On March 1, 1881, Emperor Alexander II died in St. Petersburg as a result of a double terrorist attack. People called him the “Liberator”, in connection with the abolition of serfdom in 1861 and the victory in the Russian-Turkish War (1877-1878). The revolutionary organization Narodnaya Volya, which advocates democratic reforms in Russia, took responsibility for the terrorist attack.
Subsequently, two brothers would become imitators of the “People's Will” - Alexander Ulyanov, who participated in the assassination attempt against the son of Alexander II - Emperor Alexander III ("Peacemaker"), and Volodya Ulyanov (Lenin) - the main revolutionary of the 20th century, terrorist, ideological inspirer of the Bolsheviks, organizer of the execution grandson of Alexander II - Emperor Nicholas II and the entire royal family...
But let's return to Alexander II and his death. The emperor was predicted that it was the eighth attempt on his life that would become fatal. Before this, attempts had been made on the king’s life six times already. He was able to survive the seventh, but the eighth was fatal. The assassination attempt took place on the embankment of the Catherine Canal (now the Griboyedov Canal). The terrorist attack occurred when the emperor was returning from a military divorce at the Mikhailovsky Manege. There were two terrorists. St. Petersburg resident Alexey Pashkov, a popular tour guide, briefly and very interestingly talks about this event:
Why is the “Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood” called that...
So, “Savior on Spilled Blood” is a unique architectural monument of the 19th century. Erected on the very spot where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded. The official name of the temple is “Church of the Resurrection of Christ,” but it is “Savior on Spilled Blood” that is firmly entrenched among the people.
The origin of the name of the temple is devoid of mystery and mystery. It's very simple: the meaning of the word Saved- the most common epithet assigned to Jesus Christ (Savior). A on the blood because the temple was erected on the very spot where the emperor's blood was shed.
It is noteworthy that today in the western part of the temple, directly under the bell tower with a large golden dome, you can see the preserved part of the pavement and the fencing of the canal embankment, stained with the blood of the Tsar-Martyr.
Photo source: skyscrapercity.comToday, the “Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood” is the only Orthodox cathedral in the world, the mosaic decoration of which is 7065 sq.m. The outer walls and the entire interior of the temple are covered with a mosaic carpet of icons and ornaments.
Indestructible Temple
The fate of the temple was not easy. When mentioning the temple, St. Petersburg residents and tour guides love to use the word “bewitched” or indestructible, and there is an explanation for this.
Immediately after the revolution, like all Orthodox churches, as well as objects symbolizing the tsarist era of rule, it was supposed to be blown up or destroyed. But for unknown reasons, it was only looted - silver and enamel paintings were stolen, and most of the mosaic was damaged at the hands of vandals.
In November 1931. The commission on religious issues decided to dismantle the temple in parts, calling it “an object that has no artistic and architectural value,” but this decision, for inexplicable reasons, was postponed until 1938, when this issue was raised again by the same commission. The decision was made - the explosion of the temple was planned for the summer of 1941. Holes were drilled in the walls and explosives had already been placed there. But the Great Patriotic War began, so all the explosives were urgently sent to the front.
During the siege, the church housed a morgue, which contained the frozen bodies of Leningraders who died from hunger or from shelling. But shells and bombs miraculously flew past the cathedral, as if it really was under a spell. Later, the temple began to be used as a vegetable storehouse, and even later - as a warehouse for theatrical scenery. At that time, most of the interior was destroyed.
The next attempt by the Soviet authorities to get rid of the temple was made in 1956. The reason is that it interferes with the construction of a new highway. It was easier and cheaper to demolish the temple than to build a bypass road. But this attempt was not crowned with success; the obviously unique architectural monument was defended by historians and architects.
In the 60s, in the main dome of the temple, they discovered the only bomb that still hit the temple. It hit, but didn't explode. An air bomb weighing half a ton seemed to be lying in the arms of the Savior, right in the Gospel text “peace be with you.”
In 1970, the Soviet government was finally dissuaded from demolishing once and for all one of the most historically important and culturally significant objects in St. Petersburg. In 1971, the temple was transferred to the balance of the St. Isaac's Cathedral Museum. At the same time, restoration of the temple began, which lasted for decades. Townspeople and tourists are accustomed to the sight of the temple surrounded by forests.
In 1986, Alexander Rosenbaum’s song “Sadness Fell”, glorifying St. Petersburg, was very popular. It also mentions the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, and the desire to see it renewed as soon as possible: “I want to give the houses a look familiar from childhood. I dream of removing the forests from the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.”
In the mid-80s, there was talk of a prophecy: supposedly Soviet power would last as long as the forests around the Savior on Spilled Blood remained. They were removed just before the coup in August 1991.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
On the embankment of the Griboyedov Canal - in the very heart of St. Petersburg, a temple of extraordinary beauty rises, shining with gold domes, with colorful domes on the turrets. Even stormy gray days, so common in the Northern capital, are unable to dim its bright chord.
Disregarding the conventions of urban planning, it breaks the clear boundaries of the embankment and hangs over the water surface against the backdrop of austere classical buildings. As if descended from heaven, an intricate and elegant Russian tower stands on Russian soil.
Historical reference
The Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, or as the people call it - the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, was erected in memory of Emperor Alexander II, who was mortally wounded on this site at the hands of terrorists on March 1, 1881.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood from a bird's eye view.
Alexander II entered Russian history as a reformer and liberator. Assuming the throne of a country with a collapsed economy, weakened by the Crimean War, he was forced to carry out reforms in all areas, starting with the abolition of serfdom and ending with zemstvo, military, judicial, and public education reforms. By placing a heavy burden on the shoulders of citizens, progressive and inherently necessary changes created a great power, raised the international prestige of Russia, and at the same time caused discontent in all segments of the population.
It is no coincidence that this period is characterized by the strengthening of the revolutionary movement. Considering autocracy the main evil for Russia, and believing that the murder of the Tsar would help to overthrow the power of the monarchy and establish republican rule, members of the small but active organization “People's Will” chose terror as the main method of struggle. A real “royal hunt” began, assassination attempts followed one after another, repressions intensified, concessions were offered, gendarmes were knocked down, but nothing could stop the Narodnaya Volya.
The execution of a carefully prepared terrorist attack that had a number of backup options was accelerated by the arrest of the organization’s leader, A.I. Zhelyabov. The emperor's carriage, returning after changing the guards from the Manege on Sundays, always drove at high speed, but slowed down when turning onto the Catherine (Griboyedov) Canal. The conspirators took advantage of this circumstance. At a signal from Sofia Perovskaya, who was directing the operation from the opposite side of the canal, the first bomb was thrown by revolutionary N. Rysakov.
The emperor was not injured from the explosion; he got out of the carriage to give orders to help the wounded. Then the second Narodnaya Volya member, I. Grinevitsky, appeared from cover and threw a shell right at his feet. Both of them were thrown back to the fence by the blast wave and fell onto the stones of the pavement. The emperor, bleeding, was transported to the palace on a sleigh. The wound turned out to be fatal. Grinevitsky, without regaining consciousness, also died from his wounds in the hospital that evening. The remaining participants were arrested, five leaders were hanged by court decision a month after the events, others were sentenced to eternal hard labor.
At the site of the tragedy, on the initiative of the City Duma, a chapel was soon installed, which stood until the construction of the cathedral began in 1883, since the new Emperor Alexander III wanted to perpetuate the memory of his father by erecting a temple. A competition was announced. Most of the competition projects carried out by the best St. Petersburg architects represented the Byzantine style.
The Emperor rejected them all.
He stated two conditions that must be met: the temple must be built in the Russian style of the 17th century and the place where the august blood was shed must be designated as a separate area inside the church.
