In the western part of Russia is the picturesque city of Kaliningrad, known for its mild climate, amber jewelry, interesting history and attractions. Until the mid-13th century, it was called Twangaste and was a Prussian fortification. After the conquest of these territories by the crusaders, in 1255, the Czech monarch Przemysl II Otakar ordered the founding of a fortress named after Koenigsberg, i.e., royal, in its place. Soon, a city formed around it, and at the beginning of the 14th century, a magnificent building was built not far from it - Koenigsberg Cathedral. Today this building is one of the main decorations and the most frequently visited tourist sites of the city.
Construction
The temple was founded in 1333 by Bishop Siegfried. However, he soon died and construction continued under the direction of Johannes Clare. Initially, it was thought to build a fortified church. However, by order of Grand Master Luther of Braunschweig, it was ordered to build just a large temple.
The work was begun from the altar and completed by 1335. Then began the construction of two towers and a longitudinal part, which was intended for parishioners. In total, Koenigsberg Cathedral (Kaliningrad) was built over fifty years, until about 1380. The building was 101 long, 36 wide and 58 meters high, taking into account the size of the towers. However, during a fire in the mid-16th century, both of them burned down, and only one was restored, South, decorated with a high spire, and a pediment was built from the North.
Konigsberg Cathedral (Kaliningrad): history
Buried in 1344 in the altar of the building, Bishop Johannes Clare did not live to see the consecration of the church, which took place in 1351.
The temple existed as a Catholic church for only about 170 years, until the time when the ideas of the Reformation penetrated the territory of Prussia. As a result of the victory of Protestantism, already in 1523, Johann Brisman read the first evangelical sermon in German in the church, and the Lutheran religion was recognized as the official religion. After 5 years, the church building was given over to the city of Kneiphof, and around the building a clergy house was formed with a cathedral square, a school, housing for the priors of the church, a bishop’s house and outbuildings.
University period
In the 1530s, a building was built next to the temple, which housed the University of Albertina. Since that time, Koenigsberg Cathedral began to perform the function of the church of this famous educational institution, and since 1650 the Wallenrod Library, which is a magnificent collection of scientific and religious manuscripts, began to be located in its southern tower. In addition, during the same period, a professorial tomb appeared in the temple, in which Immanuel Kant was buried . In 1924, to the bicentennial anniversary of the philosopher, on the eastern side of the Konigsberg Cathedral, the porta of the Stoa Kantiana was erected.
The history of the temple during the Second World War
Until the bombing of 1944, the Konigsberg Cathedral stood intact. Unfortunately, during the hostilities he suffered very much, and was later devastated. The rich decoration of the temple was almost completely burned. Only a few tombstones have survived, including a monument to the Duke Albrecht Hohenzollern, made by the Flemish architect and sculptor Cornelis Floris.
After the war, the building stood for a long time without a roof and slowly fell into disrepair.
Restoration of historical heritage
In the early 70s of the last century, the Konigsberg Cathedral, it was decided to restore. The first stage of the restoration of the temple was, rather, redecorating, and full-scale engineering work began only in 1992.
Since the cathedral is located on peaty soil, the foundation lowers by several millimeters every year. Since the foundation of the temple, it has sagged more than one and a half meters, and the angle of inclination of the walls was more than forty centimeters. To combat these phenomena, false windows were made back in 1903, but they did not help either, so the restorers had to work hard to restore the strength of the structure. In addition, in the 90s, four bells were installed, as well as a spire and clock on the South Tower. Thus, the temple acquired a form close to the original.
Description
Konigsberg Cathedral (Kaliningrad), whose photo is decorated with many tourist avenues, was built in the style of Baltic Gothic. In the architectural board, it is notable for its internal tower with a spiral staircase and its arches inherent in Sicilian architecture of 11-13 centuries.
In October 1998, the Immanuel Kant Museum was opened in the temple building, part of the exposition of which is dedicated to the history of the building itself. At the moment, work is underway to turn the Königsberg Cathedral into an important cultural and religious center.
The building houses evangelical and orthodox chapels, and concerts of classical and religious music and international organist competitions are regularly held.
Some interesting facts
Directors liked to shoot films about the war in the historical center of Kaliningrad, so similar to pre-war Germany, and the Cathedral more than once got into the frame.
On the 750th anniversary of the founding of the city, a postage stamp depicting its attractions was issued. One of them was the Cathedral. The view of this temple is also imprinted on a jubilee coin in denomination of ten rubles, which is part of the series “Ancient Cities of Russia”, released in 2005 with a circulation of five million.
In 2007, the Konigsberg Cathedral was a contender for the title of one of the “Seven Wonders of Russia”, and in the next it was recognized as the main symbol of the Kaliningrad Region as a result of summing up the action “Seven Wonders of the Amber Region”.
Konigsberg Cathedral (Kaliningrad): address
To find this temple is very simple, because it is located on one of the island's historical centers of the city - on the island of Kant, surrounded by the Pregol river. The official address of the cathedral: Kant street, 1. You can get there by one of the two bridges connecting the mainland and the island.