Yuriev-Polsky. Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity. Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity Yuryev-Polsky. Trinity Cathedral

Iron

In Soviet times, the cathedral was closed and mutilated, the domes were demolished. Now it does not operate, towering as a huge red-brick silhouette next to St. George's Cathedral. And not even all tourists immediately recognize the once majestic cathedral in the building, built at the expense of all residents of Yuryev-Polsky.

From the site http://juriev.ru/Arhitect/troitskij.htm

By the beginning of the 20th century, the main city church, Georgievsky, could no longer accommodate all believers. This was especially felt on the days of great church holidays. At the initiative of Archpriest Alexander Znamensky and parishioners, the construction of the Trinity Cathedral began a little northeast of St. George's Cathedral as a new warm cathedral church in the city. For four years, residents of Yuryev-Polsky collected donations for new construction, and finally, in 1907, the first stone was laid in the foundation of the future cathedral. Its construction was timed to coincide with the tercentenary of the Imperial House of the Romanovs. A little earlier, on March 6, 1903, a meeting of the City Duma took place, at which it was decided to allocate a plot of land for a new cathedral church in the same fence with the existing St. George's Cathedral. It was decided to allocate 432 square sazhens of land for both temples, including the construction of a passage from Cathedral Street to Vladimirsky Trakt. Part of this cobblestone road still exists today.

In November 1903 the plan was ready. On January 21, 1904, the mayor Abrosimov put his approval visa on it. The project of the Trinity Cathedral of Yuryev-Polsky, compiled by the Vladimir diocesan architect Nikolai Dmitrievich Koritsky, was approved by the Construction Committee under the Holy Synod on May 3, 1905. According to him, the temple was supposed to have a "Russian" appearance (now we call this style pseudo-Russian) and three thrones - the central one in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity, the aisles - the Exaltation of the Cross and the Annunciation. The project was implemented exactly, although the work was somewhat delayed due to the constant lack of funds. By the summer of 1905, a certain amount of building materials had been prepared, including 350,000 bricks.

On August 25 this year, work began on the construction of the temple. By October 1, 1905, the foundation for the entire cathedral was laid out to a height of one and a half arshins above the ground. All the money collected by the members of the Construction Commission was used for this work. Significant funds were needed to continue construction. Since the cathedral was built in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, the reigning emperor made a cash contribution of 30,000 rubles. For those times - a considerable amount, given that the cost of a cow in 1911 was 25 rubles. But even such a significant amount of money was not enough to complete the construction work. Early frosts and severe winter affected the unfinished temple. In March 1909, cracks were noticed on the facades. A commission headed by the provincial architect S. Fedorov was seconded from Vladimir to Yuryev-Polsky. In his conclusion, he sentenced the cathedral to total destruction if construction continued. WITH God help and the participation of pious people in 1914, the construction of the cathedral was completed. The work lasted almost seven years, and by December 1914 the building was completed. It looked very massive and majestic. Red brick, rich exterior decor in the form of kokoshniks under the windows and semi-columns between them, stepped cornices, a beautiful entrance porch - all this made a very strong impression. The dimensions of the four-pillar five-domed temple were impressive - it could accommodate two thousand people at once.

Consecration of the main altar in the name Life-Giving Trinity It was held on January 11, 1915 by His Grace, Bishop Eugene of Yuryevsky, with the participation of the cathedral and city clergy. Two days later, on January 13, the rite of consecration of the altar in honor of the Annunciation was performed Holy Mother of God, and on January 18 they consecrated the throne of the southern altar in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. The relics of the right-believing prince Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich and his son schemamonk Demetrius were transferred to this chapel from St. George's Cathedral. On August 23, 1915, the consecration of the throne took place in honor of the Dormition Mother of God in the lower floor of the new cathedral. In 1916, the "Svyatoslav Cross" was placed in the cathedral, transferred from the warm Holy Cross aisle of St. George's Church. The consecration of the Trinity Cathedral was perhaps the last joyful celebration in the pre-revolutionary history of Yuryev-Polsky.

In the mid-1920s, the Trinity Church was robbed, desecrated, and subsequently closed no later than the 1930s. The calorific heating has been dismantled. It is known that in the 1930s the new authorities adapted the cathedral for a power plant, which operated until the mid-1950s. During this period, the building suffered from constant vibration. The Metlakh tiles were broken, the ceilings were eliminated, the temple itself was decapitated and a pipe was installed on the side. Then the premises of the cathedral were used as warehouses for trade organizations. By the 90s of the twentieth century, the building was completely abandoned to the mercy of fate.

Currently, the Holy Trinity Cathedral has been transferred to the Vladimir-Suzdal diocese, but due to the emergency state of the building, services are not held.

