Russian Travel News - uVisitRussia
Home About Russian Travel News Assumption Cathedral is the heart of Smolensk and its symbol

Assumption Cathedral is the heart of Smolensk and its symbol

Assumption Cathedral rises above Smolensk as its absolute dominant, high-rise, architectural and spiritual. The huge temple, standing on a high cape over the valley of the Dnieper, miraculously survived during both World War II: both Napoleon and the father of the fascist blitzkrieg Heinz Guderian, visiting the cathedral, ordered to protect it. Even during the terrible bombings of Smolensk in 1941, the cathedral was not touched - it was an excellent landmark for pilots.

The cathedral is an ideal symbol of the history of the city that grew up at the crossroads of the main roads of Eastern Europe. The present building was built on the place where the ancient temple, erected by the son of a Byzantine princess for the miraculous icon from Constantinople, and the Catholic church stood before it. It was laid by the Moscow architect Alexey Korolkov, and finished by German architect Johann Gottfried Schlegel. The luxurious baroque iconostasis was created by the Ukrainian Sila Trusitsky. The cathedral acquired a modern look in the epoch of Catherine II, and soon after the construction was completed, the empress showed the temple to her friend Joseph II Habsburg. In general, the typical Smolensk International.

A landmark for travelers entering Smolensk Cathedral remains in our days. This is not surprising, since it is a real giant: 69 meters from the base to the top of the cross, plus the height of the Cathedral Mountain. The Assumption Cathedral stands on a mountain not alone, it is part of the ensemble, which also includes the bell tower, the Gate of the Epiphany Cathedral, the Church of St. John the Baptist, the bishop's chambers, the consistory, the bread and carriage buildings - a whole baroque-style town fenced in by a wall. Sovetskaya Street leads to the Assumption Church, which passes to the main staircase. Many, however, go farther to climb more gentle slopes.

From the distance a continuous line of pilgrims and tourists stretches to the cathedral — they slowly, with difficulty, climb the steep stairs up the hill. Persistently climb up the bride, holding the hem of her wedding dress; children rise who are carried away by the mysterious nooks of the Cathedral Mountain; old and small climb, locals and tourists to sit down on one of the benches, take a breath and admire the panorama of the city.

The interior of the cathedral deserves special attention. The huge iconostasis (height 31 meters) made in 1730-1739 makes a stunning impression. The forms of the Little Russian Baroque are so bright, juicy and unexpected that they almost overshadow the appearance of the architectural ensemble of the Cathedral Mountain, which in itself is extremely spectacular. In addition, the cathedral contains two relics of a truly dramatic fate: the ancient list of the miraculous Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, which mysteriously disappeared during the Great Patriotic War, and the shroud of the times of Ivan the Terrible.

LOCAL FEATURES
In the shop near the Assumption Cathedral sell very tasty bread, we recommend.

HISTORY
At the Cathedral and Resurrection Mountain located opposite it, archaeologists discovered the oldest cultural layers in Smolensk of the 11th-12th centuries. The first cathedral on this site was built by Vladimir Monomakh in 1101, shortly after the founding of the city. At about the same time, another Assumption Cathedral was built on the other side of the Monomakh possessions - in Suzdal. Both temples were built by masons from South Russia. The prince donated a miraculous icon to the Smolensk church - a list of the famous Constantinople Vlachernitissa, allegedly received by him from mother, the daughter of Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh.

The grandson of Prince Vladimir Rostislav adorned and renewed the cathedral. During the excavations, yellow and green majolica tiles of the original floor and brick-plinth were found. Apparently, the temple was six-pillars and single-domed with porches on the sides.

Assumption Cathedral was seriously injured in 1611 during the siege and assault of Smolensk by the troops of the Polish king Sigismund. Damage "from a lot of gunfire" aggravated the explosion of powder cellars, which occurred during the assault, when the royal soldiers broke into the cathedral. 10-20 years after the events, the Russian chroniclers explained what had happened by the fact that Smolensk townsman named either Belyanitsyn, or Belavin set fire to the powder with a candle so that the citizens gathered in the cathedral did not fall into the hands of the enemy. This heroic version was repeated by N.M. Karamzin, and since then it has become common. However, sources closer in time to the event, say that the powder cellar exploded from the fires that broke out during the assault. A third version also was in Smolensk - that the cathedral, together with the defenders, had blown up a certain Dedeshin, who had gone over to the side of the enemy. Apparently, as with the fire of Moscow in 1812, it is impossible to establish the true reason. Considering the fact that the Polish soldiers managed to take quite a few prisoners, including Archbishop Sergius, who was in the cathedral, and warboss Shein, who was fighting until the end, hardly any of the defenders blew up the cathedral.

While Smolensk was ruled by the Polish kings, the collapsed stone cathedral vaults were replaced with a wooden roof, and after 1627 the building became a Catholic church. Twenty years after the return of Smolensk under the authority of Moscow, the dilapidated walls of the Monomakh Cathedral were dismantled and in 1677 they laid a new building. However, either because of a lack of funds, or because of miscalculations of the Moscow architect Alexei Korolkov, the walls that were completed to a height of almost 30 meters dispersed, and the construction stopped until 1712. By 1740, the Assumption Cathedral was completed and consecrated.

But even this was not the end of his ordeal: in 1761, the heads of the temple collapsed. Until 1772, restoration work was underway, as a result of which only five eastern ones were restored from seven chapters. At the same time, the central chapter collapsed again in 1768, and architect Peter Obukhov decided to make it wooden. From a distance it is almost imperceptible even today. "Deception" is visible only if you stand next to the temple and peer into the windows, cut in the chapters. On the wooden head, half of the windows are real, half are painted.

The main shrine of the cathedral is the famous Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, reputedly defending the city for centuries. The icon left Smolensk more than once: at the beginning of the 15th century, it was in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, until in 1456, at the request of the Smolensk citizens, it was returned home. At the place of parting Muscovites with a miraculous image was later built Novodevichy Monastery with the Smolensk Cathedral. In 1812, the icon again moved to Moscow, and then to Yaroslavl, returning to its cathedral after the liberation of the city from the French. There she remained, despite the fact that in 1933 the Assumption Cathedral was closed, and only during the war it disappeared without a trace. Today, the cathedral contains its list of the 17th century, previously located above the Dnieper gate of the Smolensk fortress, and then in the gate church.

Another relic of the Assumption Cathedral is the shroud with an embroidered image of Christ in the tomb and myrrh-bearing women. In 1561, Prince Vladimir Staritsky and his mother Euphrosinia (subsequently brutally murdered by Ivan the Terrible) presented it to the aforementioned Moscow Assumption Cathedral. In 1812, the shroud was abducted by French soldiers, but the brave Smolensk partisans beat her back. As a reward for this relic was granted the Assumption Cathedral of Smolensk. In 1933, after the closure of the cathedral, the Smolensk residents did not give a shroud, although the Central Executive Committee issued an order to transfer it to the Armory. It still adorns the temple.

Worship in the Assumption Cathedral was resumed in 1941, during the German occupation, and since then has not stopped.

Join our tours and take a look at this amazing attraction:
Excursions - www.uvisitrussia.com/day-tours/
Tours - www.uvisitrussia.com/tours/