There was once a swimming pool on the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which today is remembered by those whose childhood, adolescence or adulthood fell on the Soviet period. This metropolitan attraction delighted both local residents and guests of the White Stone. But not for long - only 35 years. In the nineties, the pool famous throughout the USSR was closed. At the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, blown up in the early thirties, a cathedral was erected again.
Background
On the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a pool was built in the late fifties. That is, almost twenty years after the religious building was blown up. This temple had a long, interesting history. It was built in 1883. The architect Konstantin Ton, according to legend, spent forty years on its construction.
Previously, in the territory that the most famous Moscow temple occupies today, there was a monastery. It burned down in the middle of the XVI century. A new monastery was built in its place, but it was not destined to exist for long. The Time of Troubles has come. The monastery was badly damaged, but was rebuilt in 1625. The monastery was transferred to the Red Village during the time of Nicholas I. In its place a magnificent temple was built.
Palace of Soviets
In the late twenties, a resolution was issued by the Politburo, according to which the Cathedral of Christ the Savior should be destroyed. A pool in its place was not planned to be built then. The Palace of Soviets was to be erected here, the project of which was approved back in 1922. The idea of building the tallest building in the world really liked Joseph Stalin, but, to the chagrin of the generalissimo, it turned out to be impracticable.
The temple was blown up in December 1931. The very next year, the construction of the Palace of Soviets began. The war has begun. Construction work was frozen, and the metal structures intended for the majestic Soviet building were used during the Battle of Moscow.
Stalin dreamed at the site of the temple to build not just a high-rise building, but a multi-tiered structure with several columns and a Lenin monument on top. This building should have been superior in height to the Empire State Building. Stalin's skyscraper could be seen at a distance of 35 km. But, as already mentioned, this project could not be implemented. Superstitious people believed that it was no accident - higher forces intervened in the construction process.
Foundation pit
After the Great Victory, construction was resumed. However, it was not possible to complete it - first of all, it was necessary to restore factories, factories and residential buildings. From a grand construction site, a huge pit remained. What could be built instead of the Palace of Soviets on the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior? Pool. In Moscow there was no more suitable place for the construction of an artificial reservoir. The concrete foundation and steel structures left over from the construction site were regularly filled with water and resembled a swamp, which has no place in the center of the capital.
Grandiose project
Nikita Khrushchev, the party’s first secretary, proposed the construction of a pool on the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. In the photo below you can see how this artificial pond looked, which has become one of the favorite places of Muscovites.
The project was developed by architect Dmitry Chechulin. The construction of an outdoor pool on the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior began in 1958. The main architect and his assistant were faced with the task of maximizing the use of the preserved foundation. An artificial pond was built inside the concrete ring, which was originally intended for the foundation of the hall of the Palace of Soviets, which Stalin dreamed of.
"Moscow"
The outdoor pool at the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, destroyed by order of an atheistic government, was not a completely unique structure. In Moscow, there was a similar artificially created pond in Turchaninov Lane. It was called "Moscow." After the opening of the pool on Kropotkinskaya embankment, it was renamed the "Seagull." The new one was called "Moscow", thereby emphasizing its significance.
The institution worked all year round. It became the largest swimming pool in the Soviet Union and one of the largest in the world. This grandiose building was visited by celebrities, both Soviet and foreign. At the end of 1960, Che Guevara himself visited here.
This is not to say that Muscovites were happy to open the year-round pool at the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The history of its occurrence included many unpleasant facts: from the explosion of a looted church to unsuccessful attempts to implement a dubious project to build the tallest building in the world. Nevertheless, children and adolescents enjoyed visiting Moscow. Even Archpriest Alexei Uminsky once said about the pool with warmth , calling it “a terrific and mysterious place.”
Features
The water temperature was regulated using artificial heating. It never fell below 18 ° C. Visitors were allowed into the pool even in cold weather. But if the air temperature dropped below −20 ° C, it, for safety reasons, still closed. The fact is that in severe frosts so dense steam rose above the water that the rescuers did not see the swimmers.
Many houses on Kropotkinskaya embankment suffered from corrosion. It is believed that the reason is the evaporation of water from the Moscow basin. The proximity of the artificial reservoir and the exhibits of the Pushkin Museum also had a negative effect.
Water coming from the city water supply should be passed through filters, then it would be chlorinated. The institution employed specialists who regularly checked its quality. In the pool there were groups of recreational, therapeutic swimming for both children and adults. There was also a sector for professional athletes with a separate entrance. The pool was divided into 8 lanes. A ten-meter tower was installed in the center.
A great place to relax was not only the pool, but also the territory adjacent to it. There was a comfortable beach, small pools for children, benches, pavilions with a buffet, wardrobe and cash desk.
The depth of the Moskva basin was originally four meters. However, there were frequent accidents, and therefore had to fill the bottom with concrete. After a partial reconstruction, the depth of the artificial reservoir was just over two meters.
City's legends
The pool "Moscow" is perceived by many as a pool on the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. But this is not entirely true. The temple was next to the Moscow pool, built in the late 50s. There are several urban legends that tell of the mystical power that these places possessed.
The construction of the Palace of Soviets was suspended before the start of the war in connection with the arrest of several officials. Then a pool appeared in which people regularly drowned. Frequent accidents gave rise to a rumor about "sectarians-sinking" who allegedly avenge the destroyed temple. Another legend about the Moskva basin: in the winter months, more than simple steam rose above the water. In it, if desired, one could consider the outlines of the destroyed religious building.
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
In the late eighties, authorities softened in relation to the church. The words that the temple should be restored no longer seemed seditious. But believers not only made loud speeches - they acted. In 1992, a substantial amount was collected for the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. However, the money burned out as a result of inflation. A foundation stone was installed back in 1990. A year later, the pool was closed. The construction of the temple began in the mid-nineties.