Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу Возврат на главную страницу
Entries / Naval Cathedral

Naval Cathedral


Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Religious Architecture (see also Religion.Church)
Categories / Religion. Church/Places of Worship (see also Architecture and Urban Planning)

NAVAL CATHEDRAL of Kronstadt, St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral, located at 1 Yakornaya Square, Kronstadt. The main cathedral of the Baltic Fleet. The idea to build the cathedral was first voiced in 1830, but only in 1897 was the construction committee, headed by Vice-Admiral S. O. Makarov, established and a fundraising campaign initiated. The plans for the cathedral, which would hold 6,000 worshippers was developed by architect V. A. Kosyakov (see Kosyakov Family), who followed the Byzantine style for his project. In 1902, the construction site of the cathedral was consecrated by Fr. Ioann of Kronstadt, and in 1903 the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone took place in the presence of the Imperial family. The enormous building with three side-altars (83.2 meters long, 64 meters wide, 70.6 meters tall) dominates the skyline. It is crowned with an enormous cupola, which has a diameter of 26.7 meters. The construction was completed in 1909 and in 1913 the entire building was consecrated. The construction cost two million roubles. The iconostasis and white marble ciborium were done by N. A. Popov, and vaults and wall-paintings in the Byzantine style, painted by M. M. Vasilyev. The floor has mosaic patterns with a naval motif. Black marble plaques with the names of naval officers, fallen in battle or in the line of duty were placed on the walls. In 1913, the monument to Admiral Makarov (by sculptor L. V. Shervud) was unveiled in front of the cathedral. In the 1920s Bishop Venedikt (Plotnikov), who was later martyred, was the senior priest of the cathedral. In 1929, the Naval Cathedral was closed down, and the icons were burnt. In 1932, the building was reconstructed (architect S. O. Ovsyannikov) and used as a cinema. After the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45, the church housed the Naval Club and the Kronstadt Fortress Museum. At the end of 2002, a cross was raised on top of the cathedral.

Reference: Морской собор в Кронштадте: [Сб.]. / Сост. А. П. Шумский. М., 1998.

V. V. Antonov.

Persons
Kosyakov Vladimir Antonovich
Makarov Stepan Osipovich
Ovsyannikov Sergey Osipovich (Iosifovich)
Popov Nikolay Alexandrovich
Sergiyev (Kronshtadsky) Ioann Ilyich, the Saint
Shervud Leonid Vladimirovich
Vasilyev M.M.
Venedikt (Plotnikov Viktor Vasilievich), Archbishop

Addresses
Yakornaya Square/Kronshtadt, city, house 1

Bibliographies
Морской собор в Кронштадте: [Сб.]. / Сост. А. П. Шумский. М., 1998

The subject Index
Baltic Fleet
Kronstadt Fortress


Kosyakov Vas. A., Kosyakov Vl. A., Kosyakov G.A., architects

KOSYAKOV family, architects, brothers, masters of Neo-Russian and Neoclassical styles. Vasily Antonovich Kosyakov (1862, St. Petersburg - 1921, Petrograd), graduated from the Civil Engineers' Institute (1885); from 1900

Kronstadt

KRONSTADT, a town on Kotlin Island, 32 kilometres west of Saint Petersburg. The town's history traces back to a sea fort called Kronslot built in the winter of 1703-04. By May 1704, two batteries were constructed along the south bank

Kronstadt Fortress

KRONSTADT FORTRESS (Kronstadt, 1 Yakornaya Square), museum, a branch of the Central Military and Naval Museum. Organised by A. A. Antipov who also acted as its first director the museum was opened on 8.5.1980 in the building of the Naval Cathedral

Kronstadtsky District

KRONSTADTSKY DISTRICT is an administrative territorial unit of St. Petersburg (Its territory administration is located at 36 Lenina Avenue,.) Formed in 1998, it was named after the city of Kronstadt, which is the district centre

Military Churches (entry)

MILITARY CHURCHES, churches attached to military units, emerged parallelly with the foundation of the city, set up as field churches in regimental settlements - garrison, infantry and guards quarters

Yakornaya Square

YAKORNAYA SQUARE in Kronstadt, the central square of the town, limited by the ravine of Petrovsky Dock, the wall of the Admiralty and Obvodny Canal. The square appeared in 1754 as the place for the storage of anchors and anchor chains (hence the