Assumption Cathedral. Moscow Assumption Cathedral. Royal Weddings and Coronations of Russian Emperors

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the main holiday associated with the veneration of the Mother of God, which has been widespread in Rus' since ancient times. Temples consecrated in honor of this great event occupy a special place in ancient Russian culture: they were built extremely often, and the appearance of the buildings, as a rule, was distinguished by the unity of their architectural image.

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, an outstanding monument of ancient Russian architecture, once the main temple of the Moscow state and the place of coronation of the kings, built by the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti in the 1470s. The cathedral is very famous.

The Assumption Cathedral had its predecessor. The oldest cathedral in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in Moscow at the insistence of Metropolitan Peter in August 1326.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 04.01.2017 13:25

The history of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin begins with St. Peter, Metropolitan of Rus'. Saint Peter, the first head of the Russian Church, who settled in Moscow, was buried in the still unfinished church. Subsequently, most of the metropolitan's successors, following both his example and the long-standing tradition of finding eternal rest at the cathedral, were buried here. By the second half of XV. . .

Sasha Mitrakhovich 04.01.2017 13:38

The cathedral was made using the mixed masonry technique: the main volumes were built from carefully hewn white stone blocks with internal backfilling, and the most complex structural elements (arches, vaults, drums and pillars) were built from brick. Brick size 28x16x7 cm. The altars of the cathedral are consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, in the name of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, in honor of the Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos and in the name of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul.
Currently, the lower light of the cathedral consists of ten quadrangle windows and seven windows of the altar semicircles, the upper light consists of eleven windows. The cathedral has three portal entrances, the main one being the western one.
The frescoes of the 17th century present 249 compositions, the number of figures depicted is 2066.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 04.01.2017 15:36

The Assumption Cathedral is an integral part of the museum complex of the Moscow Kremlin and at the same time has the status of Patriarchal. Divine services have been resumed in the temple since 1990; they take place according to a specially established schedule, agreed upon with the museum and varying from year to year. As a rule, the liturgy is celebrated on the days of patronal and great holidays, as well as on the days of glorification of Moscow saints.

A Catholic by religion, a military engineer and a brilliant architect, Aristotle Fioravanti built the main cathedral of the Muscovite kingdom, the most beautiful fortress in Russia on Borovitsky Hill, survived disgrace, war and prison and remained forever in the history of the Russian state.

Renaissance Man

Almost every Russian has been to the Moscow Kremlin at least once and knows that there, on the Cathedral Square of the capital, stands the main temple of Orthodox Rus' - the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Assumption of the Mother of God, or simply the Assumption Cathedral. The same one where the Russian tsars were crowned and where the patriarch now serves. The famous temple has become so integral to our lives that few people think about the amazing historical paradox, because this symbol of Orthodoxy and the cultural traditions of Rus' was built by an Italian, a Catholic by religion, Aristotle Rudolfo Fioravanti.

New era - new challenges

The second half of the 15th century brought truly fateful changes to the life of Rus'. From a conglomerate of small principalities warring among themselves, forced to constantly look back at the Horde, it turned into a strong state, which immediately became one of the largest in Europe. The Tatar yoke naturally became a thing of the past - against the united Russian force the khans were doomed. Probably, formal liberation could have happened earlier, because mentally Rus' was ready for unity even during the Battle of Kulikovo, but the Moscow civil strife prevented it, which essentially stole half a century from our country.

With the birth of a new independent state, the question arose about symbols of power, state regalia and attributes. In medieval society this was taken seriously. The natural course of things dictated the revival of Orthodox traditions - Constantinople fell, and Moscow, as it were, picked up the banner crowned with the double-headed Byzantine eagle. Now the city began to be called the “Third Rome”, which means it should have looked like its predecessors.

In fact, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow was completely unpresentable. The century-old white-stone Kremlin looked pitiful after numerous wars and fires; moreover, it was hopelessly outdated from the point of view of fortification - after all, it was built even before the advent of artillery. Built under Kalita and Metropolitan Peter, the Assumption Cathedral, which was a century and a half old, was in no way suitable for the role of the central temple of the new state, both due to its size and dilapidation. Ivan III and the boyars decided to tighten their belts, but to renew the face of the state. They started with the renovation of the walls (1462), but at the insistence of Metropolitan Philip, they decided to build a new cathedral.

