The most beautiful churches cathedrals basilicas and chapels Moscow Oblast

One of the most remarkable monuments of Russian art, Pokrovsky Sobor (СОБОР ВАСИЛИЯ БЛАЖEННОГО) is the symbol of Moscow. Commissioned by Ivan the Terrible, it was a centre of power: it was on the platform in front of its gates (nicknamed the Square of Skulls) that public executions were held and Ukases (decrees) were read. Today the cathedral charges for visits. One can buy an entrance ticket coupled with the State Historical Museum.

If there is only one cathedral to visit, this is it. Of all the monuments of the Orthodox faith in Russia, the Dormition Cathedral is the most majestic, the most beautiful, and also the most inviting to meditation. This church has always been an important sanctuary where princes were crowned and metropolitans were buried, but it was Ivan the Great who undertook to make it a symbol of the power of the nascent Moscow nation by calling on the Italian architect Fioravanti to transform the building. The latter worked on what became the masterpiece of his career. He used the rules of the Italian Renaissance, playing with space and light, which he combined with the Slavic style, which played with colours, wood carvings and shapes. The result is awe-inspiring: the interior of the cathedral, decorated with gold, commands respect, and the shimmering reds and blues that paint it make it seem larger. Today you can also see the throne of Ivan the Terrible, a relic of the past with wood decorated with scenes of everyday life of his time (1550).

The iconostasis of the cathedral dates from 1652 and its famous icon of Our Lady of Vladimir is to the left of the central entrance (a 15th-century copy of the 12th-century Byzantine original is in the Tretyakov Gallery). All in all, take at least an hour to soak up the almost mystical atmosphere of a plunge into the heart of the Russian Orthodox faith and the power of the Tsars.

The Annunciation Cathedral is one of the finest examples of Russian religious architecture, influenced by the Italian Renaissance. It served as the family church of the tsars, hence its more intimate character. The iconostasis is said to have been decorated by two of the greatest Slavic icon painters: Theophanes the Greek and Andrei Rublev. The door of the southern facade was added by Ivan the Terrible who, excommunicated, could only attend services behind this gate.

The third basilica of the Kremlin (АРХАНГЕЛЬСКИЙ СОБОР) benefited most from the contributions of the Italian Renaissance. The decoration is martial: frescoes depict great battles in Russian history; a 10 m high golden iconostasis (1681) supports the icon of the Archangel St. Michael attributed to Andrei Rublev. It is in this building that the princes and tsars of Moscow up to Peter the Great are buried: there are 46 gravestones, including the tomb of Ivan the Terrible.

Built in the 15th century according to an asymmetrical plan, on the tomb of St. Sergius of Radonezh, it was one of the first buildings of Moscow Russia. The cathedral is the oldest building, built in white stone, symbol of wealth and refinement. It is for it that Andrei Rublev painted the icon of the Trinity, currently exhibited at the Tretiakov Gallery. Adjacent to this church, the sacristy is more recent since it dates from the beginning of the 19th century. It houses a museum with all kinds of religious objects made of precious metals and stones.

The Cathedral of the Dormition (Uspenski sobor) was built between 1559 and 1585 on the central square, on the model of the one in Moscow. The work was begun under Ivan the Terrible and completed under Feodor Ivanovich. It is easily recognizable by its five domes: four painted blue, with stars, and a fifth, gilded. Among its 17th century icons are those of Simon Ushakov, one of the three most famous artists of ancient Russia.

This small church at the corner of Red Square and Nikolskaya Street was built in 1636 to celebrate the victory of the Russo-Polish war (1612). It was destroyed by Bolshevism in 1936 and rebuilt identically in 1993. If your stay in Moscow is very short, we recommend this church to get acquainted with the orthodox culture because if its architecture is not exceptional, its icon is very famous and it is a very authentic church.

This beautiful square was designed in the 14th century and is the heart of the Kremlin. The square owes its name to the three cathedrals facing it: the Dormition Cathedral, the Archangel Cathedral and the Annunciation Cathedral, reminding us of the historical links between power and the Church in Russia. On the square there are also the Palace of Facets, the Church of the Deposition of the Robe and the Church of the Twelve Apostles. Ivan's great bell tower still dominates the square, as it did when it was the tallest building in the kingdom.

The cathedral was built in the th century instead of two churches dating back to the th and th centuries. Above all, don't miss its frescoes whose restoration was completed well after that of the church of the Resurrection (see below). Inside, in addition to a 1730 baroque iconostasis, which resembles that of the Goritski Monastery, you can see the tomb of Metropolitan Ionas Sisoievitch. Nor do the handles of the doorway of the church of origin, which dates from the th century, fail.

The tradition of bells, so vivid in all the cities of the Golden Ring, is even more sensitive here, where carillon requires expert handling. In the Middle Ages, the bells were the safest means of communication, the link between the Kremlin and the population, demanded by jangling to come together on the Red Square in front of the bell. It dates back to the th century and the bells were fondues at that time. The most important of these weighs more than three tonnes. Their use was forbidden after the revolution, around 1928, they were taken down and locked. In the years 1950 to 1990, the bells, however, served little. It was when some party's cleric went to Rostov and showed, after a few glasses of vodka, the desire to hear them. However, we continued to sell the recordings regularly, on discs or cassettes, to perestroika where the bells were again in honour and directly known by all those who had listened to them on tape or vinyl. Rostov coaches learn their art from the monks of Pskov, who are educated in ancient books that describe technical prowess to express tones and half tones. They are now being sounded by hand, by the rope and by pressing the pedals.

At the exit of the Kitai-Gorod metro station, you have to look a little bit for this church (ЦЕРКОВЬ ТРОИЦЫ "В НИКИТНИКАХ") deliberately lost in Soviet constructions: one of the techniques set up by the Soviet regime to fight against religious feeling. The church itself is one of the masterpieces of 17th century Baroque architecture: its harmonious proportions and shimmering red and white colours make it one of the stars of photographers and Instagram.

Before your visit to the main building of the Tretyakov Gallery, take a few minutes to enjoy the Baroque meditation of this church (Церковь Кли́мента), built in the 17th century, which is the heart of the district. It is a very popular church, where the locals go to meditate before going to work or going out in the evening, especially to listen to beautiful singing during mass. Saint Clement is highly respected and is prayed for the health of the children, the reunification of families and the return of parents.