From the magazine "Orthodox Temples. Journey to Holy Places". Issue #33, 2013

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity

In 1809, the princely tomb, where the relics of the holy noble princes Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and his son schemamonk Dimitry rested, was rebuilt into a warm Holy Trinity aisle In 1817, another chapel was added to the new chapel - in honor of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. But still, the area of the two warm aisles was insignificant. As noted by the rector of the cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Znamensky, “many inhabitants of the city are deprived of the opportunity to attend the divine services performed in the cathedral and, most regrettably, especially on great holidays. Those who come here to pray are forced to endure unusual stuffiness and crowding, and upon leaving the temple they are in danger of catching a cold. Such cases do happen quite often…”
In view of these circumstances and as a result of the dilapidation of the ceilings in St. George's Cathedral, the question arose of building a new, spacious, warm church in the city. Let's turn to the documents of that time. “The city of Yuryev is very insignificant in terms of population (about 6,000 inhabitants) and, moreover, is poor. Among its inhabitants, with all their zeal for the temples of God, it is impossible to collect even any significant amount needed for such a great cause ... "
Concerned about this and not seeing a way out of the current situation, Archpriest Alexander Znamensky, together with some citizens of the city of Yuryev, turned to the Diocesan Administration. In his appeal, he asked to establish a commission to raise funds for such a great cause. His Eminence Vladyka approved this petition. And on February 6, 1903, he approved the composition of the commission, authorizing it to immediately take action. Firstly, to petition the City Council for a piece of land for the construction of a new cathedral, and secondly, to develop a project and submit it for approval to the diocese. And the last thing is to raise funds for the construction. The commission included the most active residents of our city. The commission was headed by Archpriest Alexander Znamensky, and priest John Kasatkin was entrusted with office work. Mayor Abrosimov, merchants N. Ganshin, A. Ovsyannikov, A. Menshikov, P. Kasatkin were members of the commission, and Pyotr Ponomarev was elected treasurer.

On March 6, 1903, a meeting of the city duma was held, at which a decision was made to allocate a plot of land for a new cathedral church in the same fence with the existing St. George's Cathedral. It was decided to allocate 432 square sazhens of land for both temples, including the construction of a passage from Cathedral Street to Vladimirsky Trakt. Part of this cobblestone road still exists today. The draftsman G. Menshikov was entrusted with shooting from nature and drawing up a plan.

Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity

In November 1903 the plan was ready. On January 21, 1904, the mayor Abrosimov put his approval visa on it. The project of the three-altar church (in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos) was prepared by the architect N.D. Koritsky. On May 3, 1905, the project was approved by the construction committee under the Holy Synod.
By the summer of 1905, the commission had prepared a certain amount of building materials, including 350,000 bricks. By that time, an insignificant amount of money had accumulated in the cash desk, and on August 25 of this year, work began on the construction of the temple. By October 1, 1905, the foundation for the entire cathedral was laid out to a height of one and a half arshins above the ground. All the money collected by the members of the Commission was used for this work. “To continue the work,” writes the chairman of the commission, Father Alexander Znamensky, “very significant funds are needed. But where and how to find them? This is a very difficult question, especially at a time when everyone is seized with an alarming uncertainty about the future.”
The museum keeps a signature sheet for No. 48270, addressed to the mayor of the Poltava province. This message speaks of the involvement of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in our land. The first tsar of the Romanov family, Mikhail, spent his childhood in the village of Kliny. Let us turn to the document: "... from here the Pious Tsar visited the ancient, built in 1234, St. George's Cathedral in the city of Yuryev, for the sake of worshiping the especially revered cross stored here, built by the grandson of Yuri Dolgoruky - Grand Duke Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich, who created the cathedral itself." In reverence for this shrine, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, according to the testimony of ancient acts, let go of his royal generosity everything necessary for the celebration of worship in St. George's Cathedral: "and icons, and books, and candles, and bells, and every church building" ...
Since the cathedral was built in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, the reigning emperor made a cash contribution of 30,000 rubles. For those times - a considerable amount, given that a deposit in the bank in the amount of 1000 rubles was considered the largest, and the cost of a cow in 1911 was 25 rubles. But even such a significant amount of money was not enough to complete the construction work. With this money, reinforced concrete floors were installed; an iconostasis was installed on the lower floor and icons were placed in it. From the text of another subscription list, it can be seen that the cash receipts from the residents of the city and the county have already dried up, and there is still a lot of work to be done. The interior of the cathedral requires plastering, window openings must be framed and glazed, heating must be installed, a tiled floor must be laid out, an iconostasis must be ordered. Further we read: "... under such circumstances, the Construction Commission for the construction of the cathedral in the city of Yuryev appeals to all Orthodox Christians with the most zealous request for help to complete the newly built cathedral church in the city of Yuryev, Vladimir province ..."
Not just a cathedral church was built in our old small town. Either there was not enough money, then workers, then various obstacles from people who were atheistically inclined - the times were already pre-revolutionary, and then suddenly the temple was new, but so majestic, like a temptation from mother nature. The last reason raised the question: to be a cathedral church in the city or not. The year 1908 turned out to be very cold, the summer was full of torrential long rains, the autumn - sleet mixed with rain. Early frosts and severe winter affected the unfinished temple. In March 1909, cracks were noticed on the facades. Reading the documents dedicated to this mournful event, you understand how much the organizers of the construction, father Alexander Znamensky, had to endure, but architect Nikolai Koritsky got it the most. Because in July 1903, in the village of Chaadaev, Murom district, a new extension to the temple collapsed, which was built according to the project of N. Koritsky. After lengthy litigation over the destruction of the extension, the architect was acquitted. And suddenly a huge, still unfinished temple cracked. Koritsky's explanations were not taken into account.

