Gus-Iron, Trinity Cathedral of the Kasimov Diocese: description, history. Gus-Zhelezny: Attractions

In Russia, many settlements with strange names. And among them are two Goose - Iron and Crystal. What kind of names for urban-type settlements, who invented them? Everything is very simple. The first part of the name - Gus - gave towns not a poultry, but a river. It flows through both settlements. In one of them, crystal production was established, and in the second, an iron foundry was built. So, by combining the names of the river and enterprises, and received two oikonyms. And to this day on the map of Russia, there are two settlements with colorful names: Gus-Khrustalny in the Vladimir region and his "iron" neighbor in Ryazan. And before the industrial explosion, the villages were called differently. In this article we will talk about the former village of Verkuttsa (now Gus-Zhelezny). The Trinity Cathedral in it is the most outstanding and iconic landmark. Why is he so famous that he is mentioned even in Wikipedia? Read about it below.

The original church

The main temple is inextricably linked with the history of Verkuttsa (now Gus-Zhelezny). The Trinity Cathedral was built by Andrew and Ivan Batashev, the same ones who built the iron foundry. Was there a church in the village before them? Likely. But there is no trace of it. However, as well as from the first cathedral. Settled in the year 1785 in Verkuttsa, the factory owners first built a mansion for themselves. The estate they conceived with a noble scope. They ordered the damming of three rivers by a stone dam, and thus a huge lake spread over the estate, over which ships sailing once went. Their ancestor Ivashka Batashev, a simple Tula blacksmith who made a huge fortune in military deliveries under Peter the First, received hereditary nobility. So the brothers-breeders bought land serfs along with rich ores. And that God was not angry, they decided to put the church dedicated to John the Baptist. It was, unlike the farmstead, wooden, and burnt to the ground in the year 18800.

Gus-Iron: Trinity Cathedral, construction

By that time, Ivan Batashov had already left the city, taking up Vyksa factory, which is under Murom. Left with a sovereign master in Gus-Zhelezny, Andrei immediately decided to build something grandiose in the place of the burnt church. The very scale of the future temple was disproportionate to the small town, which was the Gus-Iron. The Trinity Cathedral, according to the plan of the unknown architect, was supposed to accommodate one thousand two hundred worshipers. The huge temple was built at a record pace. Already in the year 1849, when the customer Andrei Batashov died, the building was erected to the dome. But even then the ground floor was consecrated, and divine services were held in several thrones. After the death of the customer, the work was interrupted. The Trinity Cathedral stood without a chapter for twenty-two years. The stop in construction is connected with long-term litigation for inheritance. Andrei Batashov consistently had three wives. The second husband, Matryona, the landowner simply bought as a serf. Children from this marriage and sued for inheritance. Then, when the millions of Andrei Batashov were distributed by court order, the work resumed.

Trinity Cathedral: description

The size of the temple is truly amazing. The height of the dome reaches fifty meters. On the other end of the cross-shaped building there is a bell-tower to the temple. It rises to the height of seventy meters. The church can be seen from afar, from the Kasimov tract itself. Among the plain relief and forests of the Ryazan region the temple looks epic. But not only the size of the Cathedral is interesting, it took the place of the first and most interesting in the city with the colorful name Goose-Iron Landmarks. Despite the fact that the church was consecrated in the year 1863 according to the Orthodox order, the building is very similar to the Catholic church. This mystery remains unresolved, because we do not even know the name of the chief architect, which Batashov ordered the development of the church plan. The ambiguity gave rise to a lot of speculation. Allegedly the breeder was a Freemason, and maybe he also professed Catholicism. But, perhaps, the truth is simpler and lies on the surface. The newly-minted landowner sought to be known as "progressive", and therefore ordered the construction in the then-fashionable neo-Gothic style. True, in the open spaces of the Ryazan region it merged in a bizarre eclectic with classicism and baroque.

Appearance

Despite its status as a homestead church, the Trinity Life Church in Gus-Zhelezny is colossal. It is built of brick, but the lining is made with white stone. The Vladimir State Archive keeps a record that the author of the building was "the famous architect." And although his name remains unknown, looking at his creation, you involuntarily agree with this statement. This church does not know analogs in Russia. It resembles the Resurrection Cathedral in Pochaiv (Ukraine), built by the architect Delamot (second half of the eighteenth century). The pseudo-gothic was manifested in the Trinity Church by lancet apertures, twin columns, vials, gable octahedral pediments. But nevertheless, in the guise of the cathedral, there is no aspiration of an upright dome. It has a baroque appearance with complex round projections, niches and facets with oblique corners. Completed and clear in form the dome brings the church together with the masterpieces of the era of classicism.

The operating temple

Trinity Cathedral after the October Revolution of 1917 suffered the sad fate of many churches. His values were requisitioned, and the construction itself for a long time (from the thirty-second year) was used for household needs. Now the temple is again handed over to believers. It belongs to the Ryazan Metropolitanate. When in 2011 the Diocese of Kasimov and Sasovskaya was formed by the decision of the Synod, the Trinity Cathedral in Gus-Zheleznoye was transferred to her subordination.

Thrones

The temple was built for a long time, in total from 1802 to 1868. But the first divine services began to pass even during the life of the customer - Andrei Batashov. In the lower tier, in the year 1849, the altars were completed and appropriately consecrated: the miracle worker and prelate of St. Nicholas, the chief apostles of Peter and Paul and the Nativity of Christ. In the layout, the temple has two floors. And when the cathedral was completely completed, the throne of the Life-giving Trinity became the main one. From him, and received the name of the temple. All who visited the cathedral before the revolution, claimed that its interior decoration is amazing. Icons of the Trinity Cathedral collected a lot of pilgrims to the church. Particularly revered was the image of Mary Bogolyubskaya. This icon, donated by the monks of the monastery of the same name, helped the city cope with the epidemic of the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five. Pilgrims went to bow and another shrine - the cross of the silver cross with the relics of John the Merciful.

Other sights of the city

Although the temple is owned by the diocese of Kasimov, it can be viewed by a simple tourist. Now the divine services are held in the lower tier (the upper one is in emergency condition, the wooden fasteners are being reconstructed). The access to the Cathedral is free, but photography is impossible. Do not forget that the temple was conceived as a church at the estate. It is still a part of the Batashov Industrial-Estate Complex. Iron foundry is no longer valid, and the children's sanatorium is located in the manor house. But you can see the family necropolis Batashov, a historical fence, smithy and five hostels for workers. But the strongest impression is made by a stone dam, which has been holding back three rivers for so many years. It is from the side of the artificial lake that the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity looks particularly gothic.

How to get there

Goose-Iron, whose attractions can be seen in a couple of hours, is located 270 kilometers southeast of Moscow. To get to the city by car you can by P105 - Egorievskoe highway, which connects the capital with the district center, the city of Kasimov. From the central bus station with an interval of two hours there are scheduled buses. They make a stop in Gus-Zhelezny. The fare is six hundred and fifteen rubles in one direction. But the bus gets to the destination in five hours. Therefore, one should think about accommodation, and in a city-type settlement it will be difficult to find it. In Kasimov, which is eighteen kilometers from the Goose-Iron, there are hotels.