Odessa churches are real architectural monuments, many of them are the main attractions of Ukraine. The Transfiguration Cathedral, considered one of the largest Orthodox churches in the country, is no exception. Due to historical reasons, it was also destroyed by the Bolsheviks, like other religious buildings, was restored several years ago. We learn about this cathedral many interesting historical facts further from the article.
The origin of the cathedral
In 1794, all construction sites of the city that did not exist then were consecrated, including the one where the construction of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Odessa) was planned. The Transfiguration Cathedral began to be built a year after this event next to the temporary wooden church that stood there.
The construction of this stone structure was planned to be completed in a couple of years, but plans were not given to be realized, and the construction was delayed for many years.
Construction stages
Empress Catherine II was allocated funds for the creation of the temple, but after her death, the construction of the church stopped on the orders of Paul I. Six years after these events, in the person of the Duke de Richelieu, she received her new city governor, Odessa. Transfiguration Cathedral thanks to his order continued to build on.
And finally, in 1808, the construction of a stone temple was completed, but the finishing work was very slow, as there was not enough money for the internal arrangement. A few months after the completion of construction work, the church was consecrated by Archbishop Plato of Lubar. From that moment, the temple ceased to be called Nikolaev. It was then that the city of Odessa, the Transfiguration Cathedral, received one of its main attractions.
Initially, this building could not boast of its impressive size and beautiful decoration. But after the Kherson diocese was transferred here, large-scale work to expand it began in the temple.
Restoration
Thus, in 1837 the Transfiguration Church turned into a cathedral. Its reconstruction lasted ten years, during which the buildings of the church and the bell tower were combined, as well as the overhaul of the temple was carried out.
The last large-scale restoration work was carried out here at the beginning of the twentieth century, thanks to them many architectural flaws of the building were corrected, which subsequently arose after its repeated rebuilding. After that, Odessa Cathedral became one of the main temples of the Russian Empire, it housed more than twelve thousand parishioners. It had an eighty-meter bell tower and thus could serve as a guide for all vessels heading to the Odessa port.
The temple impressed everyone with its magnificent architecture. The interior decoration also made a strong impression on the locals and visitors of the city. The premises of the temple were huge and seemed to radiate light from the inside due to the fact that the floor and columns of this building were made of white marble. In this cathedral, many personalities were buried, who played an important role in the formation and development of the city.
The destruction and decline of the cathedral
Unfortunately, in the early thirties of the last century, Odessa lost many of its religious buildings. The Transfiguration Cathedral was also unable to avoid a sad fate, and in 1936 it was destroyed to the ground by order of the USSR authorities. Previously, everything valuable in an unknown direction was taken out of it.
On that tragic day when the temple was blown up, the entire area on which this building stood was cordoned off by troops. The destruction of the cathedral attracted many locals to this place, who were driven back by soldiers to neighboring streets. After the demolition of the building, an ordinary fountain was placed in its place.
New look
Many years have passed since then, mores have changed. Therefore, in 1999, it was decided to restore the temple. The construction of the cathedral was carried out exclusively on donations and took place under the auspices of charity, since budget funds were not used at all.
During the construction of a new temple, all the parameters of the previous building destroyed to the foundation, from which only its foundation was preserved, were strictly observed. Designers and architects during the construction were guided by old photographs and drawings made after the last reconstruction of the cathedral. In 2005, all work was completed, and the center of the spiritual life of this city reappeared in Odessa.
Currently, the temple has the shape of an elongated cross. The architecture of the building combines European style and Russian classicism. New unique bronze bells were delivered here from Greece, they are the largest in Ukraine.
The interior of the newly rebuilt cathedral is also recreated exactly as before destruction. It is made in an academic style and is a room of amazing beauty. The walls of the halls are decorated with Orthodox paintings and ancient ornaments from the times of Byzantium and Kievan Rus.
The temple is a two-story building and can accommodate up to fifteen thousand parishioners. All people come to see here at his shrine: the icon of the Kaspersky Mother of God and the remains of the Vorontsov family.
Helpful information
Any local resident knows where the Transfiguration Cathedral is located. His address is as follows: Odessa city, Soborna square, house 3. You can get there by any public transport: by tram number 3 or number 10 or by buses number 146, 121, 198, 195, 208 or 241. To clarify all the necessary information You should call this phone number: +3 (048) 729-36-60.
Of course, all the Orthodox churches of Odessa are real religious buildings in Ukraine, including this wonderful cathedral. Now this magnificent building is once again standing in its place, as if there was no tragedy in 1936, and delights all visitors to the city and local residents with its beauty and solemn appearance.