Christ the Saviour Church

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Religious Architecture (see also Religion.Church)
Categories / Religion. Church/Places of Worship (see also Architecture and Urban Planning)
CHRIST THE SAVIOUR CHURCH, located at Novo-Admiralteisky Canal Embankment, at the corner of Angliiskaya Embankment. The common name of the Church of Our Saviour, constructed in memory of sailors, fallen in the sea Battle of Tsushima during the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-05. The committee under the patronage of Greek Queen Olga Konstantinovna and under the chairmanship of senator P. N. Ogarev, whose son was killed in the battle of Tsushima, supervised the preparation stage of the construction. The church was built in 1909-11 from public donations. It is designed in the style of 12th century Vladimir-Suzdal architecture (engineer S. S. Smirnov, to the plans of architect M. M. Peretyatkovich) on the premises of the New Admiralty Plant, on the left bank of the Neva. The prototype of the church was the St Demetrius Cathedral of Vladimir. The facades of the single-domed two-storied building were faced with white stone of Staritsa, divided into tiers with half-columns, decorated with an arch-and-column belt and a white stone fretwork (sculptor B. M. Mikeshin). The lower church was painted by M. M. Adamovich. It treasured the ancient icon of Our Lady of Kazan. Bronze plaques with the names of sailors fallen in battle were placed on the walls of the upper church. Three mosaic icons were made according to the sketches by V. M. Vasnetsov, now held in the State Russian Museum. The mosaic on the altar is entitled “Our Saviour Walking on Waters” and was constructed in the workshop of V. A. Frolov according to the drawing by N. A. Bruni. The stylised iconostasis contained copies of ancient icons, painted in the Moscow workshop of V. P. Guryanov. Many precious icons and plates were donated by relatives of sailors. Bishop M. K. Prudnikov, a retired naval captain, who had been honoured as a perspicacious and righteous man, served at this church. In 1932, the church was closed and demolished, a production building of the Admiralty Association occupied a part of the grounds. A community and foundation for the reconstruction of the church were established in 1990 (the project was inspired by architect D. A. Butyrin). In 1998-2002, a stone St Nicholas’ Chapel was erected.

References: Храм-памятник морякам / Сост. С. Н. Смирнов. Репр. изд. 1915 г. СПб., 1995; Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1996. Т. 2. С. 73-75.

V. V. Antonov. Adamovich Mikhail Mikhailovich
Bruni Nikolay Alexandrovich
Butyrin Dmitry Alexandrovich
Frolov Vladimir Alexandrovich
Guryanov Vasily Pavlovich
Mikeshin Boris Mikhailovich
Ogarev P.N.
Olga Konstantinovna, Grand Princess, Queen
Peretyatkovich Marian Marianovich
Prudnikov Mikhail Kirillovich
Smirnov Sergey Nikolaevich
Smirnov Sergey Sergeevich
Vasnetsov Viktor Mikhailovich
Angliiskaya Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Novo-Admiralteisky Canal Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Храм-памятник морякам / Сост. С. Н. Смирнов. Репринт. изд. 1915 г. СПб., 1995
Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл.: В 3 т. СПб., 1994-1996 Admiralty Dockyards