According to the monarch's plan, the building was supposed to serve as a metaphor for the introduction of St. Petersburg to Old Moscow Rus' - to the era when the first Romanovs ascended the throne. The new temple was conceived not only as a memorial monument to Alexander II, but was supposed to symbolize the Russian autocracy as a whole.
The project submitted to the second round of the competition from two authors received the highest approval. One of them is Archimandrite Ignatius (I.V. Malyshev), who studied at . To develop the project, he turned to the architect A. A. Parland, whom he knew well from his joint work on the construction of a church in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (monastery), of which he was the rector. After modifications that significantly changed the appearance of the temple, the final version was approved in 1887. Construction work began much earlier.
Archimandrite Ignatius also had the idea to consecrate the temple in the name of the Resurrection of Christ. The dedication carried a deep meaning of overcoming death and drew a parallel between the death of Alexander II and the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. This interpretation explains why the temple, erected on the site of tragic events in memory of the murdered emperor, has a bright, festive appearance.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
This was best expressed in the poem “March 1, 1881” by the wonderful Russian poet A. A. Fet, describing Christ on Calvary:
“...He is the cross and his crown of thorns
He gave it to the earthly king.
The machinations of Pharisaism are powerless:
What was blood became a temple,
And the place of terrible crime -
An eternal shrine to us."
Architecture of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ
The architecture of the Orthodox single-altar cathedral belongs to the late stage of the “Russian style” of the late 19th century. It has absorbed the best from the arsenal of architecture of pre-Petrine Rus' and is very reminiscent of the Moscow St. Basil's Cathedral - one of the symbols of Russia.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
At the same time, the architect A. A. Parland created an original composition based on a quadrangle topped with a five-domed structure. The technique of covering five patterned chapters with enamel and its recipe have no analogues. This unique work was performed at the Postnikov factory. The massive dome of the bell tower and three small onions above the altar apses sparkle with gold.
In order for the place stained with blood to be inside the cathedral, the embankment had to be completed. The temple extends beyond its boundaries into the depths of the canal by 8 meters.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood and the Griboyedov Canal.
For the first time, a building in St. Petersburg is not being built on stilts. A concrete foundation was laid under the powerful Putilov slab of the cathedral's foundation. But this is not the only technical innovation. Steam boilers and air heaters, lightning protection were installed here, and the cathedral was illuminated by more than one and a half thousand electric lamps. Red brick, granite and marble, and various types of semi-precious stones were used in the exterior decoration.
The bell tower rises directly above the site of the tragedy and its decoration repeatedly reveals the memorial nature of the structure. The high cross on the golden dome is crowned with the imperial crown, the mosaic icon of Alexander Nevsky, the patron of Alexander II, is located above the window, and the faces of the heavenly angels of the Romanov family can be seen in the kokoshniks of other windows. The chronicle telling about the deeds of the reformer king is carved on twenty red granite boards. Above the entrances are double-headed eagles and mosaic panels “The Passion of Christ” based on sketches by V. M. Vasnetsov.
Shocked by the death of the emperor, citizens throughout the country raised funds for the construction of a monument temple. This fact is reflected in the images of the coats of arms of cities and provinces covering the lower part of the facade.
The main shrine of the cathedral is a kind of relic - a section of cobblestone pavement with granite slabs of the sidewalk and a fragment of the grating of the Catherine Canal, where Emperor Alexander II died. Above them is a building of extraordinary beauty. On columns of purple Altai jasper stands a canopy with a cross strewn with topazes. According to established tradition, memorial services are held near the memorial site.
The unique interior of the cathedral is created by a combination of stone and mosaic decoration and amazes with its splendor. The temple vaults are covered with a continuous mosaic carpet, the area of which exceeds 7 thousand square meters. meters. Paintings on evangelical subjects represent a real museum of mosaics. The central place is given to the icons “The Savior” and “The Virgin and Child” based on sketches by V. M. Vasnetsov.
Picturesque sketches of sacred images and ornaments were created by 32 artists, with a range of creative styles from the canons of academicism to modernist style, among them V. M. Vasnetsov, N. N. Kharlamov, M. V. Nesterov, A. P. Ryabushkin. Most of the mosaics were completed by Frolov’s private workshop, which used the “reverse” typing technique, which is excellent for large-scale compositions. The prototype of such a letter was the frescoes of Yaroslavl churches of the 17th century. The creation of the temple mosaic marked a new stage in Russian mosaic art.
Interior of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg.
A masterpiece of stone-cutting skill is a single-tier iconostasis, made according to a drawing by A. A. Parland from Italian marble by the Nuovi company. Subtle transitions of dark red color to light tone create lightness, and the masterly carving amazes with its variety. The floor of the temple, with an area of 600 square meters, is laid out with a beautiful colored pattern of marble tiles, made by the same company according to the architect’s drawing, but it was assembled on site by Russian craftsmen.
Interesting facts, fiction and legends
The history of the temple, one of the ten best attractions in the world, is filled with interesting facts with a touch of mysticism, which attracts tourists no less than the splendor of its architectural merits. Here are just a few that we think are most significant:
- The proportions of the temple are symbolic: the highest dome is 81 m, the height of the bell tower is 62.5 m, which corresponds to the date of death (1881) and the age of Alexander II (died at the age of 63).
- Since the 30s, a belief has developed about the indestructibility of the temple. Many times it was planned to demolish it, but the execution of the decision was postponed. They planned to blow it up in the summer of 1941; they say that they had already drilled through the walls and laid explosives, but the war prevented the plan from being carried out - the bombers were called to the front.
- During the war, a German landmine weighing one and a half centners hit the dome of the bell tower, but did not explode. It was discovered by accident in the 60s. During the operation, the shell was recovered and neutralized in the Pulkovo Heights area. Sappers led by Viktor Demidov risked their lives saving the temple. No harm done.
- There was a rumor among the people that the temple was “bewitched”, and it was protected by the symbols of “crosses in a circle” decorating the kokoshniks of the windows, that this was an ancient protective sign. And, indeed, the decree on the demolition of the cathedral, which interfered with the construction of a transport highway during the reign of N.S. Khrushchev, was miraculously canceled. The temple survived again!
- Finally, it was transferred as a branch to the state museum “St. Isaac’s Cathedral” and in 1970 they began reconstruction and “put on” scaffolding. Years passed. The temple continued to stand in the “forests”. At the end of the 80s they began to say (a joke or a prophecy) that when the scaffolding was removed from the temple, Soviet power would fall. The scaffolding was dismantled in the summer of 1991...
- There is a legend that the city residents hid the crosses from the domes of the cathedral from the Bolsheviks at the bottom of the canal, and when restoration began, they reported it. A team of divers raised the relics, and they returned to their places.
Upon completion of restoration work in 1997, the temple was again opened to visitors, and in 2004 a liturgy was served there, which restored the Orthodox essence.
Today, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is one of the main attractions of St. Petersburg, an active temple and at the same time a museum where thematic excursions are held. The building of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ is an object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation.
Where is it and how to get there
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is located in the historical center of St. Petersburg, not far from Nevsky Prospekt.
Address: Griboyedov Canal Embankment, 2 B, adjacent to the Mikhailovsky Garden.
From the Nevsky Prospekt metro station you can walk along the Griboyedov Canal - a distance of about 700 meters.
St. Petersburg is the most Russian and at the same time European city in Russia, built in the best traditions of domestic and Western architecture. A clear proof of the above is the building, erected at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The holy building looks unexpectedly festive and joyful against the backdrop of the austere buildings surrounding it. But at the same time, it blended so organically into the appearance of the city that it is impossible to imagine the Griboyedov Canal without this structure.
