On the territory of the former village of Kolomenskoye (Southern Administrative District of Moscow) there is a unique architectural monument of the 16th century - the Church of the Ascension of Christ. Its creation and subsequent history are connected with the name of the first Russian tsar from the Rurik dynasty - Ivan III Vasilyevich, who entered the Russian chronicle with the title Terrible.
Sin of the Moscow ruler
In 1525, the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III, whose portrait is given above, forcibly tonsured his first wife Solomonia Saburova as a nun, and a year later he led the daughter of the Lithuanian prince Elena Glinskaya down the aisle. Although such an act had a good reason - the barrenness of Solomon, which deprived the principality of the legitimate heir to the throne, according to church canons, this act was considered a great sin, similar to bigamy.
Either the Lord was angry with the prince and closed the womb of his new wife, or the rejected wife cursed him, but in the first years of marriage, the new couple had no children. The two-year penance imposed on him by the Metropolitan to cleanse him fromsin. The desperate husband decided to build a marvelous Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, a village near Moscow, where his princely mansions were located, and which he had already decorated with temples more than once. With this pious deed, he hoped to propitiate God and beg for the long-awaited son.
Arrival of the Italian master
The first half of the 16th century entered the history of Moscow as the era of “great construction projects” carried out by Italians sent to Russia. They decorated the capital with outstanding architectural monuments. Vasily III did not retreat from the established tradition this time either. Turning personally to Pope Clement VII, he persuaded him to let the famous Italian architect Anibale go to Moscow, to whom he intended to entrust the construction of the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye. The architect arrived in Russia in the summer of 1528.
The Grand Duke himself at that time went along with his young wife Elena on a many-month pilgrimage to monasteries, placing pood candles in front of the images, and begging the Lord for a son-heir.
Amendments to the original draft
The place for the construction of the church was chosen on the steep bank of the Moskva River, near a miraculous spring spouting from the ground. This fully corresponded to both Russian Orthodox traditions and the canons set forth in Italian theological treatises.
The original layout of the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, a brief description of which has survived to this day, is strikingly different from its final version. The fact is that transgressing to work,Anibale did not plan to create a high basement - the lower utility floor, which is why it all had to be lower and squat. In addition, he planned the construction of side aisles and a belfry located in the western part of the building. In the autumn of 1528, the foundation was built, corresponding to this layout of the building.
However, it became obvious that with such a construction, the church would not be visible from the side of the miraculous spring, as it would be closed by a steep ledge of the coast. This was a serious omission, as the visual connection with the holy place was broken.
I had to urgently redo the whole project. For better visibility of the church, we decided to raise it to a high basement. Thanks to the new project, the Church of the Ascension in the village of Kolomenskoye became clearly visible from all sides, but the architect had to abandon the construction of its side aisles and belfry. After a corresponding alteration of the foundation, the work was continued.
Birth of an heir
The diligence of the builders of the church and many months of pilgrimages of the princely couple were not in vain. At the beginning of 1530, the princess delighted her husband with the long-awaited news. Since that time, preparations began for the birth of the long-awaited heir. They became the future Tsar Ivan III Vasilyevich, who received the title of Terrible for his bloody deeds. It seems that it was in him that the curse was embodied, sent by the unfortunate Solomonia from the monastery cell, into which her ex-husband forcibly imprisoned her.
The general chores and work carried out in Kolomenskoye were touched. ChurchAscension at this stage again underwent a series of changes in its layout. At the request of the prince, a “royal place” was equipped in it, which was not previously provided. It was a white-stone oval base built into the porch flooring. To accommodate the carved back adjacent to it, a deep recess had to be made in the inner wall of the building, which was already ready by that time. Almost three centuries later, in 1836, according to the project of the architect E. D. Turin, a three-dimensional coat of arms of Russia was installed over the “royal place”.
Festive feast and death of Basil III
The construction of the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye was completed in 1532, when young Ivan, the son and heir of Grand Duke Vasily III, was barely two years old. It was consecrated by a person especially close to the court of the prince - Bishop Vassian (Toporkov) of Kolomna, who was the nephew of the Monk Joseph Volotsky. The Grand Duke, in joy, presented the church with rich gifts in the form of precious vessels and golden robes for icons. A festive feast was arranged in Kolomenskoye, which lasted three days. However, the life of the king was already running out.
Bishop Vassian in December 1533 confessed and communed Tsar Vasily on his deathbed. According to modern researchers, he died of cancer. After him, power passed to a young son.
According to contemporaries, Ivan the Terrible loved to visit Kolomenskoye. The Church of the Ascension, which became a reward to God for his birth, was extremely close to the sovereign. He spared no expense to decorate it. especially to the hearthe had a view from the high gallery. From it, he surveyed the “pleasure palace” he built in the village, which has not survived to this day, but is repeatedly mentioned in historical documents.
Legends associated with the Ascension Church
The village of Kolomenskoye occupied an important place in the life of Ivan the Terrible. Here he formed regiments to conquer the Kazan Khanate. It is known that the surroundings of the village were a favorite place for his hunting. The real life of the king gave impetus to the emergence of many legends associated with him and with the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye. Interesting facts that have received documentary evidence alternate in them with obvious fiction. For example, for several centuries history buffs have been worried about the story that in the secret dungeons dug during the construction of the church, countless riches are still stored, taken out by Ivan the Terrible from devastated Novgorod.
Some researchers believe that his famous library is also hidden there, which thousands of treasure hunters have long and unsuccessfully searched for. They are not even afraid of the curse, which, according to legend, was imposed by the king. It says that anyone approaching his tomes will inevitably go blind. However, no one has yet had a chance to confirm or refute this statement.
Temple looking up
The Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, the photo of which is presented in the article, is a unique architectural monument symbolizing the Mount of Olives, from which Jesus Christ once ascended. Even at a glanceit strikes with its aspiration upwards. It is from her in Russia that the construction of stone hipped churches begins.
Along with the tent, which is the main element of the architectural composition, such an amazing "flying" effect was achieved thanks to wall pylons - structural elements elongated upwards, giving the walls additional strength. Built of plastered bricks and having an equal cross in plan, the church is decorated with rich decorations, which gives it an exquisite look. The total height of the structure is 62 meters. With a relatively small area of the interior, not exceeding 100 m², the absence of columns creates the impression of spaciousness.
Combination of two architectural styles
Describing the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye, one cannot ignore the two-tiered "gallery-ambulance" to which three staircases lead, giving it a peculiar look. They are a very characteristic element of Russian medieval architecture. In addition, the architect Anibale, when drawing up the project, used a number of elements characteristic of the Renaissance.
These are pilasters (vertical ledges of walls) crowned with capitals, and Gothic vympergi, which are pointed arches, more typical for Catholic churches. However, the viewer does not have any feeling of foreignness, since all the elements are successfully combined with rows of keel arches, made in the traditional Moscow style.
The Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye was built using elements of both Russian and Western European styles. Combining these two artistic directions, she revealed to the world a unique architectural masterpiece.
Conclusion
For all the historical and artistic value of the Church of the Ascension, its condition today causes serious concern. Deep cracks appeared in the walls of the building, dividing it into four separate blocks. They were formed because the church is located on the shore, the soil of which is prone to landslides.
In addition, in the 70s, to improve the navigation of the river, a series of works was carried out, after which the water level rose. Because of this, dangerous ravines formed near the church. Despite the danger of this situation, no serious measures were taken to prevent the collapse of the building.
