The Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin: a plan, diagram, description, history and photo. Where is Cathedral Square?

The Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin is a unique architectural historical monument. The main period of the formation of a magnificent ensemble - XV-XVI century.

How it all began

Strengthening the economic position of the Moscow Principality determined the beginning of the construction of majestic churches and cathedrals. Princes of Dmitriy Donskoy and Ivan Kalita ordered the construction of temples, which later determined the structure of the layout and the spatial composition of the square. Unfortunately, the original structures did not survive. During the reign of Ivan the Third, new temples were erected in the same places, worthy of the capital of the great Russian state.

Assign an object

From the very beginning of its appearance, the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin was used for various ceremonies and processions. At weddings for the reign, coronations and on the days of great church holidays, large-scale activities were organized on its territory. The place at the porch of the Faceted Chamber was intended for a solemn meeting of foreign ambassadors. The square was crossed by mourning processions to the place of the last refuge of patriarchs, metropolitans, kings and grand dukes.

The Cathedral Square in Moscow in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was not once paved with stone slabs made of sandstone. For several decades of the twentieth century it was asphalted. In the course of the reconstruction in 1955, the area was once again covered with stone.

Objects that have not survived to this day

The ensemble of the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin was repeatedly transformed. Initially, perimeter structures were erected from wood. One of them failed to survive in the course of the constant fires in the capital, others simply collapsed, after which they erected new ones in their place. Almost all the temples, now standing on the Cathedral Square, had predecessors. The most famous of the now non-existent objects are the Church of the Deposition, the Temple of the Solovki Wonderworkers, the Archangel, the Annunciation and the Assumption Cathedral, the old Patriarch's Chambers.

There were buildings that destroyed or seriously damaged the enemies. So it was during the Great Troubles (year 1612) and the invasion of Bonaparte (year 1812). For example, when the French troops retreated from the capital, the unique Filaretov annex to the Ivan the Great Belltower was destroyed. The same fate awaited the nearby three-span belfry. The Church of St. John of the Ladder has not been preserved. It was built by the decree of Ivan Kalita in 1329. The structure was in the form of an octagon with arches for bells, located on the second tier. It was simply dismantled in the fifteenth century with the goal of liberating the territory for the construction of the bell tower in honor of Ivan the Great.

The architectural appearance of the erected temples varied as required by time. Some structures were supplemented with new chapters, covered galleries and other elements.

Features of architectural style

The Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin (photo is presented in the article) has some features typical for the architectural schools of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and Pskov. Masters invited from the two mentioned centers of Russian stone architecture, when building churches and cathedrals, not only adhered to classical techniques, but also introduced new ones. For example, during the construction of the Risopolozhskaya church for the first time made a high podklet. The Pskov school had a significant influence on the decorative design of the facades. So, on many temples it is possible to see curbs, ornamental belts on drums of domes, runners, a three-lobed option for completing facades. As for the Vladimir-Suzdal school, its influence was most evident when decorating the Assumption Cathedral (narrow windows and arched belt on the apses).

A new style

On the basis of the synthesis of outstanding features of two architectural schools of regional importance, in the fifteenth century the early Moscow style emerged, characteristic of stone architecture, which later became all-Russian. It was distinguished by its keel-shaped kokoshniks on the facades, raised central spurs and arched arches. At the same time, the central drum of the dome was more and more clearly shifted to the eastern zone of the building's volume.

Overseas trends

For some time the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin was formed under the serious influence of the architecture of the Italian Renaissance. Despite the fact that invited foreign architects tried to adhere to the traditional options for erecting stone structures in Russia, the decorative design of the facades of some buildings (the Archangel Cathedral, the Faceted Chamber and others) is distinguished by elements typical of Florentine buildings. Among them, the design of window openings and tympanum, as well as ornaments. For example, Bon Fryazin for the first time in Russia used metal screeds in the process of construction. Subsequently, this seemingly insignificant element prevented the collapse of the bell tower of Ivan the Great when it attempted to blow it up in 1812.