At this time in Rus' there was no experience in building large stone temples. The old, pre-Mongol experience of building great cathedrals in Kyiv, Novgorod and Vladimir sank into oblivion along with their creators, and in the 13th-14th centuries small churches were more often built - this makes heating easier in winter and can be built without drawings

They tried to cope on their own - they invited home-grown masters Krivtsov and Myshkin. In April 1471, the cathedral was founded with all honors. In three years, white stone walls were erected “under the vaults,” but on the night of May 20, 1474, the structure collapsed:

“There was a coward in the city of Moscow and the Church of St. The Mother of God, it was already done to the upper chambers, falling at 1 o’clock in the morning, and the temples all shook, just as the earth shook.”

Earthquakes are rare in our latitudes; no one expects them. And this “shaking” happened at a very unfortunate moment: the walls were already standing, but the roof holding them together was not yet there. This played a fatal role. Although, according to the chronicle, there were complaints about the quality of the mortar. One way or another, everything had to start again.

This is where the idea of inviting a master from abroad arises. The fact is that at that time in Rus' there was no experience in building large stone temples. The old, pre-Mongol experience of building great cathedrals in Kiev, Novgorod and Vladimir sank into oblivion along with their creators, and in the 13th-14th centuries small churches were more often built - this way it is easier to heat in winter and can be built without drawings. The specifics of the construction of large buildings with heavy domes required precise calculations, mathematical skills and, most importantly, engineering technologies.

There was no question of where to invite masters from - the trendsetter of world architectural fashion was Italy, where the Renaissance began almost a century earlier than in all of Europe. In addition, it was the Italians who became the successors of the great Byzantine architectural traditions, who moved there along with the fugitives from Constantinople captured by the Turks. And one more important nuance: by this time, Moscow had a direct connection with Italy: in 1472, Ivan III got married (in the temporary wooden Assumption Cathedral) with the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, Zoya (Sophia) Palaeologus, who was brought up in Rome. Apparently, it couldn’t have happened without her patronage, especially when there was talk about choosing a specific master.

Hereditary architect

Imaginary portrait of Aristotle Fioravanti by Lorenzo Lotto

Image: ru.wikipedia.org

In pre-revolutionary books one can find the opinion that Aristotle is a nickname that the master deserved for his wisdom. But that's not true. The Greek name was given to him at birth, which is confirmed by documents. It was fashionable during the early Renaissance.

Aristotle was born in Bologna into a family of hereditary architects. Since childhood, the boy had been brewing in a creative spirit, so, in fact, he had no other way. At that time there was no strict division into scientists, craftsmen, mechanics, artists - seeking people tried to do everything. The spirit of revival was all-encompassing, coming from within people, and young Aristotle absorbed it from the cradle.

The first mention of Aristotle as a professional dates back to 1436, when the young man was barely twenty. Then he participated in the casting of the bell for the Aringo tower (by the way, rebuilt by his father) and came up with a cunning device for raising the bell to the very top.

After standing for two days, the tower fell, crushing several people. It turned out that the water had washed away the foundation. The architect was very worried about what happened and promised never to return to Venice

Since 1447, Aristotle has been working independently, constructing rather complex architectural and construction complexes. In 1455, Fioravanti moved the Della Magione bell tower, the first building in Bologna whose move was documented. The 24-meter bell tower was moved 13 meters, which made room for the new building of the city magistrate. Since such difficult work was completed in a short time and with great skill, the city council awarded the young master the title of foreman of the masons' lodge and provided lifelong financial support.

Quite quickly, the hometown became too small for the master, and he also had disagreements with representatives of the council. Aristotle restored the ancient bridge in Pavia, built the Parma Canal, and moved the Tower of the Holy Angel in Venice. The last experience was tragic: after standing for two days, the tower fell, crushing several people. It turned out that the water had washed away the foundation. The architect was very worried about what happened and promised never to return to Venice.

Then Aristotle worked in northern Italy for the Duke of Milan Francesco Sforza: he built canals and locks, restored fortress walls, moved towers and bell towers. Seven years later he returned to Bologna, already famous throughout the country and a respected master. In 1464, Fioravanti received an invitation from the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus, but for three years he could not leave - the Bologna lodge of masons did not let him out. In Budapest, Fioravanti showed himself in all his splendor: he built bridges across the Danube and created modern fortifications. Having earned the king's gratitude and having earned a lot of money, the architect returned to Bologna.