One of the most important commissions was entrusted to head the provincial architect S. Fedorov. In his conclusion, he sentenced the cathedral to total destruction if construction continued. It was tantamount to a death sentence. So much work, effort, trouble, and suddenly: "... the continuation of construction is extremely dangerous in view of the possibility of complete destruction of the temple." In the act of examining the accident and in a report to the Vladimir Spiritual Consistory, architect Koritsky explains the cause of the incident and suggests further actions to eliminate the consequences. Let us turn to the documents: “... it is quite possible to carry out work without any harm to the cathedral church, remove the water formed inside the church from rain and snow into the receiver, temporarily arranging it in the middle of the church”, and more: “... I ignored the advice of the architect Fedorov, whom I recognize as little competent in the construction of such buildings. Koritsky himself personally led the further construction. Reporting to the consistory, he notes: “... according to my personal instructions, the Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky was successfully completed, the domes are covered with iron, and the scaffolding inside is weakened ...
With God's help and the participation of pious Russian people in 1913, the construction of the cathedral was completed. Due to numerous shortcomings, regular service began from the next 1914.
On January 9, 1915, His Grace, His Grace Eugene, Bishop of Yuryev, left Vladimir for Yuryev to consecrate the newly built cathedral.
His Eminence Bishop Eugene of Yuryev on January 10, on his way to Yuryev-Polsky, visited the Assumption parochial school in Ivanovo-Voznesensk, where he tested students in all subjects; then, at the invitation of the trustee of the school, D. G. Burylin, he visited the hospital set up by his own brother, examined the premises here and gave a blessing to the wounded officers and the sick.
The celebration of the consecration of the new cathedral began with an all-night vigil on January 10. Fr. the rector of the cathedral, archpriest A. Znamensky, the cathedral clergy, the priest V. Bogoslovsky who accompanied Vladyka, and two city Yuriev priests - D. Sakharov and K. Tverdislov. After the first kathisma, priest V. Bogoslovsky gave an instruction on the text: “Behold, I stand at the door and understand: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in to him, and I will dine with him, and that one with Me” (Rev. III, twenty). After the all-night vigil, His Eminence was pleased to offer the people a conversation about the beneficent aspects of the present war in order to bring possible peace and tranquility to the grief-stricken hearts of the Russian people.
January 11, the consecration of the cathedral began at 8 am. As on the eve, the temple was filled with worshipers, among whom were representatives of government authorities, city governments, heads of educational institutions, etc. During the consecration in procession around the cathedral, for the first time, a new majestic banner was carried, built by the Society of Banner Bearers of the city of Yuryev. At the end of the consecration, before starting the liturgy, His Eminence deigned to address the worshipers with a word of edification, clarifying the significance of the temple for Christians. After the communion verse, priest K. Tverdislov delivered a sermon appropriate to the occasion. At the end of the liturgy, all the city clergy and the priests of rural parishes who were in the church went out with His Eminence to the prayer service. At the end of the prayer service, His Eminence deigned to bless all the worshipers to the last, and then left the cathedral at 1:45 pm. During the archpastoral blessing, leaflets of religious and moral content were handed out to the people.
After the liturgy, His Grace honored with a visit to the building of the City Public Assembly, where representatives of the city, with the permission of His Eminence, His Eminence Alexy, Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, presented a golden pectoral cross to the chairman of the Construction Commission for the construction of the Cathedral, Archpriest A. Znamensky.
The celebration of the consecration of the majestic new cathedral, the hierarchal service in it, full of touching, solemnly touching and edifying rites, in connection with the beautiful singing of church hymns, as well as the inspired sermon of the Archpastor and pastors, all this produced on the listeners and witnesses of the celebration, undoubtedly, very a strong impression - an impression of extraordinary light in the midst of the usual darkness of a vain life, an impression of holy joy for a suffering conscience, an aching heart. The memories of this triumph will forever remain in the memory of happy eyewitnesses, pious Christians, and for a long time will sound in their hearts as a holy call to a new a better life, a call to light, holiness, bliss.
On January 13, the rite of consecrating the altar in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos was performed, and on January 18, the throne of the southern altar was consecrated in honor of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. As a temple icon of this chapel in the right wing of the middle part of the temple, a white-stone Svyatoslav cross was placed, transferred from the warm Cross Exaltation chapel of St. George's Church, where this cross was also a temple icon.
On August 23, 1915, the consecration of the throne in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God took place in the lower floor of the new cathedral.
On April 11, 1916, by decree of the consistory, under the supervision of the architect-artist K. Dom Romanov, the relics of the right-believing Grand Duke Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich and his son schemamonk Dimitri were transferred from St. George's Cathedral. The white-stone sarcophagus of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was left in its original place, and the relics were transferred to a new cypress coffin, which was enclosed in a new copper, highly artistic work of the cancer. The coffin and reliquary were built by the diligence of the hereditary honorary citizen and his wife Pelageya Pavlovna. The cost of the crayfish was 2500 rubles. The remains of schemamonk Demetrius were transferred in a white-stone sarcophagus, in which a new pine coffin was placed, where the relics of the schemamonk were placed.

