Holy Ascension Church

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Religious Architecture (see also Religion.Church)
Categories / Religion. Church/Places of Worship (see also Architecture and Urban Planning)
HOLY ASCENSION CHURCH located at 34a Voznesensky Avenue. An architectural monument constructed in 1755-69 (architects A. F. Wist and A. Rinaldi) in a transitional style merging Baroque with Classicism. It was located on the spot of a wooden church of the same name (1728-29, architect I. K. Korobov) and a cemetery that had functioned until 1746. In 1787, the bell tower was consecrated, and in 1796, the Chapel of St. John the Warrior. M. L. Kolokolnikov painted the icons. The relics of the church included the Icon Holy Martyr John the Warrior and Icon of Our Lady “Assuage My Sorrow”. In 1807-13, the side-chapels were extended to the projects of architect L. Rusca, the shape of the main cupola was changed and the iconostasis was replaced. The church held up to 3,000 people. On the occasion of the consecration of the rebuilt church G. A. Demidov and A. G. Demidov donated precious silver church plates. In 1860-61, the cupola of the church was raised (architect M. I. Sapegin), and in 1898, a sacristy was attached (architect R. L. Perschke). The following chapels were connected with the church: St. Alexander Nevsky Chapel (1867) on Novo-Alexandrovsky Market, the chapel by the Yusupov Garden (1895) and St. Nicholas’ Chapel (1905) on the Nikolsky Market. The poor guardianship society that sponsored a women’s almshouse and an orphanage school, functioned since 1870. In 1923, the church acquired the status of the cathedral. In 1935, it was destroyed, in its place school buildings were constructed. The name of Voznesensky Avenue originates from the Holy Ascension Church (Vozneseniya Church).

Reference: Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994. Т. 1. С. 166-168.

V. V. Antonov. Demidov Alexander Grigorievich
Demidov Grigory Akinfievich
Kolokolnikov Mina Lukich
Korobov Ivan Kuzmich
Perschke Robert Lyudvigovich
Rinaldi Antonio
Rusca Luigi (Aloisy Ivanovich)
Sapegin Mikhail Ivanovich
Wist Alexander Franzevich
Voznesensky Ave/Saint Petersburg, city, house 34, litera л. А
Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994 Baroque
Neoclassicism