Then there were orders in Rome and another return to Bologna, and then a scandal broke out: the honored master was accused of counterfeiting and imprisoned. He was stripped of all titles and privileges. After some time, the charges seemed to be dropped, but the residue, as they say, remained. It was then that the invitation of the Moscow sovereign arrived, conveyed to the master by the Russian ambassador Semyon Tolbuzin. After some thought, the sixty-year-old master accepted the offer and, in the company of his son Andrea and student Pietro, went to the ends of the world. By the way, the architect had an invitation from the Turkish Sultan, but he chose Moscow.

The most Russian temple in Rus'

And in height, and lightness, and ringing, and space, the same had never happened before in Rus', except for the Vladimir Church; and the master is Aristotle.

Image: wikimedia.org

Perhaps Russia should thank fortune, which sent us one of the most prominent representatives of the Renaissance and, perhaps, the best engineer of his time. Otherwise, Moscow would look completely different.

The main task set before Aristotle in Russia was the construction of a central cathedral, which was supposed to reflect the greatness of the state and Orthodoxy. The second task was the construction of a new fortress on the site of the Moscow Kremlin, in any case, the development of a master plan.

At the same time, Ivan III Vasilyevich wanted the Assumption Cathedral to be typically Orthodox, Russian in appearance. On the way from Italy, Aristotle passed through Novgorod and Pskov (they traveled through German lands and the Baltic Sea), then made a special trip to Suzdal and Vladimir. As a result, it was decided to take the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral as a model. This was a fundamental choice: not the Byzantine motifs of the famous St. Sophia Cathedrals of Novgorod, Kyiv and Constantinople, but the cross-domed type of the Vladimir church.

Never before have Russian masters been able to create such a huge free space, to achieve such lightness and freedom.

To truly appreciate the grandeur and harmony of this structure, look at it from the south, from the Moscow River. Exit Cathedral Square, cross the road and turn around at the parapet. Notice how slender, light and proportional the temple is. Its huge size does not put pressure on a person, they are completely invisible to the eye... Only when you notice people at the foot of the cathedral, it becomes clear how grandiose it is!

The cathedral stands on the top of Borovitsky Hill. It was built so that it could be seen from a distance, primarily from the Moscow River, which was the main transport route. It towered above Moscow, because the other buildings were much lower. Now the cathedral is surrounded by other buildings and we are deprived of the opportunity to see it in the contextual space that the author intended. Well, you'll have to use your imagination.

From “The Book on the Election to the Kingdom of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Mikhail Fedorovich”

Photo: Image: Global Look Press

Please note that the cathedral does not have the usual apse part protruding to the east. That is, it is there, but hidden by a decorative wall. And if you look closely, you will notice that the wall is not vertical, but inclined, expanding downwards. This is one of the nuances that creates visual lightness and harmony.

But the main thing is inside. Never before have Russian masters been able to create such a huge free space, to achieve such lightness and freedom. The cathedral is “ringing,” as one of his contemporary noted. This became possible thanks to the author’s ingenious sense of harmony and the new technologies he used.

In appearance, the Moscow Assumption Cathedral resembles its Vladimir predecessor, but technologically it is completely different. Inside the white stone walls there is brickwork, and the ceilings are made of brick. Aristotle had to build brick factories in Moscow (they were located near the Andronnikov Monastery), since the quality of the bricks that we made before did not meet his requirements. The pillars that support the vault, ceilings, and cross vaults are also made of brick, thanks to which the huge drums of the domes seem to hang in the air. Instead of the usual wooden beams, the master used metal clamps, and he personally monitored the quality of the solution.

Current status

Architecture

Interior

Necropolis of the Assumption Cathedral

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin- an Orthodox church located on Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin, the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (since 1991).

Built in 1475-1479 under the leadership of the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti. The main temple of the Russian state.

The oldest fully preserved building in Moscow.

Story

The first stone cathedral on the site of the current one was built at the beginning of the 14th century, during the reign of Ivan I: on August 4, 1326, on the site of the former wooden church, the white stone Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in fulfillment of the wishes of Metropolitan Peter of Kyiv and All Rus', who had recently moved to Moscow .