The new majestic brick building of the cathedral in the neo-Russian (or pseudo-Russian) style, decorated with rich decor, reminiscent of old Russian carvings, made a strong impression.
The newspaper “Vladimir Diocesan Vedomosti” wrote about it this way: “The new cathedral is majestic and beautiful ... Inside it is completely open and bright enough, it can accommodate more than 2,000 people ... Holy icons in it are of expensive artistic painting. There are no wall paintings in the cathedral. In the chapel on the right side, in a conspicuous place, there is an ancient “Svyatoslav” Crucifixion with those who are present, carved from a single stone and serving as an object of special reverent worship of the city and surrounding residents ..».

1916 is the year of a cruel bloody war. Archpriest Alexander Znamensky writes in his diary: “... fear for the Motherland, for its defenders, for attracting early recruits and militia warriors to the active army. The number of male worshipers in the temple began to noticeably decrease. After each divine service, at the request of the pilgrims, either prayers were performed for the health of loved ones taken to war, or memorial services for the repose of those who laid their lives on the battlefield ... ".

Archpriest Alexander Znamensky was a deputy from the clergy to the district zemstvo assembly, in 1907 he was elected a member of the 3rd State Duma, a member of the Yuryevsky district school council, served as dean. By Easter 1919, the archpriest of St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky, Alexander Znamensky, was awarded a cross with decorations.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Fr. Alexander Znamensky became one of the leaders of Renovationism during diocese of Vladimir. A contemporary priest wrote: “During these years, the clergy themselves introduced a lot of evil into the religious and moral life of the people ... We ourselves, the shepherds of the people, many were not at the height of our calling. In my memory, the first step that outraged me at that time in the fall of our authority in the eyes of the people, at the beginning of the revolution, under Kerensky, was the throwing off of priestly crosses for the needs of the war with Germany. Then smart heads elected from each deanery of the diocese, the fathers of the archpriests and priests, came together for a general diocesan congress. It was probably then run by one of the two leaders now known in the Renovationist church, either Archpriest Znamensky of Yuryevsky, or, now, Archpriest Alexy Rozhdestvensky, Bishop of the Struninskaya factory.
In 1930, at a secret meeting of the Presidium of the Yuryev-Polsky District Executive Committee on the dispossession of part of the population, it was decided: “to additionally municipalize (i.e. take away from the owner) a residential building with two sheds of the former archpriest of St. George’s Cathedral, a former member of the State Duma and the Holy Synod of Znamensky A.V. In Soviet times, the domes of the cathedral were destroyed.
Old-timer Yurieva Fr. Vasily Krylov recalled the last Easter service in the Resurrection Cathedral, when the vicar bishop Chrysogon served.
On January 12, 1931, Archimandrite Khrysogon (Ivanovsky, d. 1938) was ordained Bishop of Yuryevopol. , from March 17, 1937 Bishop of Vladimir. A certain archimandrite served with the bishop, apparently Fr. Sergius (Ozerov, tonsurer of the Valaam Monastery, rector of the Ussuri Holy Trinity Monastery in the Far East) - local and exiled clergymen. The gospel was read in five languages: Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Slavonic and Russian. The son of the Hieromartyr Zosima exiled to Yuryev-Polskaya, Sergei Trubaev recalled: “On that memorable day in 1932, I first met Fr. Sergius (archimandrite Sergius Ozerov) - the abbot of a monastery in the Ussuri region, and earlier - a Valaam monk. One day, when we were leaving the church from the Vespers, my father approached an unusually dressed old priest. He stood at the entrance, leaning on a staff like a traveler. Boots and peasant-style clothes confirmed his wandering. My father respectfully bowed to him, but the elder gave me a friendly blessing. Thus, for the first time, I saw Archimandrite Sergius Ozerov, a man of extraordinary destiny and great spiritual experience, who had found a temporary home on Vladimir land, far from the monastic brotherhood he had gathered and dispersed in the time of persecution.
During the years of settlement in Yuryev-Polsky about. Zosima often visited him. Meetings with him became especially frequent on the summer evenings of 1933. I was waiting for them, attracted by the kindness, cordiality and hospitality of the old man, amazed by the story of his life's path... My soul absorbed the beneficial effect radiated by him, and everything that was then perceived with unflagging attention was deposited in the depths of my memory and subsequently supported me in the terrible years of a new separation. with my father, during the deadly years of the war, and so unexpectedly shone with a bright light when, remembering the old man, I began to look for traces of his last earthly sojourn. More than half a century has passed, but his image has not been obscured by time, he lives in me even now, acquiring more and more specific features in the memory of eyewitnesses about the life feat of two Valaam monks sent by missionaries to the Far East. The meeting with one of them, Archimandrite Sergiy Ozerov, took place shortly before his unknown, suffering death.
In Yuryev-Polsky about. Sergius lived opposite the monastery, behind St. George's Cathedral, if you walk from the embankment, in the last house with a porch in the courtyard and windows overlooking Peter and Paul (now Pervomaiskaya) Street. A small row of wooden houses located inside the ramparts, facing the western wall of the monastery. Behind the houses green gardens. Street noise did not reach here, the fussy traffic on the central square remained aside. They entered the house, climbing the steps of the porch, and with each step the heart sank ... And when he left his cramped room into the dark narrow corridor and hospitably invited him to his monastic chamber, his heart became warm and joyful from the meeting and the unhurried fatherly blessing .
Kindness shone in his senile, slightly blind eyes. Dejected, but unbroken by the persecution he had experienced, he accepted every day and every hour as a gift from God.
Father Sergius hospitably treated him with what he could; what he himself ate in those meager years. Usually a salad of garden greens with thin slices of rye bread appeared on the table, sometimes champignons, collected almost at the porch of the house in a road rut overgrown with grass or on a cliff of a rampart. They drank tea brewed with mint or fragrant currant leaves. And before the treat and after it - a prayer, uttered slowly, in a quiet old voice, every word in it came from the heart and closed in the heart. Blessed old man! Your attention to the aliens, to the interlocutor seemed so great, so significant, as if nothing else occupied or bothered you in those hours.
Neither senile ailments, nor weariness, nor visiting hours could affect your responsiveness. You asked and read in your heart before you were answered. You occupied me with a story about distant Valaam and your offspring, the Ussuri monastery. And what you remembered and talked about entered visibly into the present, was seen as part of your life - not gone, not sunk into oblivion, no, all your companions and associates were always with you, in the temple of your heart ... His room barely accommodated the guest, but left an unforgettable impression with its special inherent world. In the front corner, above the prayer table, there are icons. In the center is a copy of the Mother of God icon "The Embrace of the Father", painted in the monastery, - sent in 1894 from Athos to bless the future monastery, bright, joyful, festive: in the radiance of rays, the Mother of God with the Divine Infant, opening Her arms - the Embrace of the Father ...
After the past decades, you realize: what was said about. Sergius, even if by chance, retained its significance for years to come, not only as being heard then for the first time, but also as determining the direction of life, as a predetermined search, the awakening of spiritual aspirations. He unobtrusively influenced the wise, attracting with warmth and tact, leaving the freedom to choose a life path in order to find that true pearl for which you can reject everything insignificant... his faith and piety, like an even breath, were inconspicuously manifested in all his modest appearance ... "

