Dmitrievsky Cathedral of the city of Vladimir - museums of the Vladimir region - history - catalog of articles - unconditional love. “Poem in stone”: Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir, which eclipsed all the temples built before it Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir: history

The city of Vladimir is a place where Russian people are filled with pride in their ancestors, who created magnificent architectural monuments many centuries ago, and today they amaze with the perfection of their forms and the beauty of their interior decoration. Many of them are recognized, including the luxurious court Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir, the facade of which is decorated with elaborate carvings. This building is also famous for its frescoes, and is often called the white stone poem.

Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir: history

As you know, in the 13th century the Vladimir-Suzdal principality reached its greatest prosperity, and its ruler Vsevolod decided to build a “personal” temple for his large family and associates. It must be said that in those distant times there was a custom according to which the princes, in addition to the Christian name, were given another name with which they signed their decrees. Since Vsevolod, nicknamed the Big Nest for having many children, was baptized in honor of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, he decided to dedicate this new temple to his heavenly patron. There are different opinions regarding the time of foundation of this structure. In particular, for many years it was believed that the construction of the Dmitrov Cathedral in Vladimir supposedly lasted from 1194 to 1197, but at the end of the 90s of the last century, chronicle evidence was found that it began in 1191.

Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir: photo and description

In architectural terms, the temple is single-domed, four-pillared and three-apsed. Initially, it was surrounded by rather long galleries with staircase towers, through which it was connected to the princely palace. Thus, the prince's family and courtiers could attend services directly from their chambers. Unfortunately, these auxiliary structures were dismantled when ordered in 1837, so they cannot be seen today. In general, it must be said that these so-called restoration work almost caused its complete destruction. Therefore, the fact that the Dmitrov Cathedral in Vladimir has survived to this day is the merit of the restorers who worked here half a century later. They had to work hard to correct the mistakes of their predecessors.

Facade decor

As already mentioned, the Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir is decorated with rich carvings. She is present on 600 bas-reliefs, which depict biblical saints, as well as mythical and real animals. Most of these wonderful specimens have been preserved in their original form, while some were replaced with new ones during restoration work.

The design of the northern façade, on which medieval wood carvers depicted Prince Vsevolod himself and his sons, deserves special mention. No less interesting are the images of Alexander the Great, as well as the biblical king David and Samson. This choice of subjects was prompted by the desire to flatter the customer, who is compared with these most famous characters of antiquity.

Interior decoration

Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir, a photo of which is often decorated with tourist brochures offering trips along the Golden Ring route, is not distinguished by its luxurious interiors. The reason, again, is the unscrupulous work of restorers. However, several frescoes dating back to the 13th century have survived to this day. In particular, in the temple you can see fragments of the large composition “The Last Judgment,” the author of which is presumably an artist invited by Vsevolod from Greece.

Relics

Saint Dmitry was revered by Christians as the patron saint of warriors. His life indicates that he held the position of proconsul in the city of Thessalonica, which the inhabitants of ancient Rus' called Thessaloniki. Having learned that Dmitry is a Christian, Emperor Galerius throws him into prison and then orders him to be stabbed to death with spears. The body of the martyr is given to wild animals to be eaten, but they do not touch him. Later, the Christians of the city interred the remains of the saint. Years later, he comes to Thessaloniki and, at the site of Dmitry’s execution, founds a church in which today the relics of the saint are kept.

So, having consecrated his Dmitrov Cathedral in Vladimir (the description is presented above), Prince Vsevolod set off in the footsteps of Constantine and brought some relics from the Thessalonica temple for this church. They were an icon depicting the Great Martyr of Thessaloniki, written on his coffin board, and a piece of clothing on which there were drops of the saint’s blood.

Assumption Cathedral

When talking about the Dmitrovsky Cathedral in Vladimir, one cannot help but say a few words about another masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture, located just a few meters away. We are talking about the Assumption Cathedral, which is more than 850 years old. It is considered the standard of church architecture, and its features can be seen in hundreds of churches built in Rus' over the centuries.

This building is also included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is considered one of the main tourist attractions. Although the most beautiful, in terms of external decor, is Dmitrovsky. The Assumption Cathedral is certainly a leader when it comes to interiors. The main pride of the temple is the luxurious frescoes of the great icon painter Andrei Rublev.