The Assumption Cathedral of 1326-1327 was the first stone church in Moscow. Archaeological research has shown that it was a four-pillar, three-apse, three-aisle, one-domed temple, built on the model of St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky. The temple was built using a technique characteristic of that time: masonry from roughly processed squares of white stone was combined with smooth-hewn elements of architectural decor. The temple was crowned with kokoshniks.

Under Ivan III, the temple ceased to correspond to the status of a cathedral of the strengthened centralized Moscow state. Apparently, the temple destined for demolition was no longer repaired, and it became very dilapidated, which is reflected in the chronicles. In the summer of 1471, “Metropolitan Philip began to earnestly think about building a new stone cathedral church in Moscow, for the old one, built by Kalita, was already in danger of destruction from antiquity and from many fires, its vaults were already reinforced, supported by thick trees.”

The construction of a new cathedral of enormous size for that time was entrusted to the Russian architects Krivtsov and Myshkin. On April 30, 1471, the foundation stone of the new cathedral took place. The construction that had begun was not completed, since the temple, which had been built to the vaults, collapsed after the earthquake (“coward”) that occurred in Moscow on May 20, 1474. The chronicler testifies: “there was a coward in the city of Moscow and the church of St. The Mother of God, it was already done to the upper chambers, falling at 1 o’clock in the morning, and the temples all shook, just as the earth shook.”

Ivan III invited the architect Aristotle Fioravanti from Italy, who, having completely dismantled the remains of the previous structure, erected the existing building in the likeness of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. The temple was consecrated on August 12, 1479 by Metropolitan Gerontius.

The temple has six pillars, five domes, and five apses. Built of white stone in combination with brick (the vaults, drums, the eastern wall above the altar apses, the eastern square pillars hidden by the altar barrier are made of brick; the rest are round - the pillars are also made of brick, but faced with white stone).

The original paintings of the cathedral were carried out between 1482 and 1515. The famous icon painter Dionysius took part in the painting. In 1642-1644, the cathedral was painted anew, but fragments of the original paintings were preserved, which are the oldest example of fresco painting on the territory of the Kremlin that has come down to us.

The temple suffered from fires many times and was renovated and restored many times. After the fire of 1547, Ivan Vasilyevich ordered the top of the temple to be covered with gilded copper sheets; the relics of Metropolitan Peter were transferred from a silver shrine to a gold one. In 1624, the cathedral vaults, which were threatening to fall, were dismantled and rebuilt according to a changed design, with additional reinforcement with bonded iron and the introduction of additional girth arches.

In 1547, the crowning of Ivan IV took place here for the first time.

The Zemsky Council of 1613 was held in the building of the cathedral, at which Mikhail Fedorovich was elected tsar.

In 1625, the Robe of the Lord, sent as a gift to Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich by the Persian Shah Abbas I, was transferred to the cathedral. In honor of this event, the holiday “Position of the Robe of the Lord” was established in the Russian church (July 10 according to the Julian calendar). The precious ark with the robe was placed in a bronze tent to store sacred relics.

During the St. Petersburg period, it continued to be the place of coronation of all Russian emperors, starting with Peter II.

In 1812, the cathedral was desecrated and looted by the Napoleonic army, although the most valuable shrines were evacuated to Vologda. Of the tombs of the saints, only the shrine of Metropolitan Jonah has survived. The cathedral was re-consecrated on August 30, 1813 by Bishop Augustin (Vinogradsky) of Dmitrov.

Restorations of the Assumption Cathedral were carried out in 1895-1897 by architect S.K. Rodionov, in the 1900s by architect S.U. Solovyov, in 1911-1915 by architect I.P. Mashkov.

On August 15, 1917, on the patronal feast day, the All-Russian Local Council of the Orthodox Russian Church opened here, which in October adopted a decision to restore the patriarchate in the Russian Church; On November 21 of the same year, Patriarch Tikhon (Bellavin) was enthroned.

Closed to access and worship in March 1918, after the RSFSR government moved to the Kremlin.

The last service before the closure of the temple was performed on Easter 1918 - April 22 (May 5); The service, which served as the initial basis for P. D. Korin’s painting “Departing Rus',” was led by the vicar of the Moscow diocese, Bishop Trifon of Dmitrov (Turkestan).

Current status

Opened as a museum in 1955. In February 1960, it was transferred to the jurisdiction of the USSR Ministry of Culture. Since 1991, it has been part of the State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Moscow Kremlin".

