Church on Povarskaya Street. Moscow Simeon's Church on Povarskaya. The history of the construction of the temple on Povarskaya

Address: Povarskaya st., 5

Church of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya was built in 1676. (in some cases there is a dating of 1676-1679). For the first time a temple (wooden) was mentioned at this place in 1625. In some documents it is also listed as the Church of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple on the Dekhtyarny Garden, near the Arbat Gate.

This area was a palace Cook's settlement, where people from the staff of the Nourishing Palace lived (according to 1573, there were almost 500 people: cooks, bread workers, pomyas, tablecloth makers, connectors...). This is where the names of the streets and alleys between the current New Arbat and Bolshaya Nikitskaya came from: Povarskaya Street, Khlebny, Skatertny, Stolovy, Nozhovy lanes. The settlement of the royal cooks was rich - by the 17th century there were two churches in it. Povarskaya Street was previously, from the 12th century, the ancient Volotsk road leading to Volokolamsk and Novgorod, and served not only as a trade route, but also as a kind of “government route.” Ivan III used it to return from Novgorod to Moscow in 1471, and Ivan IV the Terrible in 1572.

The name of the temple of Simeon the Stylite is associated with the name of Boris Godunov, who got married on the feast day of this saint and probably ordered a wooden temple to be erected here (and not only here) in his honor and in memory of his wedding.

The exterior decoration of the church is simple and at the same time allows it to look very elegant. This is primarily achieved thanks to the upper part of the main volume with rows of kokoshniks and patterned drums under the small onions of the domes. Echoing them is the openwork tent of the bell tower with arched openings and two rows of “hearing” windows framed by platbands. On the bell tower there were bells cast by the master Fyodor Dmitrievich Motorin (1630 - 1688), the founder of the famous dynasty of foundry workers (lost in the 1930s). Under the rows of kokoshniks there is a wide carved frieze. The drums of the side chapels are also lavishly decorated. As was the case with many “fire” churches (the quadrangle of which was decorated with rows of kokoshniks), the tiered roof of the Temple of Simeon the Stylite was replaced with a simpler and more practical hipped roof, and was restored only during restoration in 1966.

The temple was popular among the Moscow intelligentsia as a wedding venue. But even before such a tradition appeared here in 1801.

After the revolution, the church was closed in 1930.

actually scrapped. They demolished the beautiful fence and dismantled some of the parts of the church itself. Dilapidated, it reached the decision to build a new Moscow highway - Kalinin Avenue on the site of the former Tsar's Krechetnaya Sloboda. Initially, the church, which did not fit into the row of new buildings made of glass and concrete, was going to be demolished, but through incredible efforts of the public it was saved. In 1966

restoration began, the original shape of the roof was restored, even the domes were decorated with crosses, which were almost immediately cut off with an autogenous gun by order of the higher authorities. In 1968 The temple building was given to the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation, and it housed an exhibition hall of small animals and birds: guinea pigs, white rats, parrots, canaries, etc. Soon the small building was completely saturated with the smell of manure. The interiors of the temple were completely destroyed. Fortunately, animals were kept here for a short time - by the 1990s. Exhibitions of paintings and folk art were held in the temple.

In 1990 crosses were again placed on the heads of the temple (by order of the deputy chairman of the Moscow City Executive Committee, Matrosov). In 1992

In the archives, the temple is first named after the main altar - the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the temple, which is "behind the Arbat Gate in Povarskaya Street." The temple also had chapels in the name of St. Simeon the Stylite and St. Nicholas (since 1715), who in 1759 was reconsecrated in the name of St. Demetrius of Rostov. Subsequently, the temple was called the temple of St. Simeon the Stylite on Dekhtyarev's garden, on Arbat, at the Arbat Gate or on Povarskaya. The temple belongs to the so-called “fire” temples that were erected in Moscow from the middle of the 16th century.