In addition, it contains several niches-arcosols, where the most prominent representatives of the Vladimir nobility and church hierarchs were buried.

The modern appearance of the Assumption Cathedral, which is familiar to everyone from photographs, is quite different from the original one, since in 1186-1189 it was radically rebuilt, since it could no longer accommodate everyone. In particular, galleries were added to it on both sides, and four new chapters were erected in the corners.

Now you know when and by whom the cathedrals of Vladimir - the Assumption and Dmitrovsky - were built, which are rightfully considered the best examples of Russian architecture.

Due to the abundance of patterns of white stone carvings covering the façade of this cathedral, it is called “ precious casket», « stone carpet», « stone poem" With its rich carved decoration, it outshines, perhaps, all the temples built before it in Rus'.

History of the construction of the cathedral

The Vladimir-Suzdal principality during the reign of Prince Vladimir Vsevolod the Big Nest reached the zenith of its glory. " The Suzdal region, at the beginning of the 12th century - a provincial north-eastern corner of the Russian land, at the beginning of the 13th century is a principality decisively dominant over the rest of Russia"(V.O. Klyuchevsky). And the personification of this glory was to be Dmitrievsky Cathedral.

The prince, who received the Christian name Dmitry at baptism, decided to build a new temple in honor of his patron, Saint Dmitry of Thessaloniki. The construction of Demetrius Cathedral took place between 1194-1197. The temple was erected by the hands of the best Russian craftsmen; white limestone was used as a building material for the walls.

The rarest relics were brought from the distant Byzantine city of Thessalonica for the erected temple: " grave board" - an icon with the image of Demetrius of Thessalonica, and a chased silver ark with " shirt" - a piece of the martyr's clothing with traces of his blood.

Before the Battle of Kulikovo, these shrines were taken to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, where they are still kept; only copies remain in the Vladimir Cathedral.

In 1237, the temple was plundered by the Tatar-Mongols, after which it survived several more robberies and fires. But the greatest damage was caused to it in 1837-1839, when Nicholas I, having visited the cathedral and seeing the condition it was in, ordered its urgent restoration. But " experts in Russian style", who took on this work, instead of restoring it, disfigured the temple, and it began to collapse.

Since 1919, the temple was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Vladimir Museum. Its limestone walls were rapidly collapsing, but for a long time nothing was done to save the temple; reconstruction could only be carried out in 1941, just before the war.

The next stage of work to preserve the stone walls of the cathedral began only after 1974. And the final restoration, as a result of which the temple was able to largely restore its lost original appearance, was completed already in the 2000s. The stone walls were covered with a protective mixture, drainage systems were made and the necessary microclimate was created inside the cathedral. Now St. Demetrius Cathedral is included in the World Heritage List cultural heritage UNESCO.

Here it is, St. Demetrius Cathedral, in all its glory!

Since this cathedral was built on the territory of the princely court and was intended only for the princely family, its size is small, but the rich decor of its facade is impressive - there are more than 600 relief images of animals, plants, mythical creatures, and saints. Moreover, many reliefs have been preserved in their original form, while those that were lost have been restored.

The facades of the temple consist of three tiers. On the lower tier there is practically no decor; only the portals are decorated with carvings.

This is explained by the fact that previously the temple was surrounded on three sides by a gallery connecting it with the house. It ended on both sides with towers. The gallery, unfortunately, has not survived, and the walls remain smooth underneath.

The decoration of the middle tier is a colonnade belt with a rich ornament of carved figures.

The upper tier, which has narrow windows, is completely covered with carvings.

The drum, on which is mounted a gilded dome with an openwork gilded cross, is also decorated with carvings.

The white stone decoration of the cathedral contains many motifs that were widespread in Byzantium, the Balkans, and throughout Europe. Therefore, scientists assume that, along with Russian master carvers, people from the Balkan Peninsula - Bulgarians, Serbs, and Dalmatians - also worked on stone carving.

However, the intention of the creators of the delightful white stone carvings of the St. Demetrius Cathedral has not yet been fully studied; the deciphering of many compositions and plots has been the subject of debate for more than one generation of scientists.

Some elements of carved ornament

The central place in the design of the cathedral is given to the biblical king and prophet David. His image can be seen on three facades of the temple. The quality of these images is excellent; apparently they were made by one of the best stone cutters. At first, historians believed it was Christ, then for a long time they chose between David and Solomon. And only after restorers discovered the inscription “DAV Kommersant” near this image, the controversy over this issue ended.