Since 1990, services have been held in the cathedral on separate days with the blessing of the Patriarch; is called the “Patriarchal Cathedral”.

Architecture

The cathedral has a monolithic, laconic appearance. The unity of the building is emphasized by the equal division of the facades using blades. On the smooth walls there are narrow windows and an arcature belt. The apses of the cathedral are relatively low and covered from the south and north by pylons. The cathedral is decorated with five powerful domes, shifted to the east. Contemporaries noted that the building looked “like a single stone.”

Carrying out the most difficult task of increasing the internal volume of the temple, which his predecessors Krivtsov and Myshkin could not cope with, Aristotle Fioravanti, for the first time in Russian architecture, used cross vaults one brick thick and metal intra-wall and opening connections. But his main engineering idea was that thanks to the construction of additional arches behind the iconostasis, the eastern compartments of the temple actually turned into a monolith that absorbed a significant part of the load from the colossal drums. Accordingly, it became possible to erect relatively thin round pillars in the central and western parts of the cathedral, which created a feeling of lightness of construction and integrity (“solidity”) of the part of the naos intended for worshipers.

Interior

Shrines

The Nail of the Lord and the staff of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Rus' are preserved in the cathedral.

Since 1395, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has been in the cathedral (since 1930 in the Tretyakov Gallery, in the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi).

The cathedral was the burial place of most Moscow saints before the establishment of the Holy Synod.

Necropolis of the Assumption Cathedral

“In the first stone church of the Kremlin - the Assumption of the Mother of God - the formation of the necropolis began in 1326. Moscow Prince Yuri Daniilovich (his grave was lost in antiquity) and St. were buried here. Metropolitan Peter. The tomb was conceived as a burial place for both secular and spiritual rulers of the Moscow principality, but with the construction of the Archangel Cathedral in 1333, the necropolis was divided. Only the heads of the Russian Church began to be buried in the Assumption Cathedral. A total of twenty people were buried in this temple. Graves of metropolitans XIV - mid. XVI century are located in the altar of the cathedral, in the southwestern corner and along the northern wall of the temple. Russian patriarchs of the 17th century are buried near the southern and western walls. Most of the burials are located under the floor of the temple and are marked in the interior by low, rectangular monuments with flat lids (at the end of the 19th century they were enclosed in metal covers). The tombstones of the patriarchs, unlike those of the metropolitans, retained carved white stone slabs with epitaphs, clearly visible through the glazed frames of the covers. The most revered burials of the Assumption Cathedral are the metropolitans: St. Peter, Theognostus, St. Jonah, St. Philip II (Kolychev) and svmch. Patriarch Hermogenes - committed in crayfish.”

Metropolitans of Kyiv

Peter (d. 1326),
Theognostus (d. 1353),
Cyprian (d. 1406),
Photius (d. 1431),
Jonah (d. 1461).

Metropolitans of Moscow

Philip I (d. 1473),
Gerontius (d. 1489),
Simon (d. 1511),
Macarius (d. 1563),
Philip II (d. 1569).

Patriarchs of Moscow

Job (d. 1607),
Hermogenes (d. 1612),
Filaret (d. 1633),
Joasaph I (d. 1640),
Joseph (d. 1652),
Joasaph II (d. 1672),
Pitirim (d. 1673),
Joachim (d. 1690),
Adrian (d. 1700).

Rulers of Moscow

Yuri Danilovich (d. 1325), Prince of Moscow in 1303-1325, Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1319-1322, Prince of Novgorod in 1322-1325 - the grave is lost

reburied

Alexy (Byakont) - the relics were in the cathedral from 1929 to 1948, now in the Elokhov Church.

Built in 1475–79 under the direction of an Italian architect.

The main temple of the Russian state. The oldest fully preserved building in Moscow.

Story

The first stone cathedral on the site of the current one was built at the beginning of the 14th century, during the reign: on August 4, 1326, on the site of the former wooden church, the white stone Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in fulfillment of the wishes of Metropolitan Peter of Kyiv and All Rus', who had recently moved to Moscow .

download bot from Flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0

Assumption Cathedral 1326–27 was the first stone church in Moscow. Archaeological research has shown that it was a four-pillar, three-apse, three-aisle, single-domed temple, built on the model of St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky.