In the 1930s the new authorities adapted the cathedral for a power plant, which worked until the middle. 50s 20th century During this period, the building suffered from constant vibration. The cathedral was beheaded, the floor was smashed, the ceilings were blown up, and then, out of necessity, the cathedral was closed.
Currently, the Holy Trinity Cathedral has been transferred to the Vladimir-Suzdal diocese. The main city temple requires restoration, complete restoration.

The city of Yuryev-Polsky, despite the name, has nothing to do with Poland. It is located in Russia, Vladimir region. The most interesting and mysterious place is St. George's Cathedral, or as it is also called the temple with an elephant. The city was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky in the middle of the XII century. The prince clearly did not differ in modesty and named him in his honor - Yuryev. And since there were several such cities, the second part of the name specifies the area. It appeared from the word “field”, since the city was located on the Suzdal opolye.

Inspection of the city is best to start with earthen ramparts, which have an almost regular circumference. Behind the ramparts are the main sights of the city: St. Michael the Archangel Yurievsky Monastery, St. George's Cathedral and the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity.

Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky Yuryevsky Monastery

For a symbolic 35 rubles, you can climb the bell tower, but the views from there are not very interesting.

The Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Monastery was founded by Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich in the 13th century. It is known that in 1238 the troops of Batu during the capture of Yuryev-Polsky destroyed the monastery, and for almost two centuries it stood in desolation. The Lithuanians also destroyed the monastery; then the entire archive perished, and the abbot of the monastery had to petition Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich for the tsar to confirm the privileges granted to the monastery by the former sovereigns. Such a certificate was indeed issued. There were many gifts in the monastery from Prince D.M. Pozharsky, who had a fiefdom not far from Yuryev - the village of Luchinskoye. Now the monastery houses a museum.

St. George's Cathedral (Temple with an Elephant)
Every tourist who comes to this city for the first time must play the game "find the elephant". All the walls of the temple are decorated with carved ornaments, but only in one place is a small image of an elephant. Now you will not surprise anyone with an elephant, but where could the image of an elephant come from on a temple of the 13th century? Historians have not yet come to a consensus on this mystery of history.

The elephant is located on the northern wall above the entrance to the temple.