"Russian style"
The temple was erected on the site of the death of Emperor Alexander II. His successor, Alexander the Third, ordered the construction of a temple in the original Russian style. This era was marked by Russia's return to its roots, its departure from everything Western European.
The authors of the project were architect Alfred Parland and Archimandrite Ignatius (Malyshev). To work on the project, the craftsmen had to study churches built in Moscow and Yaroslavl in the seventeenth century. It was in such architectural research that the main features of the “Russian style” began to take shape. Peter the Great did not actively develop this direction in architecture, so Parland began with a careful examination of the best ancient examples of cathedrals.
“Russian style” is characterized by decorativeness, complex silhouettes, and a large number of details. Its characteristic features are carved kokoshniks over windows and doors, patterned columns, painted belts on the walls, bright colors and detailed drawing of ornaments. The paradoxical fact is that the “Russian style” originated in the architectural school of St. Petersburg, but in the city itself, before the construction of the Savior on Spilled Blood, there was not a single building made according to its “canons.”
The chief architect sincerely believed that the transformations of Peter the Great had somewhat “overwritten” the original “Russianness” in architecture, therefore he saw his main task in its revival. He scrupulously selected original elements of decorative decoration.
As a result, the temple became a collective image of the Russian Orthodox Church of the seventeenth century. Parland used the seen components of our architecture and culture in the project, but his masterpiece turned out to be bright, original and inimitable, unlike any of his prototypes.
Architectural appearance
The Savior on Spilled Blood is a four-pillar church, the vault of which is based on four pillars. The structure is based on a quadrangle. There are five domes above the temple: in the middle there is a tent dome, and on the sides there are onion domes.
The center of the temple is an octagonal tent, which is directed upward. At its base there are eight oblong windows, decorated with carved kokoshniks. Above them the tent narrows. The tent is crowned with a lantern with a dome topped with a cross. This is the highest dome of the temple. But it is smaller than the domes surrounding it, which gives the impression that the temple goes into the depths of the vault of heaven.
These five chapters are covered with jewelry enamel, and the pattern of each chapter is not repeated. This made the appearance of the temple look fabulous and light. For the first time, copper plates with enamel were used to cover domes. Until that time, enamels were used only in small jewelry pieces. The covering area of the temple exceeds a thousand square meters.
It is this multi-colored round dance of domes that makes the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood similar to Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral. But this similarity is only apparent. In architectural and stylistic terms, the temples are very different from each other.
The eastern part of the temple is decorated with three small gilded domes crowned with semicircular altar asps. In the western part there is a bell tower over the site of the tragic death of the emperor. At the top is the largest dome. In total, the temple has 9 domes of different sizes.
The bell tower plays a special role in the architecture of the temple. It was at this place that the emperor was killed. Inside, paving stones and a fragment of the fence where the tragedy occurred were preserved. The bell tower is slightly extended beyond the boundaries of the embankment and seems to be embedded in the canal bed. Because of this decision, the temple does not have a traditional central entrance, and on the sides of the bell tower there are porches made in the style of Russian towers.
There is a lot of symbolism in the architecture of the temple. This is reflected in the patterns on the walls and in the proportions of the church. The central tent rises 81 meters above the ground, which corresponds to the year in which the emperor died. The massive dome above the bell tower is 63 meters high, corresponding to the number of years in the life of Alexander II. The length of the temple from west to east is 56.7 meters, the width in the center is 30.1 meters, in the western part - 44.1 meters.
The Savior on Spilled Blood represents the best example of Russian identity. The architect managed to fit it into the surrounding landscape so organically that it does not look alien or out of place. On the contrary, it decorates and enlivens the panorama of the street.
History of the Savior on Spilled Blood (Church of the Resurrection of Christ)
In this article we will talk about the history of the creation of the Church-monument of the Savior on Spilled Blood, or the Church of the Resurrection of Christ: we will find out why it received such a name, which architects and in what style it was built, how the construction and finishing work progressed, and also how the fate of this a unique temple-monument after the revolution, in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Savior on Spilled Blood on an old postcard (from the website):
Background. Murder on the Catherine Canal
Erecting church buildings in honor of important historical events or in memory of the dead is an ancient tradition of Russian architecture. Examples include the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, the Church of St. Demetrius on the Blood, or, say, St. Basil's Cathedral, with which the Savior on Spilled Blood is sometimes compared (although their actual similarity is not so great). True, if the Moscow temple was built on a joyful occasion (the capture of Kazan), then the St. Petersburg one is dedicated to a far from joyful event: the Savior on Spilled Blood stands on the spot where on March 1, 1881 (old style), Emperor Alexander was mortally wounded as a result of a terrorist attack II.
K. E. Makovsky. Portrait of Emperor Alexander II
Alexander II went down in Russian history as the tsar-liberator, the initiator of many reforms, but terrorists hunted for no other ruler for so long and mercilessly.
The reign of Alexander II was marked from the very beginning by ominous omens. The first happened already during the coronation: during the celebrations in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on August 26, 1856, an elderly courtier suddenly lost consciousness and dropped the pillow with the orb. The symbol of autocracy, ringing, rolled along the stone floor...
Coronation of Alexander II, 1855
Under Alexander II, a real restructuring of the state began, numerous reforms were carried out that had no equal in the history of Russia: the liquidation of military settlements, the introduction of jury trials, the organization of zemstvo self-government, censorship reform, education reform, military reform (the transition from conscription to universal conscription ) and, the most important reform, the abolition of serfdom.
However, in reality the reform turned out to be half-hearted. For many peasants, it boiled down to the fact that they ceased to be formally called “serfs,” but nothing changed in their situation. The great reforms did not affect the organization of power itself. Public discontent grew. Peasant revolts broke out. Many protest groups appeared among the intelligentsia and workers. The radical intelligentsia called on the country to take the ax, threatening to exterminate the landowners and the royal family itself. On April 4, 1866, the first attempt was made on the life of Alexander II: Dmitry Karakozov shot at the emperor at the bars of the Summer Garden in St. Petersburg, but missed.
In memory of the rescue of the emperor, a chapel was erected on that site (now demolished; photo source):
About a year after this, on May 25, 1867, in Paris, Alexander II was unsuccessfully shot by the Polish emigrant Anton Berezovsky. These failed assassination attempts put an end to the era of the “Great Reforms.” A period of police repression began. The latter, in turn, further fueled public outrage and marked the beginning of terrorist activities. If until then most anti-government groups were engaged in propaganda and agitation, then from the mid-to-late 1870s there began a clear shift towards terrorist acts. In 1879, the People's Will organization was created, which set as its goal an open struggle with state power and declared a real hunt for the autocrat.
Emperor Alexander II in his office (photo source):
So, on April 2, 1879, on Palace Square, the revolutionary populist Alexander Solovyov shot at Alexander II almost point-blank. The terrorist missed. Then, on November 19, 1879, members of Narodnaya Volya attempted to blow up the imperial train near Moscow, but a mixed-up route accidentally saved the Tsar. Already on February 5, 1880, the Narodnaya Volya organized a new attempt on the emperor’s life: Stepan Khalturin blew up the Winter Palace, but Alexander II at that time was at the other end of the palace and was not injured. The soldiers on guard duty were killed.
Attempt by A. Solovyov on the life of Alexander II (illustration source):
The assassination attempt on March 1, 1881, which became fatal for the emperor, was prepared by Narodnaya Volya members led by Andrei Zhelyabov. But a few days before the assassination attempt, Zhelyabov was arrested, and the operation was headed by Sofya Perovskaya.
This time, too, there were ominous omens: the day before, the emperor saw dead pigeons several times under the windows of his palace. It turned out that a huge kite had settled on the roof and was killing pigeons. Korshun was caught, but in St. Petersburg they started saying that this was not good.
