Greater Church of the Ascension
Encyclopedia
The Greater Church of Christ's Ascension (Большое Вознесение) is one of the largest parish
churches in downtown Moscow
. It is a major landmark of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street
and Nikitskiye Vorota Square. It is named "greater" to prevent confusion with a nearby church of the same name.
The church was commissioned by Prince Potemkin, the owner of a neighbouring messuage, shortly before his death. The yellow-colored Neoclassical
building was erected between 1798 and 1816. The name of the architect is not known for certain. It has been attributed either to Matvey Kazakov
, who built numerous Moscow churches in the reign of Catherine the Great, or Ivan Starov
, who frequently worked for Potemkin. The edifice was overhauled to Osip Bove's designs after the 1812 Fire of Moscow. It stood unfinished for several decades and was not completed (under Afanasy Grigoriev
's supervision) until 1848.
The church holds historical significance for several reasons. It was in this church that Alexander Pushkin married Natalia Goncharova
, a fact commemorated by their fountain
statues on Nikitskie Vorota Square. It was also there that Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow
held his last service; this is commemorated by a side-chapel dedicated in his name.
The church was closed during the Soviet period, between 1931 and 1990. A 17th-century tent-like belfry
, the sole remnant of an earlier church on the site, was demolished in 1937 and replaced by a statue of Aleksey Tolstoy, the "Red Count". The current belfry, freely based on Kazakov's designs and similar in style to the main church building, is of recent construction. There is a chapel of ease
on Arbat Square
.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
churches in downtown 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...
. It is a major landmark of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street
Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street
Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street is a radial street that runs west from Mokhovaya Street to Garden Ring in Moscow, between Vozdvizhenka Street and Tverskaya Street...
and Nikitskiye Vorota Square. It is named "greater" to prevent confusion with a nearby church of the same name.
The church was commissioned by Prince Potemkin, the owner of a neighbouring messuage, shortly before his death. The yellow-colored Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
building was erected between 1798 and 1816. The name of the architect is not known for certain. It has been attributed either to Matvey Kazakov
Matvey Kazakov
Matvey Fyodorovich Kazakov was a Russian Neoclassical architect. Kazakov was one of the most influential Muscovite architects during the reign of Catherine II, completing numerous private residences, two royal palaces, two hospitals, Moscow University, and the Kremlin Senate...
, who built numerous Moscow churches in the reign of Catherine the Great, or Ivan Starov
Ivan Starov
Ivan Yegorovich Starov was a Russian architect from St. Petersburg who devised the master plans for Yaroslavl, Voronezh, Pskov, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and many other towns in Russia and Ukraine...
, who frequently worked for Potemkin. The edifice was overhauled to Osip Bove's designs after the 1812 Fire of Moscow. It stood unfinished for several decades and was not completed (under Afanasy Grigoriev
Afanasy Grigoriev
Afanasy Grigorievich Grigoriev was a Russian Neoclassical architect, who worked in Moscow and its suburbs. Grigoriev is remembered for his refined Empire style mansions, completion of Great Ascension Church and assistance to Domenico Giliardi in rebuilding Moscow after the Great Fire...
's supervision) until 1848.
The church holds historical significance for several reasons. It was in this church that Alexander Pushkin married Natalia Goncharova
Natalia Pushkina
Nataliya Nikolaevna Pushkina-Lanskaya , , was the wife of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin from 1831 until his death in 1837 of a duel with Georges d'Anthès...
, a fact commemorated by their fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
statues on Nikitskie Vorota Square. It was also there that Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow
Tikhon of Moscow
Saint Tikhon of Moscow , born Vasily Ivanovich Bellavin , was the 11th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia of the Russian Orthodox Church during the early years of the Soviet Union, 1917 through 1925.-Early life:...
held his last service; this is commemorated by a side-chapel dedicated in his name.
The church was closed during the Soviet period, between 1931 and 1990. A 17th-century tent-like belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
, the sole remnant of an earlier church on the site, was demolished in 1937 and replaced by a statue of Aleksey Tolstoy, the "Red Count". The current belfry, freely based on Kazakov's designs and similar in style to the main church building, is of recent construction. There is a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
on Arbat Square
Arbat Square
Arbatskaya Square of Arbat Square is one of the oldest squares of Moscow, located on the junction of Gogolevsky Boulevard, Znamenka Street and Arbat Gates Square ....
.
See also
- Great Epiphany Church - a church where Pushkin was baptised