Previously, it was believed that the cathedral was built on the foundation of the white stone church of St. George, which was built in 1152 when the city was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky. Archaeological research recent years showed that the temple of 1152 was located in another place (where exactly is still unknown). Apparently, the original church was not much different in its type from the Vladimir temple of the same name in the courtyard of Dolgoruky, Boris and Gleb in Kideksha near Suzdal, the Savior in Pereslavl-Zalessky.
In 1230, the son of Vsevolod III the Big Nest, Svyatoslav, dismantled the church, which “dilapidated and broke down”, and four years later the construction of the cathedral was completed, according to the chronicler, “the church is wonderfully beautiful, decorate it with carved stone from the sole to the top.”
Not earlier than 1252 and not later than the end of the 14th century, the Trinity Chapel was added to the northeastern corner of the temple, where the burial of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was transferred.
In the 15th century, a significant part of the building collapsed. In 1471, the cathedral was restored by V. D. Yermolin, but lost its original proportions and became much more squat.
After the restoration in 1471 from the cathedral of 1230-1234, the following remained: from the west - the first tier of the narthex and the northern half of the wall to the top of the arcade-columnar belt; from the east - the base of the apses; from the south - a vestibule and adjacent walls (closer to the corners, they survived only up to the basement); from the north - the vestibule and the most significant part of the walls of the cathedral (the arcade-columnar belt survived on the central and western whorls).

Nearby is the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity

The Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity in Yuryev-Polsky was built next to the ancient St. George's Cathedral, between it and the Archangel Michael Monastery. Construction began in 1907, after four years of fundraising for the construction of a large new cathedral in the city. The need for such a cathedral was obvious: St. George's Cathedral, even expanded and rebuilt beyond recognition (it was already “cleared” of alterations by restorers in Soviet times), could not accommodate all believers, especially on holidays. Work on the construction of a new temple was carried out for seven years, and by 1914 the building was completed. The consecration of the temple was somewhat delayed and took place only in 1915.
The new majestic brick building of the cathedral in the neo-Russian (or pseudo-Russian) style, decorated with rich decor, reminiscent of old Russian carvings, made a strong impression. The newspaper "Vladimir Diocesan Vedomosti" wrote about it like this: "The new cathedral is majestic and beautiful ... It can accommodate more than 2,000 people." In the aisle of the new cathedral, the “Svyatoslav Cross” transferred from St. George’s Church, an ancient shrine, very revered by believers, was installed.
In Soviet times, the cathedral was closed and mutilated, the domes were demolished. Now it does not operate, towering as a huge red-brick silhouette next to St. George's Cathedral. And not even all tourists immediately recognize the once majestic cathedral in the building, built at the expense of all residents of Yuryev-Polsky.

Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God
The church is located just a five-minute walk from the monastery on the banks of the Koloksha River.

The Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God in Yuryev-Polsky was built in 1769. The temple on this site has been known since 1712. It was built by the monk of the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk monastery Kirill, and not just built, but erected several wooden cells nearby for the new maiden Pokrovsky monastery. However, the monastery did not exist here for a long time, four nuns were transferred to the Vvedensky Monastery, and the church remained out of work on the bank of the Koloksha. The petition of Yuryev's counselor Grigory Menshikov to the Holy Synod indicates that the monastery existed here before the Lithuanian devastation, and also reports the desolation of the maiden's monastery. It was even proposed to move the church from here. The wooden Church of the Intercession was soon turned into a parish church. In 1768, the temple “due to an oversight of the sexton and the deacon” completely burned down, but the inhabitants of the surrounding houses managed to save books, valuable utensils and icons from the fire. A year later, the parishioners rebuilt their temple in stone. This building has survived to this day: a high five-domed church with numerous carved decorations on the facades and beautiful architraves on the windows. Three thrones were arranged in it: the main one in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and two warm ones - St. Nicholas and the Prophet Elijah. At the end of the 19th century, the church became famous for its extraordinary amateur choir, composed of representatives of the local intelligentsia - doctors, teachers, officials. The organizer of the choir was the veterinarian N.I. Lyubimov. And this choir sang, according to the Vladimir newspaper, quite well. A high four-tier bell tower was added to the church in the second half of the 19th century. It has become one of the high-altitude landmarks in the city, is visible from almost everywhere, and since many churches and bell towers were demolished in Soviet times, it has remained the main high-altitude dominant of Yuryev.

Former Peter and Paul Monastery
The remains of this monastery are located a 20-minute walk north of the Archangel Michael Monastery

Remains of the Church of Peter and Paul

Peter and Paul Bell Tower

You can go into the bell tower and even climb to the top, but unfortunately I didn’t have time to climb to the top, my time was limited and I had to run to the bus. But now I will have a reason to come to this city again.

