ryazan. Experts recommend motorists to use GPS coordinates: 38.770528° E. 55.105047° N. sh. /38°46'13.9″ E 55°06'18.17 N. sh.