Having studied in advance the Emperor’s usual route from the Mikhailovsky Manege, the terrorists dug a tunnel to Malaya Sadovaya (Ekaterininskaya) Street and laid a mine. However, on that day, Alexander II unexpectedly changed his route and, after the guards were relieved in the arena, went to visit his cousin, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna, mistress of the Mikhailovsky Palace. Having learned about this change, Sofya Perovskaya quickly took her bearings and transferred the “bombers” to the Catherine Canal (now the Griboyedov Canal).
After having tea with his cousin, Alexander II returned to the Winter Palace along the embankment of the Catherine Canal. Sofia Perovskaya, who was standing at the bars of the Mikhailovsky Garden, saw the royal carriage, waved her handkerchief, after which a member of the Narodnaya Volya party, student N. Rysakov, rushed after the carriage and forcefully threw a package with a bomb under the carriage. There was a deafening explosion. The back of the carriage was torn apart, and on the pavement in a pool of blood two Cossack guards and a peasant peddler boy were writhing in their death throes.
The royal carriage damaged by a bomb (source of illustration):
The killer was captured. The king was not harmed. Coming out of the carriage, he wanted to look at the criminal, and then headed along the canal to the wounded, but suddenly the figure of another “bomber”, unnoticed by the guards, separated from the canal bars. It was the Narodnaya Volya member Ignatius Grinevitsky.
A bomb thrown by Grinevitsky tore off both of the emperor’s legs. Here it is appropriate to recall another eerie legend: as if, even at the birth of the future Russian emperor, a certain city holy fool Fyodor predicted that the sovereign “ will be mighty, glorious and strong, but will die in red boots» .
Explosion of a shell on the Catherine Canal on March 1, 1881 (source of illustration):
Shortly before his death, Alexander II signed the constitutional draft of M. T. Loris-Melikov (introduction of elected delegates from cities and provinces to the State Council). And so, on the eve of the publication of the decree, which was supposed to mark the beginning of constitutional rule in Russia, on March 1, 1881, the Tsar-Liberator was killed.
The seriously wounded Alexander II is placed in a sleigh (source illustration):
This eighth attempt was fatal. How can one not recall the French fortune teller who predicted to the emperor that he would die from the eighth attempt on his life.
K. E. Makovsky. Portrait of Alexander II on his deathbed
Alexander II and his assassin died almost simultaneously, a few hours after the explosion. The Emperor died at 15:35 in the afternoon in the Winter Palace, and Grinevitsky died in the court hospital, which was then located in house No. 9 on the embankment of the Catherine Canal (; ). The remaining participants in the attempt - Rysakov, Kibalchich, Mikhailov, Zhelyabov and Perovskaya - were sentenced to death by hanging, which took place on April 3, 1881 at the Semyonovsky parade ground.
Execution of the First March soldiers
They said that, while climbing onto the scaffold platform, Sofya Perovskaya suddenly seemed to snatch a white handkerchief from somewhere and wave it over the assembled crowd, as when she gave the signal to the bomb throwers. Since then, the legend has lived about the most famous ghost of St. Petersburg - the ghost of Sofia Perovskaya. They say that every year on the first of March, before dawn, a silhouette of a young woman in a shroud, with a scar on her neck and with a white handkerchief in her hand, appears on the bridge across the Griboyedov Canal.
Savior on Spilled Blood: the history of the creation of the temple
The very next day after the tragedy, March 2, 1881, a temporary monument appeared at the site of the death of Alexander II, where people brought flowers. On the same day, the City Duma of St. Petersburg, at an emergency meeting, decided to ask Emperor Alexander III, who had ascended the throne, to “ authorize the city public administration to erect... at the expense of the city a chapel or monument"to the deceased sovereign.
Temporary monument on the Catherine Canal (photo from the site):
The new emperor approved the idea, but replied that it would be desirable to have not a chapel, but a whole church at the site of the regicide. He ordered the construction of a temple that would resemble “ the viewer's soul about the martyrdom of the late Emperor Alexander II and evoked loyal feelings of devotion and deep sorrow of the Russian people» .
First design attempt
A competition for the creation of a memorial church was announced by the City Duma commission for perpetuating the memory of Alexander II on April 27, 1881. Thus, the construction of a temple on the site where " the sacred blood of the Emperor was shed", it was only a matter of time.
Until then, they decided to build a temporary chapel. The temporary chapel, designed by the young L. N. Benois, was erected on April 4, 1881 and consecrated on April 17, the birthday of Alexander II. The chapel replaced the previous temporary monument. It was a small wooden pavilion with an octagonal roof topped with a gilded dome with a cross. As A. N. Benois recalls, the chapel “ for all her simplicity, she possessed some special grace, which aroused general approval» .
Temporary chapel on the Catherine Canal (photo source):
The money for this construction was allocated by the famous St. Petersburg merchant and timber merchant I.F. Gromov, and the construction work was paid for by the merchant Militin (Militsyn). In the chapel, memorial services were served daily for the repose of the soul of the murdered servant of God Alexander. Through the glass of the door one could see a link of the embankment fence and part of the pavement with traces of the blood of the murdered emperor. The chapel was installed on special rails, so that it could be moved to the side to perform prayers over the site of the tragedy. The chapel stood on the Catherine Canal until the spring of 1883, before the construction of the stone church began. After that, it was moved to Konyushennaya Square, and in 1892 it was finally dismantled.
Meanwhile, the competition for designs for a memorial church continued, which it was decided to erect on the embankment of the Catherine Canal. Projects were submitted under a conditional motto (so that the authority of the participant would not dominate). The deadline for submitting drawings was set at December 31, 1881. By this time, 26 projects had been submitted for consideration by the jury, chaired by the rector of the Academy of Arts for Architecture A. I. Rezanov, including works by leading St. Petersburg architects: I. S. Kitner and A. L. Gun, V. A. Shreter, A. O. Tomishko, I. S. Bogomolova and others. L. N. Benois also presented his version (unlike most projects in the spirit of the “Byzantine style,” he proposed a version of a Baroque church) (illustration source):
The results of the competition were summed up in February 1882. The first prize was awarded to the project under the motto “To the Father of the Fatherland” by architect A. O. Tomishko (known as the author of the “Crosses” prison project) (illustration source):
He was inferior to the version of A. L. Gun and I. S. Kitner under the motto “March 1, 1881”, and the third place was taken by L. N. Benoit’s project “What is Caesar’s to Caesar”.
A total of 8 projects were selected for presentation to the emperor. However, none of them received the Highest approval.
Line of power: “Russian style”
Alexander III unexpectedly rejected the “Byzantine style”. He recognized the work of the participants " gifted works of art", but did not approve a single one, expressing a wish, " so that the temple was built in purely Russian taste XVII century, examples of which are found, for example, in Yaroslavl". The king also wished that “ the very place where Emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded, must be inside the church itself in the form of a special chapel» .
The conditions put forward by Alexander III became indispensable for the participants in the subsequent competition. As we can see, already at the initial stage the creation of the temple-monument was carried out under the vigilant control of the emperor. This was an exceptional case when the creative process was strictly regulated by the authorities (;) - this monument was so important, primarily from a political point of view.
Kramskoy I. N. Portrait of Alexander III (1886)
The choice of architectural style was determined by very specific factors. After March 1, 1881, a period of counter-reforms began, accompanied by increased Russification. A reflection of the new course was the manifesto of April 29, 1881 on the steady preservation of the principles of autocracy, compiled by the Chief Prosecutor of the Synod, K. P. Pobedonostsev. Along with the revision of the political program, the official movement of the “Russian style” came to the fore. Now the style of architecture was established in Russia " Great Orthodox Rus'», « style of the era of the Moscow Tsars", which, according to the instructions of the monarch, was now to be followed. The priorities of the authorities were clear: architects had to focus on a specific circle of prototypes.