The temple was built using a technique characteristic of that time: masonry from roughly processed squares of white stone was combined with smooth-hewn elements of architectural decor. The temple was crowned with kokoshniks.

Chris, CC BY 2.0

In the summer of 1471, “Metropolitan Philip began to earnestly think about building a new stone cathedral church in Moscow, for the old one, built by Kalita, was already threatened with destruction from antiquity and from many fires, its vaults were already reinforced, supported by thick trees.”

The construction of a new cathedral of enormous size for that time was entrusted to the Russian architects Krivtsov and Myshkin. The construction, which began in 1472, was not completed, since the temple, which had been built to the vaults, collapsed after the earthquake (“coward”) that allegedly occurred in Moscow on May 20, 1474.

The chronicler testifies:

“there was a coward in the city of Moscow and the Church of St. The Mother of God, it was already done to the upper chambers, falling at 1 o’clock in the morning, and the temples all shook, just as the earth shook.”

Other cities, CC BY-SA 3.0

The original paintings of the cathedral were carried out between 1482 and 1515. The famous icon painter Dionysius took part in the painting. In 1642–44, the cathedral was painted anew, but fragments of the original paintings have been preserved, which are the oldest example of fresco painting on the territory of the Kremlin that has come down to us.

Other cities, CC BY-SA 3.0

In 1547, the crowning of Ivan IV took place here for the first time.

Other cities, CC BY-SA 3.0

During the St. Petersburg period, it continued to be the place of coronation of all Russian emperors, starting with Peter II.

Restorations of the Assumption Cathedral were carried out in 1895–97. by architect S.K. Rodionov, in the 1900s by architect S.U. Solovyov, in 1911-1915 by architect I.P. Mashkov.

Closed to access and worship in March 1918, after the RSFSR government moved to the Kremlin.

Current status

Since 1990, services have been held in the cathedral on separate days with the blessing of the Patriarch; is called the “Patriarchal Cathedral”.

They say that every city, founded in ancient times or in the Middle Ages, has its own secret name. According to legend, only a few people could know him. The city's secret name contained its DNA. Having learned the “password” of the city, the enemy could easily take possession of it.

"Secret Name"

According to the ancient town-planning tradition, at the beginning the secret name of the city was born, then the corresponding place was found, the “heart of the city,” which symbolized the Tree of the World. Moreover, it is not necessary that the navel of the city should be located in the “geometric” center of the future city. The city is almost like Koshchei’s: “...his death is at the end of a needle, that needle is in an egg, that egg is in a duck, that duck is in a hare, that hare is in a chest, and the chest stands on a tall oak tree, and that tree Koschey protects like his own eye "

Interestingly, ancient and medieval city planners always left clues. A love of puzzles distinguished many professional guilds. The Masons alone are worth something. Before the profanation of heraldry during the Enlightenment, the role of these rebuses was played by the coats of arms of cities. But this is in Europe. In Russia, until the 17th century, there was no tradition at all of encrypting the essence of the city, its secret name, in a coat of arms or some other symbol. For example, St. George the Victorious migrated to the coat of arms of Moscow from the seals of the great Moscow princes, and even earlier - from the seals of the Tver Principality. It had nothing to do with the city.

"Heart of the City"

In Rus', the starting point for the construction of a city was a temple. It was the axis of any settlement. In Moscow, this function was performed by the Assumption Cathedral for centuries. In turn, according to Byzantine tradition, the temple was to be built on the relics of the saint. In this case, the relics were usually placed under the altar (sometimes also on one of the sides of the altar or at the entrance to the temple). It was the relics that constituted the “heart of the city.” The name of the saint, apparently, was that very “secret name.” In other words, if the “founding stone” of Moscow was St. Basil’s Cathedral, then the “secret name” of the city would be “Vasiliev” or “Vasiliev-grad”.

However, we do not know whose relics lie at the base of the Assumption Cathedral. There is not a single mention of this in the chronicles. Probably the name of the saint was kept secret.

At the end of the 12th century, a wooden church stood on the site of the current Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. A hundred years later, Moscow Prince Daniil Alexandrovich built the first Assumption Cathedral on this site. However, for unknown reasons, 25 years later Ivan Kalita builds a new cathedral on this site. Interestingly, the temple was built on the model of St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky. It's not entirely clear why? St. George's Cathedral can hardly be called a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. So there was something else?

