Theodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral in Pushkin was built by decree of Emperor Nicholas II at the beginning of the 20th century. This temple is famous for its amazing mosaics that are collected above the entrances to the cathedral. This unique church, the history of its creation and interesting facts will be discussed in the article.
Temple History
Feodorovsky Cathedral (city of Pushkin) is located in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. It is located next to Farm Park, on Academic Avenue.
The church was built between 1909 and 1912. The temple was intended for the Own consolidated infantry regiment and the imperial convoy.
In 1895, near the Egyptian Gates, in Tsarskoe Selo, the royal regiment of infantry and a personal imperial escort were stationed. In this regard, it became necessary to build a temple next to the barracks.
The emperor ordered the creation of a special building committee, which was responsible for the construction of a new cathedral. The well-known architect of that time, A. N. Pomerantsev, created a design for the temple, which was approved by the committee and the emperor.
Start of construction
The laying of the Feodorovsky Cathedral (Pushkin) took place in early September 1909, and the first stone was set by Emperor Nicholas II. However, after the foundation was erected, Pomerantsev's project began to be seriously criticized. The main complaint was that the cathedral was oversized and, consequently, increased construction costs.
After that, it was decided to completely rework the project, for which a young architect V. A. Pokrovsky was invited. It is believed that Pokrovsky took the Annunciation Cathedral, located in the Moscow Kremlin, as the basis of his project, only in its original form, without additions and alterations carried out in the 16th century.
In mid-August 1910, the project was approved, and Pokrovsky took the architect V. N. Maksimov as his assistant.
Cathedral architecture
Theodorovsky Cathedral (Pushkin) was erected on a hill, which allowed the temple to rise above the rest of the buildings of the town. The church itself consisted of two temples. The upper one accommodated about 1000 people, it also contained the main altar, which was erected in honor of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
Also, a side chapel was erected in the name of St. Alexis (Metropolitan of Moscow). The lower temple is a cave church (in this case, a basement) - in honor of Seraphim of Sarov.
Volumetric foundation, which was erected according to the project of A. N. Pomerantsev, allowed, while reducing the area of the cathedral, according to new drawings, to build severalsecondary rooms below the main level. For example, a chapel, sacristy, porch and entrances to the temple were built.
The main form of the cathedral is a four-column cube of the so-called cross-domed building type. The planes of the walls are monotonous, but they are distinguished by shoulder blades (a flat vertical ledge) and an arched belt (a series of arches), as well as stucco emblems of the Russian Empire. The facades above the entrances to the cathedral are decorated with magnificent mosaic panels, which were made by the famous master V. A. Frolov.
Mosaic panels
Theodorovsky Cathedral (Pushkin) is known for its magnificent mosaics, which are located above the entrances to the church. Several entrances were created in the cathedral, each of which was intended for a certain category of people. So, for example, the emperor and his family, clergy, officers, privates and civilians entered the church through certain entrances.
The main entrance to the temple is located on the western side of the cathedral. It is decorated with a rather large panel depicting the Fedorov Icon of the Mother of God and the upcoming saints. Above the mosaic is a small belfry with three arches. A staircase made of red granite leads to the cathedral.
Other entrances to the Cathedral
Two more entrances to the cathedral were located on the south side. One of them was intended for the emperor and his family to visit the cave temple. The entrance was decorated not with a mosaic, but with an icon with the face of Seraphim of Sarov.
Second entrywas decorated with a panel depicting George the Victorious, sitting on a horse. It was intended for the officer corps, as well as the imperial escort.
From the northern part of the Feodorovsky Cathedral (Pushkin) there were also two entrances inside. The main one was in the center of the wall and was intended for ordinary people and low ranks. The top of the main entrance was crowned with a mosaic depicting the Archangel Michael.
Here was located the entrance to the cave temple for commoners, a stoker and a soldier's overcoat. Currently, there is a panel depicting Seraphim of Sarov above this entrance, however, according to historians, it was not there in tsarist times.
Under the room of the bell tower there is a door leading to the lower part of the cathedral, the same are available in the southwestern and northeastern parts. On the eastern side of the temple, in its altar part, there is a panel of the Lord Almighty.
Feodorovsky Cathedral (Pushkin) in our time
Currently, the cathedral is a monument of architecture and Russian architecture, referring to the objects of cultural and historical heritage, and is protected by the state. Here is a list from the icon of the Theodore Mother of God, which is considered miraculous. Also in the temple there is a shrine with a piece of the relics of Seraphim of Sarov.
Thousands of Christians come to bow to these Orthodox shrines every year. The iconostasis, decorated with wood carvings and icons belonging to different eras of creation, has been preserved in the temple.
The Church is active, therefore, in addition to those who decidedto enjoy the beauty of Russian temple architecture and icon painting, you can also meet parishioners here. As for the work of the Feodorovsky Cathedral (Pushkin), the schedule is as follows: daily from 7-00 to 18-00 in summer and from 10-00 to 18-00 in winter. However, during the holidays, the schedule of the temple and the conduct of services may change.
Once in the city of Pushkin and seeing its many monuments and sights, you should definitely visit this amazingly beautiful cathedral.