The land plot under the church property and the clergy's property occupied quite a significant area at the intersection of Bolshaya Molchanovka and Povarskaya Street.

During the 17th-18th centuries, the building was rebuilt and updated more than once. In the year, with the care of Prince I.A. Golitsyn, in memory of his deceased parents, the chapel of St. Nicholas was restored and re-consecrated, the throne, altar and bridge were renewed in the year, and the altar was renewed in the year.

The temple was closed this year. According to one version, the reason for closing the temple was the fact that the daughter of F.I. Chaliapin ordered her father's funeral service here.

In September of this year, the Krasnopresnensky District Council issued a resolution on the transfer of the “former church building” to Raipromtrest. Later it was occupied by the Medinstrument workshop.

The temple, which allegedly interfered with the construction of Kalininsky Prospekt (now New Arbat), was planned to be demolished several times.

The temple was restored in 1965-1966. By the time of the restoration, all the drums and domes of the main volume and aisles were demolished, the bell tier, the bell tower tent and the apse of the northern aisle were dismantled, the floor of the refectory was cut down and the ceiling of the refectory was hemmed, the roof covering was lost, and the floors and interior decoration were destroyed. As a result of restoration work, extensions and elements of later transformations that distorted the appearance of the building were dismantled; The cultural layer was removed to the level of the 17th century and the area around the church was paved. The vaulted ceilings of the refectory, two tiers of kokoshniks and the main volume of the temple were restored to their original form. The shape of the domes, the height of the drums and the tent of the bell tower were restored on the basis of archival photographs using the photo method. The original shapes of window and door openings and their decorative frames were also restored.

Since then, the temple has housed the Exhibition Hall of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation.

This year the crosses were returned to the domes of the temple.

In the year the temple was returned to the Church.

In May of this year, a minor consecration of the temple took place and services began.

This year, work began on restoring the interior of the temple. In the year the throne was consecrated in the name of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, and in the year the chapel in the name of St. Simeon the Stylite was restored.

Abbots

Stefan Popov (1798 - 1831)
Alexy Sokolov (mentioned 1869, abbot for about 20 years)

The Church of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya has an unusual history. One can call it a special blessing that this temple was not damaged during the construction of the New Arbat. Moreover, the architects decided to place an architectural emphasis on this building. The building succinctly stands out from the general ensemble.

The Church of Simeon the Stylite is famous for the fact that many famous personalities, members of the creative intelligentsia and even Count Sheremetyev were married within its walls. Nikolai Gogol loved to come to this temple, especially in the last years of his life.

The history of the construction of the temple on Povarskaya

The construction of the church dates back to 1676. In 1625, on the site of the modern building there was a small wooden temple. Some sources mention it as the Church of the Entry into the Temple of the Mother of God, which was located at the Arbat Gate. Previously, about 500 people (cooks, bakers, tablecloth makers) lived in this area. For this reason, the local streets are called Povarskaya, Khlebny, Stolovy lanes. The royal cooks had several temples. Previously, Povarskaya Street was a road along which goods were transported and the royal nobility moved.

Church after the revolution

The revolution practically did not interfere with temple activities. For some time after it, services were held in the church. Later, the temple building was transferred to Raipromtrest, which decided to place workshops for the deaf and dumb there. At one time, the church housed a kerosene shop.

Name

The church received its name thanks to Boris Godunov, whose wedding day coincided with the celebration of St. Simeon the Stylite. There is a possibility that Godunov himself ordered the construction of a wooden temple in this place as a memory of his wedding.

Description

The end of the 17th century was marked by the fact that a brick church began to be built on the site of a small wooden church. The temple building is not very big. There is a refectory, a belfry, and several chapels with separate asps. The chapels are illuminated in the name of saints Simeon the Stylite and Nicholas the Wonderworker, the latter of whom was subsequently consecrated in the name of Dmitry of Rostov in 1759. The main throne is Vvedensky. The refectory, to which the side chapels adjoin, was initially low, then it was raised and extended. She seems to be hugging the lower tier of the belfry.

