Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tiflis
Encyclopedia
The St. Alexander Nevsky Military Cathedral of Tiflis was an Orthodox Christian cathedral
in downtown Tiflis (now Tbilisi), Georgia
, constructed during the Imperial Russian rule in the 1871-1872 and 1889-1897 and demolished by the Soviet
authorities in 1930. The novel design of the cathedral became a standard for the emerging Neo-Byzantine style
well before the cathedral was completed.
mountainous peoples and was named after the medieval Russian saint Alexander Nevsky
. It was initially sponsored by the high priest of the Caucasian army Sergey Gumilevsky, military governor count Sheremetev
and grand duke Mikhail Nikolayevich.
Architectural contest for the cathedral was held in 1865; the government requested it to be executed in "grandiose and magnificent" style and to fit up to 2000 worshippers in the upper (summer) church. However, the funds allocated for the project, even with provision for continuing private donations, were insufficient to these purposes. Although the board awarded first prize to a joint collaboration of Victor Schroeter and Andrey Huhn, this eight-dome design was rejected due to high cost. In the end the board chose a simpler design by David Grimm
. Grimm reused a cross-shaped pattern invented by Roman Kuzmin, with four symmetrical apse
s tightly blended into the main volume (unlike the Hagia Sophia
prototype with only two principal apses); however, his version was extended vertically, radically departing from the flattened shapes of early Byzantine temples. Basic composition of the Tiflis cathedral became a standard for the emerging Byzantine style long before its completion.
Construction of the cathedral was launched six years later, April 16, 1871, in the upper part of Alexander’s Garden in Gunibsky Square (later known as Soborny Square, now part of Rustaveli Avenue
). However, less than a year later it was suspended indefinitely. Construction resumed in 1889; in April 1891 the builders finished work on the foundation and proceeded with the wall masonry
. 32 years after the contest of 1865, on May 21, 1897, the Cathedral was consecrated by Exarch Vladimir of Georgia. Grimm died the next year.
The cathedral, 40 meters high and with a 13 meter dome, was built to be the largest in the Caucasus
region. Internal artwork was inspired by recently completed cathedral of Christ the Saviour
in Moscow
and cathedral of Saint Vladimir
in Kiev
. Icons were based on prototypes by Fyodor Bruni and Victor Vasnetsov.
The cathedral was administered by the Exarchate of Georgia until 1917 when it passed to the recently reinstated autocephalous
Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate. In February 1921, its churchyard became a burial ground for the cadets (junkers
) of Georgian Military School who fell in the fighting
with the Soviet Red Army
. In 1930, the Cathedral was demolished by the Soviet government to build the House of Government of the Georgian SSR (now the seat of the Parliament of Georgia
) in its place.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in downtown Tiflis (now Tbilisi), Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, constructed during the Imperial Russian rule in the 1871-1872 and 1889-1897 and demolished by the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
authorities in 1930. The novel design of the cathedral became a standard for the emerging Neo-Byzantine style
Neo-Byzantine architecture
The Byzantine Revival was an architectural revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It emerged in 1840s in Western Europe and peaked in the last quarter of 19th century in the Russian Empire; an isolated Neo-Byzantine school was active in Yugoslavia...
well before the cathedral was completed.
History
The cathedral was erected to commemorate the Russian victory in the Caucasus War against the North CaucasusNorth Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
mountainous peoples and was named after the medieval Russian saint Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky was the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Vladimir during some of the most trying times in the city's history. Commonly regarded as the key figure of medieval Rus, Alexander was the grandson of Vsevolod the Big Nest and rose to legendary status on account of his military...
. It was initially sponsored by the high priest of the Caucasian army Sergey Gumilevsky, military governor count Sheremetev
Sheremetev
The Sheremetev family was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families of Russia.The family held many high commanding ranks in the Russian military, governorships and eventually the rank of Count of the Russian Empire...
and grand duke Mikhail Nikolayevich.
Architectural contest for the cathedral was held in 1865; the government requested it to be executed in "grandiose and magnificent" style and to fit up to 2000 worshippers in the upper (summer) church. However, the funds allocated for the project, even with provision for continuing private donations, were insufficient to these purposes. Although the board awarded first prize to a joint collaboration of Victor Schroeter and Andrey Huhn, this eight-dome design was rejected due to high cost. In the end the board chose a simpler design by David Grimm
David Grimm
David Ivanovich Grimm was a Russian architect, educator and historian of art of Byzantine Empire, Georgia and Armenia. Grimm belonged to the second generation of Russian neo-Byzantine architects and was the author of orthodox cathedrals in Tbilisi, Chersonesos and smaller churches in Russia and...
. Grimm reused a cross-shaped pattern invented by Roman Kuzmin, with four symmetrical apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s tightly blended into the main volume (unlike the Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
prototype with only two principal apses); however, his version was extended vertically, radically departing from the flattened shapes of early Byzantine temples. Basic composition of the Tiflis cathedral became a standard for the emerging Byzantine style long before its completion.
Construction of the cathedral was launched six years later, April 16, 1871, in the upper part of Alexander’s Garden in Gunibsky Square (later known as Soborny Square, now part of Rustaveli Avenue
Rustaveli Avenue
Rustaveli Avenue - is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the medieval Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli. The Avenue starts at Freedom Square and extends for about 1.5 km in length, before it turns into an extension of Kostavas Kucha...
). However, less than a year later it was suspended indefinitely. Construction resumed in 1889; in April 1891 the builders finished work on the foundation and proceeded with the wall masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
. 32 years after the contest of 1865, on May 21, 1897, the Cathedral was consecrated by Exarch Vladimir of Georgia. Grimm died the next year.
The cathedral, 40 meters high and with a 13 meter dome, was built to be the largest in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
region. Internal artwork was inspired by recently completed cathedral of Christ the Saviour
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow)
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a Church in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks south-west of the Kremlin...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and cathedral of Saint Vladimir
St Volodymyr's Cathedral
St Volodymyr's Cathedral is a cathedral in the centre of Kiev. It is one of the city's major landmarks and the mother cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchy, one of two major Ukrainian Orthodox Churches.-History and Description:...
in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. Icons were based on prototypes by Fyodor Bruni and Victor Vasnetsov.
The cathedral was administered by the Exarchate of Georgia until 1917 when it passed to the recently reinstated autocephalous
Autocephaly
Autocephaly , in hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop...
Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate. In February 1921, its churchyard became a burial ground for the cadets (junkers
Junker (Russia)
Junker has several meanings in the Imperial Russia. The word is from the German language, where it means "young lord".*Junker was a military rank for junior officers of dvoryan descent since 1902....
) of Georgian Military School who fell in the fighting
Red Army invasion of Georgia
The Red Army invasion of Georgia also known as the Soviet–Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian Red Army against the Democratic Republic of Georgia aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic government and installing the Bolshevik regime...
with the Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. In 1930, the Cathedral was demolished by the Soviet government to build the House of Government of the Georgian SSR (now the seat of the Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
) in its place.