The façade is dotted with images of animals, birds, and plants. The abundance of plants is used to create the image of the Garden of Eden.

Many of the animals are symbols of power - lions, eagles, leopards. As for strange monsters - animals with two heads, half-dogs, half-birds and the like - these images are well known to us from Russian mythology and fairy tales, so they are not frightening at all, but only give a fabulous character to the carved patterns.

Saints and princes

On the belt-colonnade of the middle tier, which encircled the cathedral on three sides, a whole gallery of figurines of saints was carved. Among them, the first holy prince-martyrs Boris and Gleb were identified, depicted in princely caps and holding crosses in their hands.

All 12 apostles are depicted here; the “portraits” of Peter and Paul are beyond doubt - they are signed.

Two more compositions depicted on the facade are interesting.

Ascension of Alexander the Great

The “technology” of ascension is depicted as follows. Alexander sits in a basket, raising his hands, in which he holds small lion cubs as bait. Two griffins tied to a basket reach for the bait, and due to this, the basket rises up. Despite the fact that Alexander the Great is a pre-Christian character, this plot was used quite often in medieval Europe.

Vsevolod with his sons?

On the northern façade you can find an image of a man sitting holding a child on his lap. He is surrounded on both sides by older children. Many historians believe that this depicts Vsevolod with his sons. He actually had a lot of children, which is why he got the nickname Big Nest. It’s just not clear why Vsevolod doesn’t have a beard here.

However, there is another version, according to which it is not Vsevolod with his sons that is depicted here, but the biblical Joseph with his brothers.

Hypothesis regarding the coloring of cathedrals

We are all accustomed to believing that the white stone churches that have survived to this day were originally the same, namely white.

However, in photographs of the 19th century you can see different color options for the facades of St. Demetrius Cathedral - " white ornament on a dark background" And " dark ornament on a white background". A white ornament on a dark background looks like this (this color existed in 1847-1883):

Vladimir. Demetrius Cathedral from the southeast. Prokudin-Gorsky 1911

And in 2015, in Pereslavl-Zalessky, the remains of ancient murals were discovered on the facade of the white-stone Transfiguration Cathedral. Based on this, scientists have suggested that in ancient times this temple " was painted almost “Khokhloma”"It is possible that the facades of other white stone temples in ancient times were also decorated with paintings, and this beauty looked something like this:

But after the Mongol-Tatar invasion, many temples stood in disrepair. Rus' was in poverty, and in order to refresh the churches, they were simply whitewashed with lime. So the paintings disappeared. But this is just a hypothesis for now.

And in the Moscow region there is. And he is also of great interest.

During the reign of Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest, the Vladimir-Suzdal lands were at the peak of their development. Using smart, dexterous policies, Vsevolod restored order in the principality. He knew how to get along with noble boyars and respected the customs of the squad.

Military campaigns did not prevent the prince from engaging in economic affairs. Vsevolod did not sit in the capital, he traveled around his principality: he tried criminals, sorted out complaints, and monitored the legality of collecting taxes. The Grand Duke built a lot. One of Vsevolod’s most famous buildings is the Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir.

History of the cathedral

Sometimes the cathedral is called Dmitrovsky.

Construction and foundation

In the nineties of the last century, chronicle data was discovered indicating the date of construction as 1191, although previously it was believed that the years of creation were 1194-1197. Vsevolod ordered the construction of a temple in the city of Vladimir at the princely court as a palace church for members of his family. It is not known for certain who built the temple; history has not preserved the names, but they were Russian masters. Perhaps Bulgarians, Serbs and other people from the Balkan Peninsula worked together with them.

Origin of the name

Vsevolod spent his childhood in Constantinople. His mother, a Byzantine princess, after disagreements with Andrei Bogolyubsky, was forced to leave with her younger children and lived at the emperor's court in Constantinople. Saint Dmitry of Thessalonica enjoyed great respect there; he was considered the patron saint of the imperial family.