The Peter and Paul Monastery "near the city of Yuriev" existed since the 16th century as a men's monastery. During the "Lithuanian ruin" it was destroyed and burned. According to other sources, it was founded in the 17th century by Metropolitan Hilarion of Suzdal and Yuriev, and later fell into decay. For a long time there was no monastery here. The wooden parish church of Peter and Paul on this site was rebuilt in the 17th century and for about two centuries existed under the constant threat of closure and even demolition, but each time something happened that saved the church. At the beginning of the 19th century, the church was listed as "standing in the cemetery." In 1825, the Yuryevites filed a petition with the provincial government for the demolition of the dilapidated Peter and Paul Church. The temple was transferred to the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Monastery, and by decree of the Synod in 1830, the completely dilapidated church was demolished. For some time there was a wasteland, which became the property of the peasants of the neighboring village of Fedosina. This land was traded from the peasants by the Yuriev merchant Peter Borodulin, who decided to renew the temple.
In 1843, a grandiose construction began near the city outpost. Merchant Borodulin received permission to build a new large church here in the name of Peter and Paul. The building turned out to be truly magnificent, such as has not yet been in Yuryev-Polsky. However, the huge new five-domed church of Peter and Paul, with a massive light drum in the center, with four domes (also on light drums) at the corners, with huge, high portals, in the Byzantine style, with three altars, turned out to be almost twenty years without a parish. new life he was given a big city fire in 1871, which destroyed the women's Vvedensky monastery. The nuns who remained literally on the street received permission to occupy the Peter and Paul Church, which later became the cathedral church of the monastery. Since 1874, the monastery, which settled in a new place, officially began to be called Peter and Paul. Assumption warm church of the monastery was built around the same time. Now it is difficult to recognize it in the remaining ruins, overgrown with trees and shrubs, but then it was a rather spacious beautiful church in the neo-Russian style, crowned with one cupola on a hipped roof.
The huge five-tiered bell tower is the best preserved in the monastery. Now she is deprived of a head, but this has not lost her splendor. Built at the end of the 19th century in the same neo-Russian (Byzantine) style as the entire monastery, it is richly decorated with various carvings, and each tier has its own special arched openings and decor. Abbess Claudia, who did a lot for the monastery, took care of the construction of the bell tower. Through her efforts, in 1898, an almshouse was opened in the monastery, and a little earlier, a school for girls, and with a kind of boarding school for those students who lived far away. The school taught the Law of God, writing, arithmetic, literacy, sewing and needlework. In the 1920s, the monastery was abolished, and in 1925 all the bells were sold for non-ferrous metal. Now in the once well-maintained and beautiful monastery courtyard there are boxes of garages, the cathedral and the refectory church are deprived of a roof and are being destroyed.

Nearby is the Church of the Ascension.

The modest Ascension cemetery church was built in 1780 with funds raised by the townspeople. This is a typical provincial church with a long refectory, carved architraves and multi-layered cornices, with false zakomara, characteristic mainly of the architecture of the 17th century, but in the province it lasted until the 19th century. In 1840, a two-tiered classicism bell tower with a high spire was added to the church. There were three thrones in the church: the main Ascension and two warm, or "winter" ones: Peter and Paul and Sergius of Radonezh. Now it is being slowly restored.

A block from here is another church - the Church of the Nativity

The Church of the Nativity of Christ was built at the beginning of the 18th century on the site of the former wooden one. The lane in which the temple stood was called Kokushkin and Kozmodemyansky. It received its last name from the temple, which the locals knew more as Kosmodamian, after the dedication of one of the aisles. There is an assumption that initially the entire temple was consecrated in honor of Cosmas and Damian, and only at the end of the 18th century, after the addition of the bell tower, it was re-consecrated in the name of the Nativity of Christ. The aisles in the temple were dedicated to Paraskeva Pyatnitsa and Saints Cosmas and Damian. It was a summer, or "cold" church - a relatively low quadruple topped with five large drums with onion domes. A low refectory with a three-tiered massive bell tower was attached to the quadrangle, on which there was even a clock. The bell tower has not been preserved; it was completely destroyed during the Soviet era. The chetvertik of the temple is decorated with false zakomaras in the upper part, and all the facades are divided into three parts by small blades. The already high drums are raised due to the kokoshniks surrounding each drum.

Yuriev-Polsky. Trinity soboR

The Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity in Yuryev-Polsky was built next to the ancient St. George's Cathedral, between it and the Archangel Michael Monastery. Construction began in 1907, after four years of fundraising for the construction of a large new cathedral in the city. The need for such a cathedral was obvious: St. George's Cathedral, even expanded and rebuilt beyond recognition (it was already “cleared” of alterations by restorers in Soviet times), could not accommodate all believers, especially on holidays. Work on the construction of a new temple was carried out for seven years, and by 1914 the building was completed. The consecration of the temple was somewhat delayed and took place only in 1915.
The new majestic brick building of the cathedral in the neo-Russian (or pseudo-Russian) style, decorated with rich decor, reminiscent of old Russian carvings, made a strong impression. The newspaper "Vladimir Diocesan Vedomosti" wrote about it like this: "The new cathedral is majestic and beautiful ... It can accommodate more than 2,000 people." In the aisle of the new cathedral, the “Svyatoslav Cross” transferred from St. George’s Church, an ancient shrine, very revered by believers, was installed.
In Soviet times, the cathedral was closed and mutilated, the domes were demolished. Now it is not active, towering in a huge red-brick silhouette next to St. George's Cathedral. And not even all tourists immediately recognize the once majestic cathedral in the building, built at the expense of all residents of Yuryev-Polsky.

The address: Yuryev-Polsky, Museum lane, 2

The city of Yuryev-Polsky, despite the name, has nothing to do with Poland. It is located in Russia, in the Vladimir region. The most interesting and mysterious place is St. George's Cathedral, or as it is also called the temple with an elephant. The city was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky in the middle of the XII century. The prince clearly did not differ in modesty and named him in his honor - Yuryev. And since there were several such cities, the second part of the name specifies the area. It appeared from the word “field”, since the city was located on the Suzdal opolye.

