Many great attractions are located in Moscow. Walking around the city center, you can often observe various cultural monuments. Each object contains many secrets and stories that are always interesting to learn. Separately, it is worth paying attention to the temple located in the center called the Menshikov Tower. It is located in the historical center of Moscow, in the area of Chistye Prudy. This object is definitely worth a visit, as it is truly unique and made in a very unusual style, thanks to which it attracts a lot of attention of both tourists and local residents.
A small description of the temple
So, for starters, it is worth getting acquainted with this unusually beautiful monument of architecture. The object has another name - the Church of the Archangel Gabriel on Chistye Prudy. This is an Orthodox church, it is located in the Basmanny district of Moscow. Interestingly, the building is made in the Baroque style, more precisely - Peter's Baroque. In Moscow there are not many buildings built in this style that would be well preserved to this day. The same building is the earliest, its construction falls on 1707. However, after some time, already in the 1770s, the church was noticeably rebuilt. Interestingly, she acted only in the summer.
Why did the temple get such a name?
In addition to the fact that the temple is named after the Archangel Gabriel, you can often hear its second name - the Menshikov Tower. Many people wonder why this is so. The answer to this question is very simple. The church was erected by order of one person, who was Alexander Menshikov (his personality will be told a little later). Thus, it becomes clear where the temple got its second name.
Person A.D. Menshikov
As you know, Menshikov played a big role in the construction of the temple. Therefore, it is worth considering his personality separately in order to learn more about his projects and other activities. So, this is a well-known Russian figure in the state and military sphere. Menshikov had several titles, such as the count and the prince. For a long time he was the favorite of Peter I. After his death, he participated in the accession to the throne of Catherine I. At this time, he actually became the ruler of Russia. We can say that his career began with the Northern War, where he commanded various types of troops.
Temple construction
Now it’s worth moving on to a story about the history of the church, since it includes many events that have taken place over the entire existence of this church. It should be noted that the first mention of the church of the Archangel Gabriel appeared in 1551. They are found in documents related to the census. By the middle of the XVII century the temple was somewhat rebuilt and due to this increased. A little later, in 1701, Alexander Menshikov organized the reconstruction and repair of the church, but after 3 years, in 1704, it was decided to demolish the church. In its place, it was planned to erect a new temple, the construction of which was carried out by I.P. Zarudny. The Church of the Archangel Gabriel gradually revived. Foreign masters were also involved in the construction, among which are Domenico Trezzini. By 1707, the construction was completed. It is worth noting that at that time its height was just over 84 meters. After some time, Menshikov was appointed to the post of governor of St. Petersburg, in connection with which he ceased to engage in many Moscow projects, and work in the church was slowed down, or even completely suspended.
Menshikov Tower - Further History
The further fate of the temple was also quite difficult. Lightning struck the church, in connection with which the upper part of the tower burned down almost completely, the interiors of the premises were destroyed, and the bells fell. This unpleasant event occurred in 1723. In this state, the tower stood for quite some time, but in 1773 its restoration began. She walked for several years from 1773 to 1779. For its restoration took the famous Freemason G.Z. Izmailov. However, the churches did not return to their original form; in the new version, it was a different structure. Since then, the building has been used for various Masonic ceremonies. In 1863, the church was nevertheless restored on behalf of Metropolitan Filaret. In the 30s of the XX century it was closed. So, the history of the temple was examined, and now it is worth saying a few words about the style in which the Menshikov tower was built. This style is a real reflection of his time, so getting to know him will be very informative.
What style is the temple built in?
Thus, having become acquainted with the history, it is also necessary to find out in what style the church is built. The Menshikov Tower is a true example of "Peter's Baroque." It is also believed that this temple is one of the earliest examples of this style, preserved in Moscow. It is worthwhile to figure out what are the distinctive features of this style, as well as what its peculiarity consists in.
Basically, this term refers to the architectural style, which was approved by Peter I. Many examples can be seen in St. Petersburg, where this solution was actively used in the construction of buildings for various purposes. It is worth noting the time frame - from about 1697 to 1730.
This style was mainly based on samples of German, Dutch and Swedish architecture. Peter's Baroque can most often be distinguished by some characteristic features, for example, such as simple execution of volumetric elements, clear lines. In this style, unlike other Baroque trends, the connection with the classical Byzantine style was broken. This is a very important point, since such a tradition has existed in Russian architecture for more than 700 years.
Characteristic features of Peter's Baroque
Thus, the definition was given to this style, and its time frame was also considered. Now it’s worth talking directly about its characteristic features. One of the most important signs of this trend in architecture is the color of buildings, including 2 colors, the use of high spiers, as well as the planar execution of decor details.
Palace and park ensembles built in this style deserve special attention. An example is Peterhof, the Summer Garden and many other wonderful parks. Another famous example of this style is the Hermitage Palace.
Where is the temple - how to get?
So, the history of the temple, the stages of its construction and much more were considered. Now it’s worth talking about where he is and how to get to him. In general, Moscow Orthodox churches are very popular both among tourists and among local residents. Of course, you should definitely visit the Church of the Archangel Gabriel.
It is located, as mentioned above, on Chistye Prudy. This place is located in the center of Moscow, getting here is not difficult. It is located at 15a Arkhangelsky Lane. It will be most convenient to get here from the metro station Chistye Prudy.