The saint was executed in 306 because of his Christian faith. Dmitry was proconsul in Thessaloniki (Thessalonica). He had to defend the city, rule it and exterminate Christians. However, he himself was a Christian and preached the faith among the residents. For this, by order of the emperor, he was stabbed to death and thrown to be devoured by wild animals. According to legend, the beast did not touch Dmitry’s body. He was buried by his followers. Later, the Christian emperor Constantine erected a temple in honor of the saint in Thessalonica, where the relics of Demetrius of Thessalonica are still kept.

Vsevolod lived in Constantinople for 7 long years, he was baptized there under the name Dmitry. It is clear that your main temple The prince dedicated it to this saint. When the cathedral was built, Vsevolod went to Thessaloniki and brought relics from the Greek temple.

Historical fate

In 1237, the Vladimir Principality was plundered and destroyed by the Mongol-Tatar invasion. Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir, built in the 12th century, was very badly damaged. It was restored. In the 16th and 17th centuries there were large fires in the temple, but the temple was repaired and continued to function.

But the cathedral suffered the most in the 19th century. In 1834, Emperor Nicholas I visited the temple. He noted the dilapidation of the building and ordered the structure to be restored. Because of this barbaric restoration, the cathedral almost collapsed. Important structures were destroyed forever, without which the building began to crack and begin to collapse.

Changes have been made:

the ancient gallery, which was built around the temple and led to the princely chambers, was destroyed;
the northern and southern towers, in which the stairs leading to the choir were located, were dismantled;
floor down;
to ascend to the choir, spiral staircases were built inside the temple;
a new iconostasis was installed;
the ancient frescoes were knocked down and painted over with oil paints, and in their place there was now a new painting.

Thus, the temple changed beyond recognition and almost collapsed.

Post-revolutionary restoration

During the years of the Soviet Union, the ancient cathedral was incredibly lucky. In 1918, services were discontinued and the building was transferred to the museum. It was declared a monument of ancient Russian art. The created commission under the leadership of Igor Grabar began work on the restoration of the temple. At this time, miraculously preserved ancient frescoes from the 12th century were discovered under the choir.

In 1937, work was continued. The preservation of the ancient monument was considered so important that restoration did not stop even during the 1941-1945 war. Restorers under the leadership of architect V.A. Stoletov worked on the problem of preserving the unique white stone from which the building was built. The monument was strengthened and its original appearance was restored.

Current situation

The problem of preserving the structure was solved only in 2004. The limestone was covered with protection - a special plastic mixture. Drainpipes were built, and work was done to create a microclimate inside the premises. All this prevented further destruction of the cathedral. A new cross was placed on the dome.

Now the ancient church is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. There is a museum inside the building.

Architecture and decoration of the building

In terms of architectural style, the cathedral is typical of Vladimir architecture of the 12th century using the white stone construction technique. The temple is built from limestone blocks.

Appearance

The cathedral has four pillars, with one dome and three apses. Previously, it was surrounded by galleries with staircase towers; they led directly to the prince's chambers. The prince and his family used them to go to services.

The facade is divided into 3 tiers:

The lower tier is devoid of decorations, since there is a gallery ball there.
The middle tier is a frieze of continuous decorative arches (arcature columnar belt).
The upper tier is a continuous carpet of stone carvings, which continues on the drum.

On the drum there is a gilded dome, similar to a hero’s helmet. On it stands a large, wide cross made of gilded copper, generously decorated with a lace pattern. A weather vane in the shape of a dove is attached to the cross. It symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

Features of external relief

The arches and columns of the middle tier symbolize the transition from earthly to heavenly life. The material is separated from the spiritual. They are decorated with figures of saints (there are Russian princes Boris and Gleb, apostles Peter and Paul), mythical animals (lions with blossoming tails, geese with intertwined necks), and floral patterns.

The top tier is like a stone ancient picture book, telling old stories and legends:

The southern façade tells the story of the ascension of Alexander the Great to heaven. In the Middle Ages, this plot was very popular; it can be seen in various churches in Europe and Rus'. The king sits in a box that is carried across the sky by vultures. Alexander holds lion cubs in his hands, serving as bait for vultures.
The northern side faces the city and tells about the prince himself. The Grand Duke of Vladimir sits on the throne with his newborn son. The rest of his sons surround him. Vsevolod's offspring were large - 12 children, for which he received his nickname Big Nest.
The western wall, facing Klyazma, tells the story of Hercules and his exploits.
On all facades there is an image of David the psalmist. He holds a harp in his hands and sings psalms. He is like a symbol of God himself. Everyone: animals, birds, people - listen to him and praise him. The whole world, woven from the contradictions of good and evil, submits to the Lord.

