Holy Annunciation Church (Eighth Line of Vasilievsky Island)

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Religious Architecture (see also Religion.Church)
Categories / Religion. Church/Places of Worship (see also Architecture and Urban Planning)
HOLY ANNUNCIATION CHURCH located at 67 Eighth Line of Vasilievsky Island. An architectural monument in the Baroque style. The stone two-storeyed church was built in 1750-72, financed by merchants I. S. Chirkin and I. I. Chirkin (the architect is unknown). The lower church, which was heated, was dedicated to the Holy Annunciation, the upper church was dedicated to the Renewal of the Jerusalem Holy Resurrection Temple (from 1796, the church was dedicated to Exaltation of the Holy Cross). The main building in the shape of the cross is crowned with five bulbous cupolas and surrounded by galleries (before 1789, they were opened), facades were richly decorated with fretwork. In the 1780s, a four-tiered bell tower was erected. There were gilded baroque iconostases inside. From 1844 to 1854, the church belonged to Novodevichy Convent. In 1859, it was repainted (by artist R. F. Vinogradov). In 1899, a hip roofed chapel was erected (architect M. F. Eremeev). In the 18th century, a was cemetery established by the Holy Annunciation Church, where mechanical engineer A. K. Nartov, engraver M. I. Makhaev, traveller S. P. Krashennikov, and artist A. P. Losenko were buried. From 1862, the Aid Society for the Poor, the first of its kind in the city was attached to the church; the society kept an alms-house, an orphanage for girls, a school and inexpensive flats. In March 1936, the church was closed, the inner decor was destroyed, the apartments were used as a store. In 1992, Holy Annunciation Church was given back to the faithful, restoration work is being carried out.

Reference: Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994. Т. 1. С. 145-146.

V. V. Antonov. Antonov Viktor Vasilievich
Eremeev Mikhail Fedorovich
Kobak Alexander Valerievich
Krasheninnikov Stepan Petrovich
Losenko Anton Pavlovich
Makhaev Mikhail Ivanovich
Nartov Andrey Konstantinovich
the Chirkins
Vinogradov Roman Fedorovich
8th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 67
Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994 Baroque
Novodevichy Convent