Most Russians do not know much about Chelyabinsk, although the city will soon celebrate its 280th anniversary, and it has something to show to numerous guests. Among the interesting tourist sites include the Alexander Nevsky Church.
Since its foundation, Chelyabinsk has been a multinational city where people of different faiths coexisted beautifully together. There are Orthodox churches, a synagogue, a Catholic church, a Protestant church and several mosques. They were built in different years and are the architectural decorations of the city. However, among them, only the Holy Trinity Church and the Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk) are included in the cultural heritage of Russia.
Construction history
In 1881, Alexander Square was arranged in Chelyabinsk , on which they decided to build a temple. It was supposed to be a kind of monument in honor of the king who was liberated as a result of the terrorist attack.
The construction was organized with the money collected by the residents of the city and the merchant Kutyrev. As a basis, the project was used by the famous architect A. Pomerantsev, who is the author of the Russian-Byzantine style. Since the work was started without his participation, only the chapel was first laid, which was named in honor of the Russian prince and commander Alexander Nevsky. Due to lack of funds, construction was suspended after a while, and the buildings were demolished.
Only in 1907, the architect Pomeransky took up the construction of the temple of Alexander Nevsky. Deputies of the city and State Duma, and later even Emperor Nikolai II, also took part in the collection of necessary funds. In total, we managed to collect 60 thousand rubles. They could hardly complete all the work and consecrate the church in honor of St. Alexander Nevsky in 1916.
In the Soviet period
After the October Revolution, the Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk) was hit by the new authorities. They first renamed the square in Aloe Field, and then began to conduct active anti-religious propaganda. Despite the fact that the Chelyabinsk diocese recognized the Communists as the only legitimate authority, icons were removed from the Alexander Nevsky Church and crosses were removed from the domes. A significant part of church utensils was used for sale, and the funds were used for the needs of the new government.
In 1930, the temple finally closed its doors to believers. Later it was converted to a printing house and the internal layout was slightly changed, and from the 1950s to the 80s a planetarium and various circles worked there.
Organ Hall
An interesting twist in the fate of the temple occurred in the 1980s, when the building was transferred to the Philharmonic. So, the Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk) turned into a concert hall. This event was preceded by a large-scale restoration, which was carried out using handwritten documents and drawings made by the hand of Pomerantsev himself, found in the archives of Leningrad. As a result, the building managed to return to its former architectural appearance, as well as recreate the interiors.
In 1987, an organ made by the masters of the German company Hermann Oile was installed in a former church. The instrument consisted of 2504 pipes, and also had 37 registers, 3 manuals and a pedal keyboard.
The first listeners in the new organ hall were restorers, builders and architects. The opening was marked by a concert of the Moscow ensemble of soloists "Madrigal", who performed Russian and foreign music.
In the modern period
In 1990, the Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk) passed into the possession of the Russian Orthodox Church, but only in 2010 they began to hold services there again. A little later, a belfry was installed on the bell tower.
Description
The ancient Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk, address: Aloe Pole 1, tel .: 264-76-91, code: 351) is made in the Russian-Byzantine style of Pomerantsev. It is a one-story building with a basement. The temple has a longitudinal-axial shape and is built of red brick, traditional for Russia. In the west, the refectory is connected to the bell tower, has a four-pillar silhouette with a large altar and a semicircular apse. The church has north and south aisles, the quad is equipped with a powerful light drum and a dome, as well as a 3-tier bell tower with a bulbous apex.
Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk): baptism
You can get to the temple, which has excellent transport accessibility, by trolleybus N 12, 13, 23, by bus N15 or by minibus N 1, 8, 9, 13, 17, 20, 28, 30, 40, 44, 53, 55, 58, 67-69, 74, 92, 96 and others. The church is open for visits daily. From Monday to Thursday, from 9:00 to 10:00, prayers and burials are held there.
A special place in the life of the temple is the rite of baptism. It marks the birth of a new Orthodox Christian. Long before the rite of baptism, a person, if it is an adult, undergoes spiritual training, talking with the priest. Then he is immersed in water, cleansing from the primordial sin of his ancestors, and he passes from the phase of carnal life to the spiritual, which is accompanied by prayer. The baptized person is dressed in a baptismal robe with a cross and he is being anointed.
The Alexander Nevsky Church (Chelyabinsk), whose photo is an adornment of most tourist avenues dedicated to this city, deserves to be seen. Therefore, once in those parts, be sure to visit her and make sure that in the Russian province there are many interesting architectural monuments that are in no way inferior to the capital.