The Russian land is famous for its numerous monuments of history, architecture, culture. To get acquainted with one of them, today we will go to the ancient Russian city of Dmitrov. It is located north of Moscow, along the Dmitrov highway.
The city was founded on the site of Slavic settlements by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky in 1154. It got its name in honor of the princely son Vsevolod (Big Nest), which at the baptism was named Dmitry.
From the history of the city
In ancient times (XII century), outside of Dmitrov, impenetrable swamps and dense forests began - places not suitable for housing. In those days, the city of Dmitrov was a northwestern outpost of the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal. He occupied an important position (in strategic terms), since he covered the path to Suzdal along the rivers Dubna and Vele. From Dmitrov, by water through the Sister, Dubna and Yakhroma, one could get to the Upper Volga.
Joining Moscow
In the first half of the XIV century, the city was annexed to Moscow, and Moscow princes began to rule in it. The first was Prince Peter - the youngest son of Dmitry Donskoy. In the second half of the XIV century, at the height of the feud between Vasily Kosy and Dmitry Shemyaka with Prince of Moscow Vasily II the Dark, the city changed hands many times. The last prince of Dmitrov is Yuri, the middle son of Ivan III. In 1556, Ivan the Terrible exchanged Dmitrov for the city of Staritsa, which was ruled by Prince Vladimir Staritsky. After his execution (1569), Dmitrov passed to Moscow completely.
This small town was repeatedly subjected to destructive raids of the Tatars, and in 1372 it was ravaged by Prince Mikhail of Tver. Dmitrov reached his peak in the 16th century, during the reign of Prince Yuri Ivanovich.
Assumption Cathedral (Dmitrov)
The center of the Dmitrov Kremlin is decorated with a majestic and beautiful temple. It is primarily seen by everyone coming to Dmitrov. The Assumption Cathedral, now existing, was built at the very beginning of the 16th century, when Prince Yuri Ivanovich, brother of Vasily III, was in power. Nevertheless, historians increasingly agree that in the XIV-XV centuries, under Prince Peter Dmitrievich, there was already a stone temple. First of all, the white stone cellars that were discovered under the basement of the cathedral standing today testify to this fact.
Architectural features
The basis of a complex and refined composition is a five-domed four-pillared brick temple with a high basement. The cathedral features are apse shaped faceted on the outside. To the right of the south portal you can see a tiled round bas-relief. Its diameter is almost three meters. It depicts George the Victorious.
Experts believe that the Assumption Cathedral is very reminiscent of the Archangel and Assumption Cathedrals in Moscow, which were being built at the same time.
The Assumption Cathedral is decorated with reliefs from tiles. On the northern and southern facades are images of the Holy Crucifix. At the portal on the south side is the relief of St. George the Victorious.
Today it is impossible to see the original appearance of the cathedral, having arrived in Dmitrov. The Assumption Cathedral has been rebuilt many times over its long history. Such work was carried out in the XVII-XIX centuries, although historians believe that they did not change the original appearance of the cathedral too much.
Two chapels were added to the temple in the 19th century - the northern one (1823) by the architect F.M.Shestakov, and the southern one (1841). This project was developed by D.F. Borisov. In 1796, a three-tier bell tower, executed in the style of classicism, was added to the temple. The author of the project is M. Ya. Agafonov.
In 2001, a monument to Yuri Dolgoruky by the sculptor V. M. Tserkovnikov appeared at the southern gate of the Dmitrov Kremlin. In 2004, a monument to Cyril and Methodius was erected at the temple. It was created by sculptor A.I. Rukavishnikov according to the project of architect R.V. Narsky.
City of Dmitrov: Assumption Cathedral after 1917
After the October Revolution, the temple was used for its intended purpose for almost seventeen years. However, in 1932 he suffered the fate of all Russian religious buildings - it was closed. True, they did not make a storehouse for grain or a local club from it. It houses a museum. This circumstance did not prevent to remove crosses from it in the mid-thirties. In August 1941, the upper part of the bell tower was dismantled.
The restoration of the temple began in 1961 and lasted four years. The work was conducted by MOSNRPM, led by E.R. Kunitskaya. The bell tower was restored, but it was decided to remove the corner drums.
Restoration
In 2001, the last restoration to date began, which was successfully completed in 2003. These works were directed by V. I. Nesterenko, realizing the idea of architects I. Yu. Korovin and A. V. Yaganov.
Interestingly, services in the temple began to be held in one of the chapels back in 1991. In 2002, the museum was moved to a new building, the church was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. It was consecrated in mid-2003.
Today, a small part of the premises of the temple is used as a museum. There is a Sunday school, there is its own library.
Interior decoration
Everyone who visited the Assumption Cathedral, believe that it is beautiful. Here is a gilded five-tier carved iconostasis (XVII century), which houses unique icons of the XV-XIX centuries. One of the main decorations of the cathedral is considered to be a carved episcopal place, which was transported from the bishop's house of Krutitsky in 1792. Inside it is covered with decorative painting. It belongs to the beginning of the XVIII century. The main pride of the cathedral is its magnificent frescoes, the work of the greatest icon painter of all time - Andrei Rublev. In the temple there are niches-arcosols, in which noble representatives of the Vladimir community and church hierarchs were buried.
Another shrine of the cathedral is an icon depicting Dmitry Solunsky. Before that, she was kept in a small village church. This happened between 1646 and 1713. The exact date is not set. It was written in the second half of the XII century, presumably by V.I. Antonov, and was donated by Vsevolod the Big Nest to the city of Dmitrov in 1181. Today this icon is transferred to the exposition of the Tretyakov Gallery. The cross (XIV century), stored in the church until 1933, was also transferred to the Tretyakov Gallery
The frescoes (XIII century) are of great interest to specialists and ordinary tourists. Today you can admire fragments of the large composition “The Last Judgment”. Historians believe that it was performed by a painter invited by Vsevolod from distant Greece.
Icon of St. Matrons
Today, everyone can visit Dmitrov (Assumption Cathedral) at a convenient time for themselves or during church holidays. The relics of Matron and the icon with her image from October 8 to October 21, 2015 were in the Assumption Cathedral. These shrines were given for worship by Metropolitan Kolomensky and Krutitsky - Juvenal. This event was a real celebration for the parishioners. Solemn services were held, everyone could see the icon of the Blessed Matrona.
In conclusion, we will inform everyone who wants to visit the Assumption Cathedral in Dmitrov, the address of the temple: Moscow Region, Dmitrov, Historical Square, 11.