Ancient Suzdal leaves no one indifferent, before that it is beautiful and interesting for its sights. The city carefully preserves the historical heritage of their ancestors. Suzdal began with earthen fortifications and one cathedral.
Attraction: appearance and history
The Suzdal Kremlin is currently a museum. But first, Vladimir Monomakh laid the temple of the Assumption. It was a powerful architectural building made of bricks. It was painted by the best masters of Byzantium. The foundation was laid weak, the cathedral walls began to crumble, and Yuri Dolgoruky ordered it to be completely dismantled. And soon, on the site of the old temple, a white-stone cathedral with three helmet-shaped chapters began to rise. A special pedestal was erected for the central chapter; for the small chapters, the eastern corners of the structure serve as a support. The cathedral was decorated with relief drawings, masks of female faces and carvings. In 1225, Bishop Simeon conducted a ceremony of lighting the cathedral. From that moment, the Kremlin of Suzdal began to be called the Theotokos-Rozhdestvensky.
A year later, the cathedral was painted inside with frescoes, and the floor was tiled. Once again, the structure undergoes a change after a fire. Instead of three chapters, it gets five, and some adjustments are added. Since the reign of Vasily III, the cathedral has been painted several times, thrones are added. The main attraction appears - the Golden Gate, created by Suzdal craftsmen. The treasures of the Nativity Cathedral are in the museum.
Necropolis
The Nativity Cathedral of the Suzdal Kremlin has its own necropolis. There are burials of the princes of Shuisky, Belsky and the sons of Yuri Dolgoruky. In the thirties, services were no longer held in the cathedral.
2005 was marked by the opening of the former at the restoration of the cathedral. Years of restoration helped the cathedral gain the relics of St. Arseny of Elasson. This is another attraction that the Kremlin has in Suzdal.
Bell tower
One of the oldest buildings that make up the ensemble, located south of the cathedral, is the Cathedral bell tower. It has an element corresponding to the fortress towers - the roof over the cornice. From the end of the 17th century to the present, the clocks on the bell ring every hour and every quarter.
Bishops' Chambers
A unique structure dating back to the XV-XVIII centuries - the Bishops' Chambers, is surrounded by a stone wall and an earthen rampart. The structure includes residential and farm buildings. The most famous of them are the refectory chambers and the church. The first houses look like a complex complex of buildings. This complex was conceived as a residential building for the church rulers of the city of Suzdal. It is in the wards that the museum is located.
Refectory
The refectory of the Suzdal Kremlin is now working for its intended purpose. At the bottom is a restaurant. It has a name in tune with the architectural structure: “Refectory”. This establishment is in incredible demand, although it is included in the category of expensive and prestigious. The restaurant was opened in 1998 in order to preserve the real traditional Russian cuisine. The interior is made in the style of Russian classics. The kitchen contains old recipes. The restaurant serves traditional Russian game dishes. Ministers of worship always preferred the meat of wild boars, quail and pheasants.
Assumption Church
The churches that have survived to this day include the Assumption, St. Nicholas and the Nativity of Christ. Uspenskaya is a building of the Moscow Baroque style. Nicholas Church was transported to the Kremlin in Suzdal from the village in which the founder of the dynasty of tsars of the famous Romanov family was born. The largest and most interesting attraction of Suzdal is the museum of wooden architecture. The museum awaits visitors daily, excluding Tuesday and Friday.
Nikolskaya
The wooden Nikolskaya church is an example of ancient temples. It is built of wooden log cabins. Church of St. Nicholas is very beautiful, slender and golden. It fits perfectly into the overall architectural ensemble. The church gave its name to the ancient Nikolsky Gate, which leads to the bridge over the Kamenka River.
It is named after St. Nicholas, who is considered the patron saint of travelers. The building is elegant. It is a real work of folk carpentry by ordinary craftsmen from the people.
What is the reason for such attention given to this church?
The construction was erected only with the help of one carpentry tool - an ax. The nails that are present in the fastened elements of the church are also wooden. In addition, St. Nicholas Church has incredible beautiful architectural forms. Nearby, near the Kremlin, is the Church of the Nativity of Christ. It is simple in architecture, it is a residential building on one floor. The church consists of a wooden log house and the usual gable roof.
Suzdal Kremlin
The description of all the expositions in it contains the history of the land of Suzdal. There are interesting exhibits that are represented by objects of applied art and ancient Russian painting. The Suzdal Kremlin is the center of the city, which is considered very ancient. And the oldest is the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin. The material used for its construction is rough tufa.
But Vladimir Monomakh erected the temple in the wrong place. The Suzdal Kremlin is a kind of core of the city, and it attracts many tourists not only from Russia, but also from abroad. And those who are looking for this attraction pay attention to its outlines from afar.
Domes of blue heavenly color and gold stars on them at the Nativity Cathedral are visible far. Archaeologists have discovered that the Suzdal Kremlin has existed since the tenth century. Suzdal can be proud of having such an architectural ensemble. It is made of white stone, similar to the dress of the immaculate girl. And at the same time, this complex is a fortified structure with ramparts, towers and gates.
What is included in the ensemble?
So, the following buildings are included in the architectural ensemble of the Suzdal Kremlin: the Nativity Cathedral, the bishops' chambers with the refectory episcopal church, the Cathedral bell tower, the Assumption Church, the summer St. Nicholas Church, the Church of the Nativity of Christ.
In the painting of the complex there are characters of the venerable holy elders, traditional Russian ornaments. The Nativity Cathedral was conceived as the first temple for prayers not only of the prince's family, but also of ordinary citizens. And the bishops' chambers and the refectory were conceived as a bishop's palace. The cathedral bell tower was erected by special order of Bishop Serpion. The bells and chimes are fully restored and still delight all parishioners and residents of Suzdal. The Assumption Church has an elegant look. This is a beautiful red-green building, which housed the princely court of Ivan III.
Summer Nikolskaya Church is a steam room for the Church of the Nativity of Christ. When acquaintance with the architecture of the city of Suzdal takes place, the incredible skill of architects strikes. Their incredible sense of beauty and sophistication surprises. After all, no one ever tried to design a city and its buildings specifically in the complex. Many temples and churches that became popular only in the post-Soviet era were destroyed many times, burned, flashing like a match, and then restored again. All structures built in different historical periods surprisingly harmoniously fit into the overall color of churches and cathedrals. All these buildings were created in the throes of creativity.
Conclusion
Many times, the Suzdal Kremlin, whose photo is presented in the article, lost its significance and gained it again. Sometimes built monasteries and temples near Suzdal took upon themselves the burden of responsibility of the central core of the entire complex. Everything related to the history and antiquity of Russian cities has always attracted the attention of archaeologists and historians. And in one of the oldest cities, so much has happened and will still happen that it simply will not be possible to remain an outside observer.