The new tsar, who loved pre-Petrine antiquity, perceived St. Petersburg almost as a hostile city, a center of terrorist activity. In addition, too much here reminded us of the difficult relationship with his father and of the previous reform course, which was now declared to be the result of “foreign insanity.” It is no coincidence that in the spring of 1881 there were even rumors about the return of the capital to Moscow.
The creation of a temple-monument in the traditions of the 17th century would serve as a metaphor for St. Petersburg’s introduction to the precepts of Old Moscow Rus'. Reminiscent of the era of the first Romanovs, the building would symbolize the unity of the king and the state, faith and people. That is, the new temple could become not just a memorial to the murdered emperor, but a monument to the Russian autocracy in general.
The second competition and the intrigues of the archimandrite
The second competition for designs for the memorial temple was hastily held in March - April 1882. The haste in holding the competition once again proves the increased attention of the authorities to the development and selection of projects.
Now projects were drawn up with mandatory consideration of the monarch’s stylistic preferences. Thus, the projects of L.N. Benois, Alb. N. Benois, R. A. Gedike, A. P. Kuzmina, N. V. Nabokov, A. I. Rezanov and other authors were inspired by Moscow monuments of the mid-17th century. In the projects of N. L. Benois, N. F. Bryullov, V. A. Kossov and V. A. Shreter, the features of Yaroslavl architecture were more clearly manifested.
Project by L. N. Benois (source illustration 15]):
By April 28, 28 projects had been submitted to the City Council. Three more were received after the fact.
The future builder of the temple, A. A. Parland, also took part in the second competition. In the project under the motto “Ancient”, he was based on the Moscow Church of John the Baptist in Dyakovo (16th century), but his version had significant design differences. The central part of the temple was cut through by a high window with a semicircular end - this detail will then go on to the façade of the bell tower of the completed building. On the west side, Parland designed a narthex with two chapels, one of which marked the site of the mortal wound of Alexander II. (It was precisely on the model of these symmetrical pavilions that Parland then built the chapel-sacristy near the Savior on Spilled Blood).
Parland's project under the motto "Antique" (source of illustration):
Alfred Alexandrovich Parland (1842-1920), a descendant of immigrants from Scotland, was born in St. Petersburg. Soon after graduating from the Academy of Arts he created his first buildings. Later he taught at the Academy of Arts and the Central School of Technical Drawing of Baron A. L. Stieglitz. In 1881, Parland returned from a five-year retirement trip abroad and received the title of academician of architecture.
Architect A. A. Parland
When his own competition project under the motto “Ancient” was already ready, Archimandrite Ignatius approached the architect with a proposal to develop a joint project.
Archimandrite Ignatius (in the world I.V. Malyshev) (1811-1897), a native of the Yaroslavl province, in 1857 became the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage near St. Petersburg, the successor of the famous ascetic and spiritual writer Ignatius Brianchaninov. Ignatius was no stranger to art: in his youth he studied painting at the Academy of Arts and studied ancient Russian architecture.
Archimandrite Ignatius (I.V. Malyshev)
Feeling like an “architect by calling,” Ignatius launched a large construction project in the desert. In 1881 he was awarded the title of honorary free associate of the Academy of Arts. At the request of Ignatius, Parland also carried out a number of works in the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage: for example, according to his design, the now defunct Resurrection Cathedral (the church in the name of the Resurrection of Christ) was built there.
Trinity St. Sergius Hermitage, Resurrection Cathedral designed by Parland
During the second competition for the temple on the Catherine Canal, Ignatius suddenly “ the idea dawned on me to draw a project", and then there was confidence that it was his proposal that would be accepted. Having made the first sketches, he “ completely devoted himself to the fulfillment of his cherished dream - to become the builder of a temple intended to serve as an eternal monument to the Tsar - Liberator and Martyr» .
The archimandrite was well known at court and skillfully played on the religious sentiments of the royal family. According to the memoirs of mosaic artist V. A. Frolov, through the devout Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, who often visited the hermitage, Ignatius brought “ to the information of the king about the appearance of the Mother of God to him in a dream, who allegedly showed him the main foundations of the temple» .
However, the archimandrite was unlikely to be able to develop a project for such a large and complex structure on his own - that’s why he turned to A. A. Parland, whom he knew well from his joint work in the desert. The offer of cooperation from such an influential person as Ignatius was tempting. True, at first the architect was skeptical about him (especially since his own project was already ready), but in the end he agreed, apparently counting on the fact that the name of Ignatius would play a role.
Joint competition project of Parland and Ignatius (source of illustrations):
And so it happened. On June 29, 1883, Alexander III deigned to approve the joint project of Archimandrite Ignatius and architect Parland (this was just one of the three projects submitted later than the others).
The personality of the archimandrite played almost a decisive role in the choice of this particular option. It was officially stated that the emperor had singled out this project " mainly due to the special decoration of the place where the king was mortally wounded". The political background of this choice is clear: the first place for the authorities was not so much the artistic merits of the project, but rather the “divine inspiration” and, in general, the religious and symbolic aspect.
Finalize the project!
The option chosen by the emperor, developed by A. A. Parland together with Archimandrite Ignatius, vaguely resembled the tripartite type of churches of the 17th century, planned “ship”. The site of the fatal assassination attempt on Alexander II was distinguished by a memorial hipped bell tower, which was adjacent to hipped porches. The lower tier of the facades of the three-nave temple was surrounded by a gallery. The central tower was inspired by the church in Djakovo, and the side aisles were reminiscent of gate churches from the late 17th century.
Joint competition project of Parland and Ignatius (source of illustration):
The authorship of Archimandrite Ignatius served as a guarantor of the correct ideological orientation of the building. It was he, and not Parland, who was perceived by the public in the early years as the main character. However, Ignatius was not a professional architect, although they tried to mitigate this circumstance, calling him “ experienced owner-builder"and emphasizing the clergyman's penchant for the arts.
The choice of this particular option caused some confusion among the architectural workshop. Many professionals rated the artistic merits of the winning project extremely low. A. N. Benois recalled: “... The architect Parland came to the sovereign with his project (using connections with the clergy and lower officials), and his monstrous invention, presented in a very effective coloring, found the highest approval. Already during the construction of the “Temple on the Blood,” the Academy of Arts insisted that the too obvious absurdities and shortcomings of Parland’s project be corrected» .
And indeed, the emperor accepted the project only “as a whole,” with the condition of further refinement, “ so that the project is reviewed and where it should be changed for execution Professor of the Imperial Academy of Arts D.I. Grimm". Professor I.V. Shtrom tried to take advantage of the situation, and in January 1883 he proposed his own candidacy for developing Ignatius’s idea. He proposed to build a structure made of multi-colored bricks with majolica, gilded and enameled domes and interior paintings, reminiscent of St. Basil's Cathedral. Strom's candidacy was rejected, but his proposals significantly influenced the composition of the completed building.
In March 1883, a Construction Commission was formed, the chairman of which was the President of the Academy of Arts, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. Its members included architects R. A. Gedike, D. I. Grimm, E. I. Zhiber, R. B. Bernhard. Based on the recommendations of the commission, Parland and his assistants were finalizing the project. They drew up several alternative options, one of which was approved on June 29, 1883, but this project was not destined to become final.