There are about 600 reliefs in total. Here you will see Christian images, pagan mythology, and images from ancient European literature. Everything is woven into a single snow-white stone pattern. The original carvings have been preserved on the western façade. The remaining figures were restored in the 19th century.

Interior design

The inside of the temple looks much more modest. Prince Vsevolod invited Greek masters to paint the cathedral. Visitors to the cathedral were breathtaking from the indescribable beauty. Destructions and fires damaged the frescoes; the remains were knocked down during restoration in the 19th century. Now the inside of the building is the pristine whiteness of the stone, almost nothing remains of its former splendor.

In 1918, the remains of 12th century frescoes were discovered under the choir vaults. Stunning examples of ancient Russian painting emerged from oblivion. The names of the artists have not been preserved. Experts believe that these were Russian and Byzantine icon painters. The images on the frescoes are realistic, with pronounced portrait features. They are strict and sublime.

The color of the painting is very delicate, there are mainly light green, blue, greenish-yellow, bluish-gray shades:

On the southern slope of the large vault scenes of the Last Judgment are depicted. You will see the apostles, they have standards and spheres in their hands, and angels stand behind them.
On the small vault there is an image of paradise “Procession of the righteous to paradise”. At the head is the Apostle Peter with a cross and a key in his hands. Righteous wives follow him, then angels.
On the southern slope of the small vault there is the Mother of God sitting on a throne in a gazebo entwined with grapes and angels with the forefathers.

In some places, white stone carvings depicting smiling lions have been preserved.

Shrines and relics of the temple

The museum exhibits the following relics:

icon of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica (copy);
casket with blood-soaked clothes (copy);
in place of the iconostasis there is a four-meter-tall original cross taken from the temple.

There is another exhibit in the cathedral. This is the tombstone of Count V.I. Vorontsova. The count was the first governor of Vladimir. He did a lot of good for the city and bequeathed to be buried in the temple. His sons fulfilled their father's wishes.

How are the services held?

Divine services are held in the Dmitrovsky Cathedral 5 times a year. The patronal holiday is the day of remembrance of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki.

The rest of the time there is a museum here.

Operating mode:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – from 10 to 16 hours;
Friday and Sunday – from 10 to 17 hours;
Saturday – from 10 to 18 hours.

The museum is open from April to October.

How to get to the temple

Every day, electric trains run from Kursky Station in Moscow to Vladimir. Travel time is approximately 3 hours. You can get there by company train or by high speed train"Sapsan", but it will be somewhat more expensive. Regular buses run from the Central Bus Station, near the Shchelokovo metro station. The journey will take the same amount of time as by train.

Before Cathedral Square Vladimir, where the Dmitrievsky Cathedral is located, can be reached by buses and trolleybuses.

History and architecture of the Assumption Cathedral

In 1158, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vsevolod’s elder brother, founded a cathedral in Vladimir that could accommodate the entire city. After a great fire in 1185, Vsevolod restored the temple and significantly expanded it. Now up to 4,000 people could pray here.

When the Assumption Cathedral was built, it became not only the main one in Rus', it became its symbol. Here was the residence of the metropolitans and the most important Russian shrine was kept - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Since then, the icon has been called Vladimir.

In 1161, the cathedral was painted, but almost nothing remained of the original frescoes. In the 15th century the temple was painted anew. The frescoes were painted by Ivan Rublev and Daniil Cherny. And their work has survived only in fragments. Basically, all the frescoes of the cathedral date back to the 19th century.

Many great princes and clergy are buried in the cathedral, some of them great martyrs. Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest are also buried here. The temple contains particles of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky. The cathedral is operational and services are held there. Anyone can come here.

The white stone Cathedrals of Dmitrievsky and Assumption - they will tell you ancient history Rus'. These are the precious stones of ancient Russian architecture on the Golden Ring of Russia.

Video about the external decoration of the cathedral

After watching this video, you will be able to appreciate appearance Dmitrievsky Cathedral.

Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir, built in the 12th century, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its unique white stone carvings with fantastic animals, birds and plants combine Christian and pagan themes and amaze the imagination. Inside, frescoes from the 12th century have been preserved. The cathedral is a branch of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.