Interior decoration

The Church of Simeon the Stylite has simple decoration in appearance, but at the same time it looks quite elegant. The main volume is decorated with kokoshniks, an openwork tent, patterned drums, and arched openings of small windows.

In 1966, the temple was restored. As a result, the tiered covering had to be made simpler and more practical.

After the revolution, the Temple of Simeon the Stylite had to be closed. They wanted to demolish the building. Part of the building was dismantled. So the church stood dilapidated until the decision was made to build a Moscow highway. At first they wanted to demolish the church completely, since it did not fit into most modern buildings. But the public still managed to save her.

After restoration in 1968, the church was transferred to the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation. Exhibitions of representatives of the animal world were held within its walls. Soon the building turned into a kind of stable. The interior was completely destroyed. But, fortunately, it ended quickly. Later, art exhibitions began to be held in the temple.

In 1992, the church again became owned by believers, who restored its lost beauty. The temple still receives parishioners and holds services to this day.

Temple of Simeon the Stylite in Ustyug

In honor of Saint Simeon the Stylite, another temple was consecrated - in Veliky Ustyug. Previously, two wooden temple buildings stood in its place.

In 1728, the construction of the lower floor of the modern church was completed. Later, storage tents and several chapels were installed. In 1757 there was a fire, during which the temple was badly burned. It had to be almost completely rebuilt. At the same time, it was decided to erect a bell tower next to the temple. In front of the main facade there is a terrace, which can be reached via an open staircase. The Church of Simeon the Stylite (Veliky Ustyug) looks very solemn. It is not for nothing that it is considered the most decorated temple in this area.

External and internal decoration

On the ground floor there is a warm church, consecrated in the name of Simeon the Stylite. Its chapel was consecrated in the name of Jacob Alfeev, the holy apostle. The second floor is occupied by the cold Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary with consecrated chapels in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Prince Vladimir.

The interior decoration of the temple dates back to 1765. The main room is luxuriously decorated with stucco. The Church of Simeon the Stylite is famous for one of the most amazing iconostases of the 18th century. One of the icons of this temple is today in the Tretyakov Gallery. The image of Simeon the Stylite was painted in the second half of the 16th century.

In 1771, a local craftsman cast a 154-pound bell for the temple.

In 1930 the church had to be closed. The iconostasis was partially dismantled and the bells were thrown down. Since 1960, the temple has been under state protection as a cultural monument and cultural heritage site.

Today the Church of Simeon the Stylite (Ustyug) is active. Already in 2001, the first prayer service was held within its walls.

Church of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya - Orthodox church, built in 1676-1679 in the Russian pattern style.

A wooden church stood on this site already in 1625: it is believed that it was consecrated on the day of the wedding. Boris Godunov, which fell on the day Simeon the Stylite - Christian saint, the founder of pillarism (a special type of feat - continuous prayer on the “pillar”), who spent 37 years on the pillar in fasting and prayer.

The Tsar ordered the construction of a stone church instead of a wooden one in 1676. Fedor Alekseevich. Over the course of 3 years, a small building was built with 5 domes, a bell tower, a refectory and two chapels - each with a separate apse and dome. Externally, the church looks quite simple, but elegant: the upper volume of the building is decorated with rows of kokoshniks, under which there is a carved frieze, and the bell tower looks especially impressive thanks to the arched openings and 2 rows of dormers with platbands.

The main altar of the temple was consecrated in honor of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, and the side chapels were consecrated in the name of Simeon the Stylite and Nicholas the Wonderworker (in 1759 it was reconsecrated in the name of Demetrius of Rostov).

Soviet years

After the Revolution, the church was closed and designated for demolition, having lost its chapters and the completion of the bell tower, however, it remained in a dilapidated state until the construction of the highway Kalininsky Prospekt(future New Arbat). To prevent the old church from creating dissonance with the new high-rise buildings, they decided to demolish it, but the public managed to defend the temple.