A little about the architects

Unfortunately, in the documents of the fifteenth century, not so many names were retained, thanks to whom the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin appeared. In the chronicles mention of Krivtsov and Myshkin - the leaders of the artisans of bricklayers from Pskov, engaged in the construction of the Annunciation church and the Robe church.

Due to the shortage of their own experienced architects, foreigners began to be invited to Moscow. One of the first arrived Italian specialists was Aristotle Fioravanti. He supervised the process of building the Assumption Cathedral. The construction of the famous Faceted Chamber was done by Marco Fryazin and Pierre Antonio Solari. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, construction of the Assumption Cathedral was headed by Aleviz Novy.

The most mysterious of the Italian masters is called Bona Fryazina. About his life and activities there is almost no information. He controlled the construction of the first two tiers on Ivan the Great's bell tower. It happened in 1505-1508. His case was continued by Petrok Maly - also an Italian. He worked at the Kremlin construction sites for seventeen years (since 1522), his high skill and status confirms the title of architecton. Such recognition could boast of only two Italians - Solari and Aleviz New.

Modernity

How does the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin look today ? The ensemble scheme , of course, has changed over time. It is important to note that historians, restorers and other specialists have worked for several decades to restore the unique appearance to many monuments of culture and history. At present, an outstanding project of the XV-XVI centuries appears before admiring visitors in all its glory. Let us consider some of its elements in more detail.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

The Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin (the plan of the south-western part reflects this) is known thanks to the cathedral erected by the Pskov masters in 1484-1489. Since the reign of Ivan the Third and to the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Annunciation Cathedral was the house church of the kings of Russia. The temple, which is crowned by five gilded domes, is a harmonious composition in the style of the early Moscow architecture school. Inside it you can admire the rarest examples of religious painting of the sixteenth century. In a complex pictorial form, ideas about the mission of the Orthodox Church in Russia as a direct successor to Byzantium are expressed.

Cathedral of the Archangel

At present, this structure acts as the tomb of many Russian rulers. It is located in the south-eastern part of the central square. The decorative appearance of the temple was largely influenced by the principles of the Italian architectural school of the Renaissance. The renovated cathedral was erected on the site of Archangel Michael, who was seriously damaged by the tempest of the temple (the fourteenth century). The building blended well with the Kremlin ensemble.

Faceted Chamber

This building was intended for carrying out court feasts and solemn ceremonies. It was erected between 1487 and 1491. The Italian architects Ruffo and Solari supervised the construction. The decoration of the eastern facade of the building with a faceted rust and the construction of lancet windows are the result of the influence of Italian architecture. In the seventeenth century, Ushakov himself painted the walls of the House.

Ivan the Great belltower

The exterior of the building is designed to symbolize the full power of Russia. For a long time the bell tower was the highest building in the capital and played an important role of the Kremlin's main watchtower. It became the standard when erecting such pillar-like temples throughout the state.

Assumption Cathedral

This is the main Orthodox church in Russia. It was built after the model of the cathedral in Vladimir. Years of construction - 1475-1479. On the central dome at a height of forty-five meters there is a gilded cross. In the walls of this temple the Russian rulers were crowned and the Orthodox hierarchs were elevated to the rank. Today, many patriarchs and metropolitans of the country are buried there. A bright central hall painted a hundred masters of their craft.

How to get there?

Where is Cathedral Square? A unique ensemble is located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. You can get there by bus number 6 or by trolley buses Nos. 1, 33 (go to the bus stop "Borovitskaya Ploshchad"), and also by metro (to stations "Aleksandrovsky Sad", "Borovitskaya", "Arbatskaya", " Lenin ").

Conclusion

The Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin (an ensemble map is presented in the article) is a grandiose project. For its five hundred years of history, it has repeatedly become a place on which fateful historical events unfolded.