Perestroika

The model temple in Yuryev-Polsky was built in 1234 by Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich on the site on the foundation of the white stone Church of St. George, which was built in 1152 when the city was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky. Apparently, some special attention was paid to this place. And the construction of the same temple in Moscow, perhaps, should have emphasized some kind of continuity.

The Assumption Cathedral in Moscow stood for less than 150 years, and then Ivan III suddenly decided to rebuild it. The formal reason is the dilapidation of the structure. Although one and a half hundred years is not God knows how long for a stone temple. The temple was dismantled, and in its place in 1472 the construction of a new cathedral began. However, on May 20, 1474, an earthquake occurred in Moscow. The unfinished cathedral received serious damage, and Ivan decides to dismantle the remains and start building a new temple. Architects from Pskov are invited for construction, but for mysterious reasons they categorically refuse construction.

Aristotle Fioravanti

Then Ivan III, at the insistence of his second wife Sophia Paleologus, sent emissaries to Italy, who were supposed to bring the Italian architect and engineer Aristotle Fioravanti to the capital. By the way, in his homeland he was called the “new Archimedes.” This looks absolutely fantastic, since for the first time in the history of Rus', a Catholic architect is invited to build an Orthodox church, the main church of the Moscow state!

From the point of view of the then tradition, he was a heretic. Why an Italian was invited, who had never seen a single Orthodox church, remains a mystery. Maybe because not a single Russian architect wanted to deal with this project.

Construction of the temple under the leadership of Aristotle Fioravanti began in 1475 and ended in 1479. Interestingly, the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was chosen as a model. Historians explain that Ivan III wanted to show the continuity of the Moscow state from the former “capital city” of Vladimir. But this again does not look very convincing, since in the second half of the 15th century, Vladimir’s former authority could hardly have any image significance.

Perhaps this was connected with the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which in 1395 was transported from the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral to the Moscow Assumption Cathedral, built by Ivan Kalita. However, history has not preserved direct indications of this.

One of the hypotheses why Russian architects did not get down to business, and an Italian architect was invited, is connected with the personality of the second wife of John III, the Byzantine Sophia Paleologus. Let's talk about this in a little more detail.

Sophia and the “Latin Faith”

As you know, Pope Paul II actively promoted the Greek princess as a wife to Ivan III. In 1465, her father, Thomas Palaiologos, moved her with his other children to Rome. The family settled at the court of Pope Sixtus IV.

A few days after their arrival, Thomas died, having converted to Catholicism before his death. History has not left us information that Sophia converted to the “Latin faith,” but it is unlikely that the Palaiologans could remain Orthodox while living at the court of the Pope. In other words, Ivan III most likely wooed a Catholic woman. Moreover, not a single chronicle reports that Sophia converted to Orthodoxy before the wedding. The wedding took place in November 1472. In theory, it should have taken place in the Assumption Cathedral. However, shortly before this, the temple was dismantled to its foundation in order to begin new construction. This looks very strange, since about a year before this it was known about the upcoming wedding. It is also surprising that the wedding took place in a wooden church specially built near the Assumption Cathedral, which was demolished immediately after the ceremony. Why another Kremlin cathedral was not chosen remains a mystery.

What happened?

Let's return to the refusal of the Pskov architects to restore the destroyed Assumption Cathedral. One of the Moscow chronicles says that the Pskovites allegedly did not take up the work because of its complexity. However, it is hard to believe that Russian architects could refuse Ivan III, a rather harsh man, on such an occasion. The reason for the categorical refusal had to be very significant. This was probably due to some kind of heresy. A heresy that only a Catholic could endure - Fioravanti. What could it be?

The Assumption Cathedral, built by an Italian architect, does not have any “seditious” deviations from the Russian tradition of architecture. The only thing that could cause a categorical refusal was holy relics.

Perhaps the “mortgage” relic could have been the relics of a non-Orthodox saint. As you know, Sophia brought many relics as a dowry, including Orthodox icons and a library. But we probably don’t know about all the relics. It is no coincidence that Pope Paul II lobbied for this marriage so much.

If during the reconstruction of the temple there was a change in the relics, then, according to the Russian tradition of urban planning, the “secret name” changed, and most importantly the fate of the city. People who understand history well and subtly know that it was with Ivan III that the change in the rhythm of Russia began. Then still the Grand Duchy of Moscow.