This new project involved the construction of not just a single temple, but a grandiose complex similar to a monastery. The complex included a church, a memorial area, a museum, a bell tower and a processional gallery, the corners of which were marked by small buildings with folded domes (a copy of the chapels from the competition project “Antiquity”; these corner pavilions are reproduced by the realized chapel-sacristy of the Savior on Spilled Blood). The bell tower was supposed to stand on the other side of the canal and be connected to the temple by a gallery spanning a bridge. The temple itself in this project was a five-domed structure with a central tent and facade kokoshniks, as well as a pillar-shaped tower adjacent to the main volume. As the subsequent course of events showed, this composition turned out to be completely self-sufficient - from here the image of the Savior on Spilled Blood that we know today crystallized.
Large-scale project of 1883 (source of illustration):
Apparently, at this stage of design, Ignatius’s participation in the development of the project was already purely nominal, and “in the final version” the project moved so far from the joint competitive version that A. A. Parland could rightfully call himself the sole author of the building being created. Details of the project were clarified during construction. The final approval of the project took place only on May 1, 1887.
Final Project (Illustration Source):
As you can see, both of Parland’s competition projects - both “Ancient” and the joint one with Ignatius - ultimately turned out to be very far from the realized version. This is for the better, since the final temple turned out to be incomparably more complete and artistic. The construction eventually lost the scale that distinguished the alternative project of June 1883, but became more integral and compact. The pillar-shaped tower above the site of the emperor’s mortal wound retained the function of a monument and at the same time turned into a bell tower.
The name of the temple and symbolism of the Savior on Spilled Blood
Although among the people another name has taken root - Savior on Spilled Blood, the canonical name of the cathedral is Temple in the name of the Resurrection of Christ on the site of the mortal wound of the late Emperor Alexander in Bose II.
It was none other than Archimandrite Ignatius who proposed consecrating the future temple in the name of the Resurrection of Christ. This happened at the very first meeting of the Construction Commission. The church’s dedication to the Resurrection of Christ had a deep meaning: this name conveyed the idea of overcoming death. In the Christian consciousness, death is not the end of existence, but only a transition to another form. Therefore, there is no contradiction in the construction of a festive, “defiantly beautiful” temple: a bright temple, located on the site of a tragic event, expresses faith in God and in the Russian people.
The dedication of the temple to the Resurrection of Christ also affirmed the connection between the martyrdom of Alexander II and the atoning sacrifice of the Savior, crucified and then resurrected. I. V. Shtrom wrote: “Just as the Savior died for all mankind, so<...>Alexander II died for his people". The association of the death of the king with the death of the Savior on the cross can also be found in the folklore of that time: “ The Emperor's life ended / Christ was crucified for the second time" This parallel found additional confirmation in calendar coincidences: the emperor was born on April 17, 1818 on Easter week and was killed on the first Sunday of Lent.
Thus, the memorial temple was built as an atoning sacrifice for the martyrdom of the Tsar-Liberator. It was created to perpetuate the memory of his death and was intended to express the protective principles of autocracy and Orthodoxy, as well as the ideas of overcoming death through the Resurrection. The place where Alexander II was mortally wounded should have been perceived as “Calvary for Russia.”
Both in the everyday name “Savior on Spilled Blood” and in all the symbolism of the church there is a parallel between the death of Christ on the cross and the death of Alexander II.
Savior on Spilled Blood: history of construction
The ceremonial foundation stone of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ on the Catherine Canal took place on October 6, 1883 in the presence of Metropolitan Isidore and the royal couple. The first stone was laid personally by Emperor Alexander III. An engraved plaque with an inscription about the co-authorship of Archimandrite Ignatius with the architect Parland was placed at the base of the temple.
Laying the foundation of the temple (photo source):
Before this, a fragment of the canal grate, granite slabs and part of the cobblestone pavement, stained with the blood of Alexander II, were removed, placed in boxes and transferred for storage to the chapel on Konyushennaya Square. Subsequently, these relics were returned to their historical places, and a memorial was erected over them in the form of a canopy in the spirit of ancient Russian architecture.
Although the final project, as we know, had not yet been approved by 1883, construction had already begun. In 1883-1886, preparatory and excavation work was carried out. It is interesting that during the construction of the cathedral, the usual method of driving piles under the base of the building was abandoned: for the first time in the history of St. Petersburg architecture, a concrete foundation was used under the entire area of the structure (; ). The solid foundation made of rubble slab on a solid concrete pad is 1.2 m thick. The outer base of the cathedral was lined with granite by craftsmen who worked in the famous workshop of Gaetano Bota in St. Petersburg. Then they began laying walls made of bricks supplied by the Russian plant “Pirogranit”, and then pylons made of rubble slabs on granite bases.
Construction of the temple (photo source):
It was planned that construction would be completed by 1890, but the work was delayed.
In 1889, a scandal broke out related to the misappropriation of public funds by the conference secretary of the Academy of Arts A. Iseev. The embezzlement was allowed by the President of the Academy and the Chairman of the Construction Commission, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. In 1892, a new commission was assembled, which included architects E. I. Zhiber, M. T. Preobrazhensky and A. A. Parland. But construction and finishing work progressed more slowly than expected. V. A. Frolov explained this by the bureaucracy that reigned in the work of the commission, as well as Parland’s reluctance to part with the prestigious position of architect-builder.
In 1890-1891, sculptor G. Botta and master Andreev made a large, “impeccable in all respects” painted model of the temple, 3.5 m high, from alabaster; it was exhibited at the construction site.
A. A. Parland at the model of the temple (photo source):
The construction of the vaults, arches and sails began only in 1893. The following year, the main volume of the building was completed and a granite ring was laid at the base of the central drum. The walls and parts of the facade were faced with durable, strong materials: Estonian marble (supplied by Kos and Duerr), glazed bricks made at the Siegersdorf factories ( Siegersdorfer Werke) in Germany, as well as colored tiles ordered from the Imperial Porcelain Factory. The dome structures and the iron frame of the tent were installed at the St. Petersburg Metal Plant. In 1896, the casting of bells began at the plant of P. N. Finlyandsky.
An original innovation was the covering of the chapters with enameled copper plates. Bright polychrome domes were created in 1896-1898 at the factory of A. M. Postnikov in Moscow, and gilded crosses were also made there. The middle altar chapter was, at the suggestion of P. P. Chistyakov, lined with gilded smalt (the work of the Frolovs’ mosaic workshop). The heads of the side apses and the bell tower were covered in 1897-1900 with gilded copper. True, the dome of the bell tower quickly darkened, and in 1911-1913 the gilding was replaced with cantarel coating (golden smalt) under the supervision of V. A. Frolov.
In 1900, the building began to be gradually cleared of scaffolding. The porches were built in 1900-1901. At the same time, enameled tiles created in the workshop of M. V. Kharlamov sparkled on the facades (colored glazed tiles for apses, the central tent, as well as the tents and slopes of the porches were also created there).
In 1905-1907, according to the drawings of I. I. Smukrovich, the entrance doors (gates) were made of copper inlaid with silver ornaments. This unique work was carried out by the workshop of Kostroma jeweler Savelyev in 1905-1907. The silver bas-reliefs of the gates depicted the patron saints of the reigning house of the Romanovs (out of 80 plates, only 33 have survived to this day). At the same time, interior decoration was carried out using more than a dozen types of gems. The best domestic and Italian factories participated in the interior decoration.
Savior on Spilled Blood, mosaic “Crucifixion”
A large creative team worked with Parland, including I. F. Schlupp, L. N. Solovyov, I. P. Zlobin, N. N. Kramorenko, M. F. Eremeev and others.
