Visit to the Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is a large cathedral whose historical, cultural and spiritual importance is very high. This is at the same time a monument to the fallen in the Patriotic War of 1812, and thanks to the people of God for the defense of Russia. Today, the church is run by the Russian Orthodox Church, the cathedrals of bishops and other important events are held here.

The history

The first attempts to build the Cathedral of Christ the Savior were made during the reign of Emperor Alexander I c. honor of the victory of Russia over the army of Napoleon. Nicholas I, who succeeded Alexander I on the throne, in 1832 invited another architect, Konstantin Ton, to study and apply the traditions of ancient Russian architecture to work in the temple.

They decided to erect the temple on the site of the former Alekseevsky Convent, from where it could be seen from anywhere in Moscow, in addition, the proximity to the Kremlin would emphasize the deep connection of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior with Russian history and culture. The temple was built for almost 40 years: from 1839 to 1883.

The decision of the Soviet government in 1931 was the destruction of the temple and the expansion of the nearby territory for the needs of the state. Instead of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, it was planned to erect the Palace of the Soviets, a utopian project of the tallest building in the world with a rotating monument to V.I. Lenin on the roof. However, it was not so easy to demolish the Cathedral of Christ the Savior: only two explosions could finally destroy it.

With the extraction of groundwater, the builders completed the foundation of the Palace of the Soviets and began the construction of the framework, but the shortage of construction materials during the Great Patriotic War adjusted the plans. The base of the building was used for the construction of the “Moscow” pool throughout the year, which has become one of the largest outdoor swimming pools in the world. Despite the mixed reaction of the public, the group was unique in terms of engineering design and lasted from 1960 to 1994, and closed only due to economic difficulties in the country.

The idea of rebuilding the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in its historical place arose in the 1980s. The restorers were involved in the project, but the final version of the external decoration of the temple belongs to Zurab Tsereteli, who completed bronze medallions for kokoshniks .

Construction and decoration were symbolically completed in 2000, the beginning of the new millennium. Today the temple is the largest in Russia, it has capacity for 10,000 people.

Service hours at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow

Divine services have been scheduled at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which can be found on the official website. In the summer, with the peak of the influx of tourists, daily services are transferred to the temple of the “Sovereign” icon of the Mother of God, and on weekends are held in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. However, before visiting the service in this temple, it is better to clarify the current situation on the site.

Temple museum

The temple houses the Patriarchal Museum of Church Art, where you can see unique objects of Orthodox culture. Among the evidence dedicated to the foundation, destruction and restoration of the temple, there are miraculously preserved exhibits: a construction mortgage plate in 1839 and elements of commemorative plaques. Admission to the museum is free, but the tour is carried out comprehensively throughout the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and only as part of the tourist groups.

On the lower level of the temple is the site “Center of the Arts. Moscow”, where exhibitions, conferences and concerts are held.

Church Council Hall

This is one of the most famous and important rooms for such events. It opened in 2008 and is part of the restored Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The lounge can accommodate up to 1250 visitors. It is decorated with frescoes and mosaic panels, the ceiling is a starry sky, and in the center there is a composition that shows the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, an important event described in the New Testament.

On both sides there are mosaics that represent two Grad: “City of Heaven” and “City of Earth.” The decoration of the four round columns are portraits of famous people of the Russian Earth: saints, statesmen, soldiers of the Lord. In addition to the luxurious interior decoration, the lounge is distinguished by comfortable armchairs and excellent technical support. An unusual device in which the auditorium is not separated from the lobby creates special acoustics and pleasant freshness.

Even in prerevolutionary times, the observation platform in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was one of the highest in Moscow. Many famous historical photographs of the city were taken from here. With the new restored observation temple, which rises to a height of 40 meters and represents 4 platforms between the bell towers of the temple, united, you can see all the important buildings of the Soviet and modern period.

This shows how Moscow grew and changed, how picturesque are the Patriarchal and Bolshoi Kamenny bridges, the Kremlin embankment and the Moscow river.

Visiting the observation deck is often combined with a guided tour of the temple. Upload is accompanied by a guide, you can join any of the groups on a schedule. The inspection lasts 30 minutes, the cost is 400 rubles. Note that you must climb on foot. Do not worry about safety, the observation deck is fenced with a balustrade with a wrought iron grill.

Opening hours

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior receives visitors from 10 am to 5 pm every day, except Mondays. On this day, its doors are open from 1pm to 5pm.

How to get to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

One of the main orthodox attractions of the capital is near the Moscow Kremlin (a walk takes about 10 minutes), and its inspection can be a continuation of a walk through the historic center. The temple rises on the banks of the Moskva River, and the Patriarchal Bridge that leads to its other side will be an excellent place for a photo shoot.

Transportation to the temple: metro, buses and taxis.

Metro to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

If you follow the subway, you must go on the red line to Kropotkinskaya station. The subway exit is directly next to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the road to the place lasts less than five minutes. Just past the Kropotkinskaya station are Borovinskaya and the Library that bear Lenin’s name. “The trip from them will take an average of 15 minutes.