In 1966, when the building almost collapsed, a large-scale two-year restoration began, during which the church was restored: crosses even appeared on the domes, however, they were almost immediately dismantled by order from above. After restoration was completed in 1968, the church building was transferred to the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation, and it housed an exhibition hall of small animals and birds.

In 1990, crosses reappeared on the domes of the temple, and in 1992 - after the collapse of the Soviet Union - it was returned to the Orthodox Church.

Over the years, the Church of Simeon the Stylite has become a popular wedding venue among the Moscow intelligentsia: Nikolai Sheremetev and Praskovya Zhemchugova-Kovaleva, Sergei Aksakov and Olga Zaplatina, Yuri Neyolov and Elena Nurenberg (the future wife of Mikhail Bulgakov), as well as many other famous people, were married here. One of the famous parishioners of the temple in the last years of his life was Nikolay Gogol, who then lived on Nikitsky Boulevard: in February 1852, the priest of the church, Father Alexy, gave communion to the dying writer at home.

Today, the small white church is not the dominant feature of either Povarskaya Street or New Arbat, being in the shadow of the Novoarbat high-rises, however, it invariably attracts the attention of passers-by: against the backdrop of large-scale Soviet buildings, it looks like something exotic, but at the same time completely natural .

Church of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya located on Povarskaya Street, building 5 (at the beginning of New Arbat). You can get to it on foot from the metro station "Arbatskaya" Filevskaya and Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya lines.

The first mention of the church standing on the site of the current temple of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya, 5 in Moscow dates back to 1624.

Two chapels were built in the church in honor of saints Simeon the Stylite and St. Nicholas (in 1759 the chapel in his name was reconsecrated in the name of Dmitry of Rostov).

Due to its close location to Povarskaya Sloboda, the main parishioners of the Temple of Simeon the Stylite were commoners from the staff of the Sytny Dvor: cooks, connectors, bakers, table makers.

Photo 1. Temple of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya in Moscow

The name of the temple is associated with the name of Boris Godunov. It is believed that he got married on the feast of the veneration of Simeon the Stylite, and therefore ordered the erection of several churches in honor of the saint.

The wooden church became stone under Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich. In 1676, at his order, money was allocated from the treasury, and after 3 years the construction was completed.

The year 1812 became a black page in the history of the temple. The church was plundered by Napoleonic soldiers and was also badly damaged by a terrible fire of that time. The church was restored only in 1818.

By the beginning of the 19th century, Povarskaya Sloboda was no longer inhabited by commoners, but by the Moscow nobility. This was also reflected in the composition of the Temple parishioners. The church became a favorite wedding venue for wealthy Muscovites.

History of the Church of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya Street

In 1801, the wedding of Count Nikolai Sheremetev and the serf actress Praskovya Zhemchugova took place here. Celebrations for this occasion continued in their recently purchased house on Vozdvizhenka.

The walls of the temple also remember the wedding of the writer S. Aksakov with O. Zaplatina, and the religious figure K. Pobedonostsev with E. Engelhardt.

In the last years of his life, N.V. Gogol was a parishioner of the Temple of Simeon the Stylite. It was the priest of this parish who gave communion to the writer on his deathbed.

The Church of Simeon the Stylite on Povarskaya Street had a difficult fate during the years of Soviet Power. Although it remained operational until 1941, it had already begun to be thoroughly destroyed. The fence was demolished and some of the domes were dismantled. The ministers of this parish also suffered from repression.

In 1966, in connection with the reconstruction of Kalininsky Prospekt, the church building was almost demolished. Only thanks to Leonid Antropov, who lay down in the excavator bucket, was it possible to defend the church.

In 1991, the Temple was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and already in 1992, services began here again.

Temple of Simeon the Stylite is located at the address: Moscow, Povarskaya, 5 (Arbatskaya metro station)