History of the temple

Demetrius Cathedral was built under the younger brother of Andrei Bogolyubsky - Vsevolod the Big Nest, the most powerful Russian prince of the 12th century. This is how he is mentioned in “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” Under him, the principality expanded and influenced all Russian lands from Novgorod to Kyiv, his cities grew richer, and arts and crafts flourished in them. The center was the city of Vladimir, chosen as the capital by his older brother Andrei Bogolyubsky. Vsevolod had twelve children - that is why he was called the “Big Nest”, and after his death the principality fragmented and lost its former strength.

Vsevolod the Big Nest continues the work of his brother - strengthening and decorating Vladimir. He renovates the walls of the city, rebuilds and expands the Assumption Cathedral, and builds another one nearby - Dmitrievsky, in honor of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, his patron saint. The cathedral was built in the 90s of the 12th century; scientists argue about its exact dating: perhaps it is 1191, or perhaps 1194-97. Unlike the Assumption Cathedral, the Golden Gate and Bogolyubov, in the creation of which, according to N. Tatishchev, Western masters took part, the Dmitrievsky Cathedral was built only by Russians, the chronicle specifically mentions this. However, the cathedral was built with a clear eye on the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl near Bogolyubov, and its rich carvings have correspondences in medieval architecture Western Europe.

The main shrines of the new temple were some of the clothes of the saint sent directly from Thessaloniki (that is, from the city of Thessalonica). Dmitry of Thessaloniki and the myrrh-streaming “tomb board” - an icon that, according to legend, was written on a board from the tomb of the holy martyr. Vsevolod carried out the veneration of St. Dmitry from Byzantium - he spent his youth in exile in Constantinople, taking refuge with Emperor Manuel. Subsequently, this icon was transferred to Moscow and is now kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

A new icon of St. is also being painted. Dmitry for the Assumption Cathedral - it is now in the Tretyakov Gallery. But according to some scientists, the saint depicted here could have some portrait resemblance to Vsevolod himself. Dmitry is depicted as a warrior ruler - on a throne, wearing a crown and with a sword half pulled out of its scabbard in his hands. A copy of this icon can now be seen on display in the cathedral.

The temple was conceived as a home temple of the princely family. It was small, single-domed, very richly decorated outside and inside, and was part of the palace complex: it was surrounded by galleries through which one could enter the palace. In the 16th century, two chapels were added to the cathedral - St. Nicholas and St. John the Baptist, a porch and a bell tower. However, according to other researchers, two chapels in the form of turrets were here originally, as were the galleries, so the modern appearance of the cathedral is not equal to the original one.

During the 17th-18th centuries, the cathedral was repeatedly burned and renovated, and by the beginning of the 19th century it fell into disrepair. A special commission was appointed, funds were allocated, and the cathedral was once again repaired. It had a classicist portico with columns at the western entrance and a second bell tower.

The current, “primitive” appearance of the cathedral is the result of the restoration of 1838-1847, carried out by order of Nicholas I. The galleries were dismantled, the cathedral was cleaned and re-painted in Nicholas’s favorite white and yellow tones, the dome and walls were reinforced with iron ties. At the same time, old frescoes were discovered - and the cathedral was re-painted, if possible, in the same style. The crumbling white stone reliefs were partially replaced with exact copies.

At the end of the 19th century, heating was installed here - before that the temple was cold, in summer. A small belfry was built nearby.

20th century and present time

After the revolution, the temple was immediately transferred to the museum. A restoration commission headed by the artist Igor Grabar worked there - the same one that cleared the Rublev frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral during these years. I. Grabar rediscovered fragments of frescoes from the 12th century. After the war, excavations around the cathedral were led by Nikolai Voronin, a leading Soviet specialist in ancient Russian architecture and the author of reconstructions of the original appearance of many Vladimir-Suzdal churches.

After the war, museum exhibitions dedicated to the architecture of the Vladimir-Suzdal region were located here, then there was a Gallery of Heroes of the Soviet Union - natives of Vladimir. Now this exhibition is located in the Golden Gate nearby.

Since the mid-70s, the cathedral has been closed for a long restoration, which ended only in 2005. The white limestone, which had been deteriorating over time, was impregnated with a special protective composition, communications were updated, allowing the building to maintain a special temperature regime, and the cross on the dome was replaced.

