Novokuznetsk Transfiguration Cathedral is one of the oldest Orthodox churches in the city. Located on the banks of the Tom River, a beautiful architectural structure with a forty-meter bell tower is visible to everyone who comes to Novokuznetsk. The Transfiguration Cathedral for many years was the tallest building not only in the city, but also in Siberia.
Building a wooden temple
The story begins in 1620, when the first Orthodox church was erected on the territory of the Kuznetsk prison next to the chapel built in 1618 with the participation of the priest Anikudim. The church was named Transfiguration (in the name of the Transfiguration of the Lord).
This is how Novokuznetsk received the Transfiguration Cathedral for the first time. This was facilitated by the fact that in 1622 the prison acquired the status of a city and a coat of arms. The cathedral looked like many churches in Siberia: the traditional North Russian tent style was then a symbol of Russia.
The first rector - Ivashka Ivanov, who previously served as a sacristan in the Archangel Cathedral in Moscow, arrived at the temple, the Royal Doors were also delivered there,icons and chasubles. Services have begun. The priests of the cathedral in the 17th century helped protect the Kuznetsk prison from the raids of the nomadic Tatars.
XVIII century: change of status
In 1718, Peter I granted a three-meter wooden cross to the Transfiguration Cathedral. Novokuznetsk then celebrated its centenary. A few years later, the cathedral was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1734.
Only in the 18th century did the wooden temple get its full name and status. Until the beginning of the 19th century, it was the main cathedral of the Kuznetsk district, and after that - the entire Kuznetsk deanery, uniting 20 parishes.
Transformation in stone
By 1791, the wooden church had fallen into disrepair. It was decided to build a stone building. Archbishop Varlaam of Tobolsk and Siberia blessed, Archpriest Efimy Vikulovsky ordered Pochekunin's artel from Irkutsk, which laid the groundwork and the first stage of construction in May 1792.
The first floor contained two thrones - the Forerunner and the Baptist of the Lord John and in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra, consecrated them in 1801 by Archpriest Yakov Aramilsky. The main altar of the Transfiguration of the Lord was placed on the second floor.
The pace of construction depended on the volume of cash receipts and other assistance from the parishioners of the temple. Finally, after a long 43 years, the Transfiguration Cathedral adorned the city of Novokuznetsk.
The long construction period was reflected in the architectural style, which included the classical traditions of building temples and elementslate Siberian baroque. The restraint of the decorative development of the facade is combined with an abundance of baroque cupolas, which gives the cathedral individuality and originality. The masonry was completed in 1830, and in 1831 the decoration was completed. The service for the solemn consecration of the temple was held in the summer of 1835. So for the second time Novokuznetsk received the Transfiguration Cathedral.
Trials of the early 19th century
Decades have passed. All this time, Novokuznetsk and its environs decorated the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, its high bell tower was visible from afar.
The beginning of the century, the temple met somewhat dilapidated and suffered from an earthquake in June 1898. By 1907, its overhaul was completed: paintings and icons were updated, the iconostasis, crosses and bulbs were gilded.
Tests for the temple began at the end of 1919, when the Transfiguration Cathedral was badly damaged during the anti-Kolchak protests. Novokuznetsk, where the Hodegetrievskaya Church is also located (famous for the fact that Dostoevsky F. M. was married in it), was practically destroyed and burned by a detachment of anarchists from the Altai partisans led by G. F. Rogov and I. P. Novoselov
The temple was devastated, almost completely burned down, the bells were thrown from a height to the ground. Within seven years, the cathedral carried out repairs on the ground floor, which was most affected by the fire, and resumed services.
But the temple did not receive parishioners for long. In the twenties, he was captured by the "renovators". In 1929, a geological museum was opened in thisbuilding. The once-beautiful Transfiguration Cathedral was already hardly recognizable. Novokuznetsk has lost its symbol and spiritual foundation.
In 1933-1935, the chairman of the Kuznetsk executive committee, Vorobyov, with a detachment of Komsomol members, completely plundered the temple, again dropped heavy bells, dismantled most of the bell tower, destroyed the domes, broke the crosses.
The building was planned to be used as a museum, but the plans were never implemented. In an empty building for two years there was a school of combine operators, a couple of years later - a bakery. After the end of the war, the cathedral building was completely abandoned for several decades.
The second half of the 19th century. Long oblivion
The temple stood empty for many years. In the 1960s, the leadership of Novokuznetsk considered a plan to turn the cathedral into the Old Fortress restaurant, but never implemented it.
In the late 1980s, attention was paid to the building again, with the idea of placing an organ hall in it. Almost at the same time, Orthodox Christians filed another appeal to the city Council of People's Deputies to transfer the church to them. They've been doing this for years and getting rejected.
In 1988, the city council decided to transfer the cathedral to the Orthodox community of Novokuznetsk, despite the fact that experts spoke of it as an ideal building for an organ hall.
Restoration of the temple
Since 1989, the revival of the temple began, the parish was restored, andrestoration and repair. Already in 1991, even before the completion of work, services were resumed.
Priest Boris Borisov became the first rector of the renovated church. There are few photos of how Novokuznetsk restored the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior.
Since 1994, scaffolding has been erected around the temple for grouting the walls. Three years later, the main dome and the domes of the bell tower were covered with copper, the floor of the first floor was covered with heated marble.
In 1999, the finishing work was completed, the scaffolding was removed, the domes were covered with gilding. And in 2004, restoration work was completed, as was the painting of the cathedral. Only fifteen years have passed and again I was able to see the Transfiguration Cathedral Novokuznetsk. The address of the temple remained the same: st. Vodopadnaya, house 18. The cathedral with a 400-year history celebrated its next rebirth and again became the center of the Kuznetsk deanery.