Inspection of the city is best to start with earthen ramparts, which have an almost regular circumference. Behind the ramparts are the main sights of the city: St. Michael the Archangel Yurievsky Monastery, St. George's Cathedral and the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity.

Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky Yuryevsky Monastery

For a symbolic 35 rubles, you can climb the bell tower, but the views from there are not very interesting.

The elephant is located on the northern wall above the entrance to the temple.

Previously, it was believed that the cathedral was built on the foundation of the white stone church of St. George, which was built in 1152 when the city was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky. Archaeological studies of recent years have shown that the temple of 1152 was located in a different place (where exactly is still unknown). Apparently, the original church was not much different in its type from the Vladimir temple of the same name in the courtyard of Dolgoruky, Boris and Gleb in Kideksha near Suzdal, the Savior in Pereslavl-Zalessky.
In 1230, the son of Vsevolod III the Big Nest, Svyatoslav, dismantled the church, which “dilapidated and broke down”, and four years later the construction of the cathedral was completed, according to the chronicler, “the church is wonderfully beautiful, decorate it with carved stone from the sole to the top.”
Not earlier than 1252 and not later than the end of the 14th century, the Trinity Chapel was added to the northeastern corner of the temple, where the burial of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was transferred.
In the 15th century, a significant part of the building collapsed. In 1471, the cathedral was restored by V. D. Yermolin, but lost its original proportions and became much more squat.
After the restoration in 1471 from the cathedral of 1230-1234, the following remained: from the west - the first tier of the narthex and the northern half of the wall to the top of the arcade-columnar belt; from the east - the base of the apses; from the south - a vestibule and adjacent walls (closer to the corners, they survived only up to the basement); from the north - the vestibule and the most significant part of the walls of the cathedral (the arcade-columnar belt survived on the central and western whorls).

Nearby is the Cathedral of the Life-Giving Trinity

Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God
The church is located just a five-minute walk from the monastery on the banks of the Koloksha River.

Former Peter and Paul Monastery
The remains of this monastery are located a 20-minute walk north of the Archangel Michael Monastery

Remains of the Church of Peter and Paul

Peter and Paul Bell Tower

The Peter and Paul Monastery "near the city of Yuriev" existed since the 16th century as a men's monastery. During the "Lithuanian ruin" it was destroyed and burned. According to other sources, it was founded in the 17th century by Metropolitan Hilarion of Suzdal and Yuriev, and later fell into decay. For a long time there was no monastery here. The wooden parish church of Peter and Paul on this site was rebuilt in the 17th century and for about two centuries existed under the constant threat of closure and even demolition, but each time something happened that saved the church. At the beginning of the 19th century, the church was listed as "standing in the cemetery." In 1825, the Yuryevites filed a petition with the provincial government for the demolition of the dilapidated Peter and Paul Church. The temple was transferred to the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Monastery, and by decree of the Synod in 1830, the completely dilapidated church was demolished. For some time there was a wasteland, which became the property of the peasants of the neighboring village of Fedosina. This land was traded from the peasants by the Yuriev merchant Peter Borodulin, who decided to renew the temple.
In 1843, a grandiose construction began near the city outpost. Merchant Borodulin received permission to build a new large church here in the name of Peter and Paul. The building turned out to be truly magnificent, such as has not yet been in Yuryev-Polsky. However, the huge new five-domed church of Peter and Paul, with a massive light drum in the center, with four domes (also on light drums) at the corners, with huge, high portals, in the Byzantine style, with three altars, turned out to be almost twenty years without a parish. It was given new life by a great city fire in 1871, which destroyed the women's Vvedensky Monastery. The nuns who remained literally on the street received permission to occupy the Peter and Paul Church, which later became the cathedral church of the monastery. Since 1874, the monastery, which settled in a new place, officially began to be called Peter and Paul. Assumption warm church of the monastery was built around the same time. Now it is difficult to recognize it in the remaining ruins, overgrown with trees and shrubs, but then it was a rather spacious beautiful church in the neo-Russian style, crowned with one cupola on a hipped roof.
The huge five-tiered bell tower is the best preserved in the monastery. Now she is deprived of a head, but this has not lost her splendor. Built at the end of the 19th century in the same neo-Russian (Byzantine) style as the entire monastery, it is richly decorated with various carvings, and each tier has its own special arched openings and decor. Abbess Claudia, who did a lot for the monastery, took care of the construction of the bell tower. Through her efforts, in 1898, an almshouse was opened in the monastery, and a little earlier, a school for girls, and with a kind of boarding school for those students who lived far away. The school taught the Law of God, writing, arithmetic, literacy, sewing and needlework. In the 1920s, the monastery was abolished, and in 1925 all the bells were sold for non-ferrous metal. Now in the once well-maintained and beautiful monastery courtyard there are boxes of garages, the cathedral and the refectory church are deprived of a roof and are being destroyed.

Nearby is the Church of the Ascension.

A block from here is another church - the Church of the Nativity