During the construction of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the architects were given a special task: the section of the pavement on which the blood of Alexander II was shed had to be left untouched and included in the space of the temple (; ; ). Hence the unusual location of the Savior on Spilled Blood: right at the edge of the embankment. Before the announcement of the competition, the City Duma drew up a plan for the settlement of this section of the embankment with the construction of a wide bridge and a semicircular square. In addition, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna, owner of the Mikhailovsky Palace, agreed to donate part of the Mikhailovsky Garden for construction (;).
Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg
In total, construction and finishing work at the Savior on Spilled Blood lasted 24 years: from 1883 to 1907.
Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg
The rather long period is explained by the richness and variety of decor (the production of mosaic decoration required especially a lot of time), as well as the use of engineering and construction technologies that were advanced for its time. Yes, yes, despite the “archaic” external forms, the temple was built taking into account the latest achievements of engineering. All communications, steam heating and electrification systems, lightning protection were made in accordance with the most modern standards (; ). To prevent the penetration of canal water and groundwater along the perimeter of the building, an ingenious clay “delay” was built O To". Electric lighting was provided using 1,689 lamps. The original steam heating system was developed in the bureau of engineer S. Ya. Timokhovich, and electric lighting was developed by the Russian Society “Schuckert and Co.” The metal crown for the 288 electric lamps in the main dome was made at the Berto factory (;).
The area surrounding the temple
The appearance of such a significant structure as the Savior on Spilled Blood in the historical center of St. Petersburg required redevelopment of the surrounding area. You can understand what this area looked like before by looking at a fragment of a panorama of Nevsky Prospekt by V. S. Sadovnikov in the 1830s (source). Nowadays, few people will be able to immediately recognize this place, the perspective view of the Griboedov Canal (formerly Ekaterininsky) is so unusual.
A square paved with paving stones appeared near the temple. Part of the Mikhailovsky Garden on the eastern side was surrounded by an artistic wrought-iron fence in the Art Nouveau style. Unfortunately, the construction of the fence significantly reduced the western part of the Mikhailovsky Garden. At the same time, trees planted under Peter I were cut down.
A utility courtyard with residential outbuildings appeared to the north of the temple. Of these buildings, only one two-story house has survived to this day, where the museum administration is now located (it is visible in the photograph).
Nearby, facing the embankment, a chapel-sacristy of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God was erected in 1906-1907.
Initially, Parland planned to demolish the houses between the canal and the Konyushennaya Museum and build a wide bridge so that the temple would not be located on a narrow embankment, but would effectively complete the space of the expanded Konyushennaya Square. However, the bridge projects were never implemented. As a result, for the opening of the temple in 1907, a wooden ceiling was hastily built, which was only replaced in 1967 with a reinforced concrete bridge, preserving the forged openwork lattice. This bridge was named the Grinevitsky Bridge in 1975, and since 1998 it has been called Novokonyushenny.
Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg
Since the space of Konyushennaya Square, contrary to plans, was not expanded and the canal was not blocked, the temple did not receive a full view. By chance, the main one turned out to be the southern façade of the cathedral, facing Nevsky Prospekt. In fact, Parland intended the western facade to be the main one, but since it remained facing the narrow embankment, its solemn composition was somewhat lost.
Consecration of the Savior on Spilled Blood
The temple was solemnly consecrated on a wonderful sunny day on August 19, 1907, on the feast of the Transfiguration (summer Savior), in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II (grandson of Alexander II), his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, the imperial court, the highest clergy and government ministers. Only the “pure public” attended the consecration ceremony: people entered the temple with special passes signed by P. Stolypin.
The event had current political significance: Russia had just experienced its first revolution, and the opening of the memorial temple was supposed to establish the inviolability of the autocracy. At the same time, apparently, the everyday name “Savior on Spilled Blood” took hold. A direct association with the ancient church of St. Demetrius on the Blood in Uglich, which was erected on the site of the murder of Tsarevich Demetrius of Uglich, is not excluded. That long-standing tragedy came to life again in people’s memory in 1906, when the 300th anniversary of the transfer of the prince’s remains from Uglich to Moscow was celebrated.
Savior on Spilled Blood, memorial plaque
The day before the consecration of the Savior on Spilled Blood, on August 18, a solemn all-night vigil was held in the church. Also the day before, many merchants appeared on the streets of St. Petersburg with freshly printed postcards with photographs of the new temple. Similar postcards (only of higher artistic quality) appeared in stores. Trade was brisk.
A group of temple builders present at the consecration, including A. A. Parland (photo source):
On the morning of August 19, 1907, the royal family arrived in St. Petersburg from Peterhof. The boat took the royals to a luxuriously decorated temporary pier at the Marble Palace. From there they proceeded in an open carriage through the Field of Mars to the temple. The Emperor was wearing the uniform of the Preobrazhensky Regiment and St. Andrew's Ribbon, and the Empress... And here it becomes clear that all the correspondents in newspapers and magazines of that time were men. They report only one thing: the empress was wearing a white dress. And no more details.
Procession around the temple (photo source):
In anticipation of the arrival of the emperor and the royal family, ranks of all types of troops lined up on the square in front of the cathedral. After the performance of the anthem, the tsar, accompanied by the grand dukes, made a tour of the troops. Metropolitan Anthony of St. Petersburg and Ladoga took part in the consecration of the temple. The throne in the altar was installed and consecrated, and the ceremony of washing it was performed. Then the religious procession began to the sound of bells and music. The gray-haired valet of Alexander II carried the altar cross, followed by the archimandrites, the metropolitan, the imperial couple, courtiers, senators, ministers... The bishop sprinkled the walls of the temple, and the choir of singers performed troparia.
Nicholas II hosts a parade in honor of the consecration of the Savior on Spilled Blood (photo source):
The final stage of the consecration of the throne and the temple took place in the altar. Sprinkling the walls of the altar with holy water completed the rite of consecration of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
Interior of the consecrated church in 1907 (photo source):
The high place in the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (photo from the consecration of the temple, 1907) (source):
Then at noon a solemn liturgy began with a lithium at the site of Alexander II’s mortal wound. After the litany there was the end of the liturgy and then a parade of troops. The troops paid homage to the emperor as they marched past the newly consecrated cathedral. Amid jubilant exclamations, the royal cortege left the temple grounds. After this, the royal family left for the Peter and Paul Fortress, where they bowed to the tombstones of Alexander II and Alexander III.
Masterpiece or architectural misery?
The appearance in St. Petersburg of an unusual temple, designed more in the Moscow style, caused controversy and gossip in the capital.
St. Petersburg newspapers and magazines of that time published photographs and detailed descriptions of the temple and its interiors, and talked about the consecration ceremony itself. There were many rave reviews. Professor Pokrovsky in the article “The New Church of the Resurrection of Christ on the Catherine Canal in St. Petersburg” in the “Additions to the Church Gazette” noted: “ In general, both the architecture of the newly built temple... and its interior decoration are a remarkable phenomenon and deserve special attention... the harmony of architectural lines, the beauty of forms, the wealth of material and the perfection of technology place it among the best works of modern Russian architecture» .
There were, however, other opinions. The temple was considered alien among the classicist buildings and was given the nickname “bonbonniere”. “Rus” wrote that the temple, “ unfortunately, it is far from gifted in thought and execution…», «… but undoubtedly significant in the idea that hovers over it". Some expressed a much more radical assessment. Thus, A. N. Benois believed that “ this pathetic imitation of St. Basil amazes with its ugliness, being at the same time a real stain in the ensemble of the St. Petersburg landscape". Later, after the revolution, he even allowed himself an even harsher statement: they say, if the Bolsheviks suddenly decide to blow up the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, he won’t even be against it.
Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg
Critics grouped around the World of Art association took advantage of the construction of the Church of the Savior on Blood to demonstrate their artistic tastes and denounce the regime. " A barbaric example of artistic squalor"called the Savior on Spilled Blood by A. A. Rostislavov, and V. Ya. Kurbatov wanted that " quickly forgot about the pseudo-Russian buildings that so spoiled Russian cities". S.K. Makovsky was horrified by “ unprecedented architectural monstrosity"temple, this " shameful page of Russian art", he called on future generations " destroy Parland's work without a trace, raze the monstrous cathedral to the ground» .
However, in Soviet times, the struggle to preserve the temple - one of the few churches in the “Russian style” that was not blown up, a kind of symbol of the last period of the Russian Empire - became important for the Leningrad intelligentsia.
At whose expense is this temple
It is generally accepted that the Savior on Spilled Blood was built with public money. Actually this is not true . The main source of financing was revenue from the State Treasury: the treasury allocated 3 million 600 thousand silver rubles for construction - huge money at that time. In addition, a significant amount was made up of donations from institutions, the imperial family and officials. Private contributions played a rather symbolic role.
The total cost of the ensemble of the Church of the Resurrection and its artistic decoration, including mosaics, amounted to more than 4.6 million rubles. The cost of construction was exceeded by 1 million rubles due to the replacement of paintings with mosaics, the high cost of the canopy and cases of financial abuse.
Subsequently, the state took over the maintenance of the temple. At that time, only St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow were in such a special position: they were financed directly from the state treasury.
Savior on Spilled Blood. Company of Palace Grenadiers at the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
In the Savior on Spilled Blood, sermons were read daily, memorial services were served, and services were held dedicated to the memory of Alexander II. However, no baptisms or weddings took place here, since the temple “ due to its special significance as a national monument"was not parish (;). A place was reserved for believers near the western façade, in front of the mosaic “Crucifixion”, where church services were held.
(To be continued)
In cold and foggy St. Petersburg, it is impossible not to pay attention to this amazing cathedral. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood greets tourists with its bright and warm beauty. Its colorful domes seem toy-like and unreal. The Old Russian style of the building seems to challenge the elaborate baroque and strict classicism of the architecture of the northern capital.
The cathedral differs from other churches both in the tragic history of its creation and in the first use of some construction know-how. This is the only Orthodox church in St. Petersburg in which they ask not to light candles: fire can smoke priceless mosaics. Several times the building was on the verge of destruction, but miraculously remained intact. 
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood: all-conquering beauty
Perhaps the soul of the murdered Emperor Alexander II became the guardian angel. The church was built in memory of this Russian Tsar. The building was erected on the site of a tragedy that occurred in 1881. Emperor Alexander is remembered in Russia as a reformer tsar who abolished serfdom. A bomb thrown at his feet ended the life of a man who loved his country and cared about the welfare of the people. 
The construction of the temple, which began in 1883, was completed only in 1907. The church was consecrated and named the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. Perhaps that is why such a life-affirming force emanates from the building. Among the people, the cathedral received a different name - the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. It is not at all difficult to understand why the church is called this way. The analogy between the martyrdom of the Savior and the innocently murdered emperor is quite clear. 
The fate of the building was not easy. In 1941, the Soviet government wanted to blow it up, but the outbreak of war prevented it. Attempts to demolish the church were repeated in 1956, and again the temple suffered a terrible fate. For twenty years, an artillery shell, hit there during shelling, lay in the main dome of the cathedral. An explosion could occur at any moment. In 1961, risking his life, a sapper neutralized the deadly “toy”. 
Only in 1971 the church received the status of a museum, and a long restoration of the building began. The restoration of the cathedral lasted 27 years. In 2004, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was re-consecrated, and its spiritual revival began. 
Temple architecture
Tourists who see the church immediately remember the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow and ask who built the building in St. Petersburg. The similarity was due to the fact that Alexander III, the son of the deceased emperor, ordered a building project reflecting the Russian style of the 17th century. The best was the stylistic solution of Alfred Parland, on which he worked together with Archimandrite Ignatius, rector of the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage. 
For the first time in the history of construction in St. Petersburg, the architect used a concrete foundation instead of traditional piles for the foundation. A nine-domed building stands firmly on it, in the western part of which rises a two-tier bell tower. It marks the place where the tragedy occurred. 
On the outside of the bell tower are the coats of arms of cities and provinces of Russia. It seems that the whole country is plunged into grief over the death of the emperor. The coats of arms are made using mosaic technique. This type of façade decoration is not entirely common. As a rule, mosaics decorate the interior of churches.
Another distinctive feature of the Church of the Savior on Blood is its domes. Five of the nine domes of the cathedral are covered with four-color enamel. Jewelers made this decoration using a special recipe, which has no analogues in Russian architecture. 
The architects did not skimp and richly decorated the cathedral. Of the four and a half million rubles allocated, they spent about half of the amount on decorating the building. Craftsmen used materials from different places and countries:
- red-brown brick from Germany;
- Estonian marble;
- Italian serpentinite;
- bright Orsk jasper;
- Ukrainian black labradorite;
- more than 10 varieties of Italian marble.
The luxury of the design is amazing, but most of all tourists want to see the mosaics with which the temple is decorated inside.
Cathedral interior
The church was not originally built for traditional mass worship. Inside the building, a beautiful canopy attracts attention - a luxurious tent-like structure, under which a fragment of a cobblestone pavement is stored. This is the very place where the wounded Alexander II fell. 
The most famous Russian and German masters created the amazing interior decoration of the room. They moved away from the tradition of decorating churches with picturesque works of art. This is due to the damp climate of St. Petersburg. 
The cathedral is decorated with a rich collection of semi-precious stones and gems, and mosaics cover all the walls and vaults of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. Its area is more than 7 thousand square meters. meters! Here even the icons are made of mosaic. 
Monumental images were typed in the “Venetian” way. To do this, in reverse mapping, the drawing was first copied onto paper. The finished work was cut into pieces, onto which smalt was glued, selecting the appropriate shades. Then, like puzzles, the mosaic blocks were assembled and mounted on the wall. With this method, the pictorial drawing was simplified. 
Icons were typed in the traditional, “direct” way. With this method, the image was almost no different from the original. The architects used a lot of gold-colored smalt as a background. In sunlight, it fills the interior space with a soft glow. 
There are many amazing mysteries associated with the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. The cathedral stood in scaffolding for a long time. One famous bard even wrote a song about this. People half-jokingly said that the restoration structures were as indestructible as the Soviet Union. The scaffolding was finally dismantled in 1991. The same date now means the end of the USSR. 
People also talk about the mystery of some dates marked on a mysterious icon that no one has seen. Allegedly, all important events for the country and St. Petersburg are encrypted on it: 1917, 1941, 1953. The proportions of the church are associated with the numbers: the height of the central hipped dome is 81 meters, which coincides with the year of the death of the emperor. The height of the bell tower is 63 meters, that is, Alexander’s age at the time of death.
Helpful information
Every tourist can try to decipher all the secrets associated with the temple on their own. To do this, you just need to come to St. Petersburg. The building is located at: Nab. Griboyedov Canal 2B, building A. In the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, believers can attend an Orthodox service. The cathedral has its own parish. The schedule of services is constantly updated on the church website. 
Art lovers will appreciate the beauty of the cathedral by signing up for a tour. Various topics are offered. Tourists will learn about the architecture of the church, its mosaics and the subjects of the images. The opening hours even include evening excursions in the summer. The museum is closed on Wednesday. Ticket prices range from 50 to 250 rubles. Those wishing to take photos or videos are allowed to use equipment without a tripod or backlight. 
Many visitors will want to capture the timeless beauty. According to the British portal Vouchercloud, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ is the most famous tourist attraction in Russia. But neither photographs nor descriptions of the building can convey all the beauty of the cathedral. The temple will open to those who get to know it personally.