Now the temple is a branch of the museum, but several times a year, in agreement with museum workers, church services are held there. In the cathedral you can see fragments of paintings preserved from the 12th century: these are “The Last Judgment”, “Procession of the Righteous to Paradise” and “The Virgin Mary”. Researchers see in these frescoes the brush of two different authors. Here is an ancient copy of the icon of Demetrius of Thessaloniki, a copy of a silver casket that was once brought from Thessaloniki and preserved a piece of the saint’s robe, and a four-meter cross taken from the dome - it is now located in the altar of the cathedral.

Roman Illarionovich Vorontsov, Governor-General of Vladimir in 1778-83, brother of the famous diplomat and chancellor Mikhail Vorontsov and father of the Russian envoy in London Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov, is buried here. The Vorontsovs took part in the coup that brought Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne. And under Catherine II, after the reform and the formation of new provinces, Roman Illarionovich became the governor of Vladimir and became famous for bribery and extortion. His burial has been preserved with a sculpture erected in 1804 by his sons - it was made in London by order of his son Semyon, and the pyramid over the tombstone was placed by his grandson, Mikhail Vorontsov, the governor of Novorossiysk, who partly financed the renovation of the cathedral in the mid-19th century. The burial itself is located near the southern wall, but the tombstone was moved to the western during the last restoration.

Stone carving

The most important decoration of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral is its rich stone carving on the two upper tiers of the facades. Just like on the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, there is an image of St. David is a biblical example of a just and wise ruler, both king and priest. He is depicted here three times - defeating a lion and sitting on a lion throne - a similar image is on the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. He is surrounded by eagles, lions and leopards - symbols of power - and blessed by angels.

The northern façade depicts Vsevolod himself with his five sons. He holds the younger Vladimir in his arms and four more - Yaroslav, Svyatoslav, Georgy and Konstantin - stand around.

The southern one is decorated with the most unusual plot from our point of view - “The Ascension of Alexander the Great to Heaven.” This is a medieval Christian legend that tells how Alexander once caught two huge birds, the size of horses, and tried to fly them into the sky. He rose higher and higher until he met another bird, which said in a human voice: “Without knowing earthly things, how can you comprehend heavenly things?” This image of Alexander taking off gained enormous popularity in medieval Europe and was depicted more than once: Alexander was perceived as the ideal image of a great ruler, a unifier of different lands, a healer - that is why he was placed on the princely cathedral. Alexander is depicted not with birds, but with griffins, and holds lion cubs in his hands.

On the western wall are depicted the labors of Hercules - scenes of him defeating a lion, which rhymes with the images of King David defeating the lion and Alexander holding lion cubs.

All the carvings of the cathedral as a whole fit into a single concept, emphasizing the sacredness of princely power. In total, there are more than five hundred different images on the cathedral, most of them are ornamental plants, birds and animals, many of which have a fantastic appearance. It was completely normal for medieval Christians to decorate churches with such semi-pagan images - they revealed the beauty and diversity of the world, and were associated with heraldic princely symbols and, in general, with secular power. Here the Dmitrievsky Cathedral contrasts quite sharply with the much more modestly decorated Assumption Cathedral - it is believed that in this way the tastes of the ancient Russian secular nobility were reflected here. However, some studies interpret the abundance of animals and vegetation as an illustration of the psalm “Let every breath praise the Lord.”

The columnar belt of the cathedral depicts saints, for example, Boris and Gleb, relatives of Vsevolod. The carvings of the cathedral, unfortunately, have not been preserved completely in their original form - over the centuries it has been restored, some fragments were removed and put back in the wrong places, but the main compositions and their meaning remained clear and readable.

On a note

Location: Vladimir, st. Bolshaya Moskovskaya, 60.
How to get there. by train from Kursky Station or by bus from Shchelkovskaya metro station to Vladimir, then by trolleybuses No. 5, 10 and 12 to the city center, or up the stairs to Cathedral Square.
Official website: http://www.vladmuseum.ru/museums/build/37
Opening hours: 11:00-19:00.
Ticket price: adult – 150 rubles, reduced price – 100 rubles.

Address: Russia, Vladimir, st. Bolshaya Moskovskaya, 60
Start of construction: 1194
Completion of construction: 1197
Coordinates: 56°07"45.2"N 40°24"39.3"E
Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation

Content:

Short story

At the beginning of the 12th century, the Suzdal land was a backwater in the north-east of Rus', but already at the beginning of the 13th century it became a principality, playing a decisive role in the life of the country.

Under Vsevolod the Big Nest, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality reaches its greatest power. To commemorate the heyday of the Vladimir land, Vsevolod decided to build his “personal” court temple in the princely courtyard, a hundred meters from the Assumption Cathedral.

General view of the cathedral

Between 1194 - 1197, the prince erected a church decorated with white stone carvings and consecrated it in honor of his heavenly patron, Dmitry of Thessaloniki. In those days, princes bore two names: princely and Christian, given at baptism. Vsevolod got the name Dmitry. For having many children, Vsevolod received the nickname “Big Nest”. By the time the cathedral was built, the prince’s son Dmitry was born, which became another reason to consecrate the temple in honor of the Great Martyr Dmitry.

Demetrius Cathedral - reliquary

Since ancient times, Saint Dmitry was revered as the patron saint of warriors. According to his life, Dmitry held the position of proconsul in the Greek city of Thessaloniki (another name is Thessaloniki, modern Thessaloniki). In addition to the tasks of administration, the proconsul had to defend the city from barbarians and exterminate Christianity. Defending the borders, Dmitry proved himself to be a talented commander, but angered the pagan emperor Galerius by preaching the Christian faith. Dmitry was stabbed with spears in prison, and after execution his body was thrown to be torn to pieces by wild animals, but they did not touch him, and the Christians of Thessalonica buried his remains.

South-eastern façade of the cathedral

While in Thessalonica, the Christian emperor Constantine (306 - 337) founded a church at the site of the execution of the great martyr, in which the relics of Demetrius of Thessalonica are kept to this day. After 8 centuries, Vsevolod the Big Nest, creating a court temple, traveled to Thessaloniki and brought relics from there. The icon of the Great Martyr Dmitry, written, according to legend, on his coffin board, and a piece of clothing soaked in the blood of the saint were chosen as shrines of the Demetrius Cathedral.

Dmitrievsky Cathedral - a monument of white stone architecture

Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir is a Byzantine type of temple with four pillars and three semicircular apses. The building is crowned with a gently sloping gilded dome and an openwork cross. made of slotted gilded copper with a weather vane in the form of a dove. The chronicle reports that Vsevolod invited Russian architects to build the temple and “did not look for German craftsmen.” However, not only Vladimir carvers, but also Greek artists worked on the decoration, so the white stone decoration of the cathedral is dominated by elements characteristic of Western medieval basilicas.

North-eastern façade of the cathedral

The masonry technique, decorative false arches on the facade, perspective portals and windows are borrowed from Romanesque architecture. Initially, the cathedral was surrounded by galleries that connected it with the grand ducal chambers. The passage was dismantled in 1837 - 1839, during the restoration carried out by order of Emperor Nicholas I. Due to the abundance of white stone carvings covering the walls of the temple and the drum of the dome, Demetrius Cathedral is called a “poem in stone”, “a carpet of stone patterns”. 566 carved stones create a bizarre picture of a world where Christian motifs are intertwined with pagan images. On the walls of the temple, the earthly world is presented in all its diversity: real and mythical animals, warlike horsemen, psalmists and saints are depicted here. Carved compositions glorify the greatness of the Vladimir prince, as wise as King David, fearless as Alexander the Great and strong as the biblical hero Samson. The main sculptural composition is David the musician, whom animals and birds listen to. The lions and doves surrounding the king symbolize heaven and earth, and, therefore, David appears in the miniature as the representative of God on earth and personifies the idea of a God-protected state.

Southwestern façade of the cathedral

On the northern facade of the cathedral you can see the creator of the temple himself: on one of the zakomars there is a picture of a man sitting on a throne with a baby on his lap. This is Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest with his youngest son. Next to him are carved figures of his eldest sons. Demetrius Cathedral is much more beautiful on the outside than on the inside. Its interiors are decorated modestly. Of the ancient frescoes of the 12th century, only a fragment of the Last Judgment painting, made by a Greek master and his Russian assistant, has survived. The temple is small, because it was built exclusively for the princely family and was not designed for parishioners and pilgrims. Wide vaults and the calm rhythm of the supporting arches give the interior decoration a strict solemnity.