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Inactive cathedral

The Great Prince of Vladimir Vsevolod (baptized Dmitry) dedicated the cathedral to his heavenly patron - the holy great martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica. The creation of the reliquary could have been conceived by him long before his accession to the Vladimir throne. As an eight-year-old child, Vsevolod-Dmitry, with his mother and brothers, left Rus', expelled in 1162 by his older brother, the “autocratic” Andrei Bogolyubsky. Vsevolod's mother, a Byzantine princess, settled in Constantinople, at the court of Emperor Manuel Komnenos, where Saint Demetrius was revered as the patron saint of the imperial family. The city of Thessalonica (Thessalonica) was famous for the Basilica of Demetrius of Thessalonica, where his relics were kept. Vsevolod spent 7 years in exile. Having returned to his homeland and having taken a strong position on the Vladimir throne, having achieved priority among the Russian princes and having restored the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir after the fire, Vsevolod carried out his plan - the construction of the palace Demetrius Church.

According to N.N. Voronin, built in 1194-1197; according to chronicle data discovered in the 1990s. T.P. Timofeeva, in 1191

“Tomb Board” - a Byzantine icon depicting Demetrius of Thessaloniki was brought to the Demetrius Cathedral in 1197 from the Basilica of St. Demetrius in the city of Thessalonica, from the tomb of the saint. A “shirt” was kept in a chased silver reliquary - a piece of clothing soaked in the blood of a martyr. The building itself was supposed to resemble a precious reliquary. So Vladimir turned into “Second Thessalonica”.
The chronicler reports the construction of the temple as follows:
“Grand Duke Vsevolod, named in Holy Baptism Dmitry, son of Gyurchev, made the church beautiful in his courtyard of the holy martyr Dmitry, and wonderfully decorated it with icons and writings and brought the tomb plaque from Seluni of the Holy Martyr Dmitry, the myrrh constantly sharpening for the health of the weak, in that put up the church, and put the same martyr’s shirt tighter.”
The icon was in Vladimir until the end. XIV century In 1380, the year of the Battle of Kulikovo, or in 1390-1400, under Metropolitan Cyprian, the icon was moved to Moscow. In 1517 painting was “renewed”. In 1701, the icon was again “renewed” by the master of the Armory Chamber, Kirill Ulanov, repeating the original image. An ancient “grave board” with a record dated 1701 is kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

It is generally accepted that St. Demetrius Cathedral was built on the model Churches in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built Andrey Bogolyubsky in 1164 at the mouth of the Nerl River.

Reconstruction

Built at the Grand Duke's court, Demetrievsky Cathedral was surrounded by palace buildings, but nothing remained of them. During the restoration of the cathedral in the 19th century. On the north side, traces of ancient extensions were found, similar to those in the Grand Duke's palace in Bogolyubovo, and on the south side there were signs of a sealed entrance, through which the Grand Duke's family could probably go straight to the choir.
Of course, all the disasters experienced by the city of Vladimir during its long historical existence did not escape the Demetrius Cathedral. During the invasion of Batu, and during the devastation carried out at different times by the Tatars, Lithuanians and Poles, the cathedral temple was subjected to the sad fate of plunder along with other churches of the city, but even having lost almost all of its internal decorations, it still retained the ancient walls with all external decorations.

Dmitry Solunsky. Con. XII – beginning XIII century

The icon was painted by order of the Great Prince of Vladimir Vsevolod Dmitry the Big Nest for the city of Dmitrov almost simultaneously with the bringing of the “grave board” to Vladimir. Dmitrov was founded by the Suzdal prince Yuri Dolgoruky in the year of his birth (1154) and in honor of his son, Vsevolod-Dmitry. The icon has preserved the original painting - a beautiful image of a young saint sitting on a throne with a sword in his hand, in the pose of a ruler and triumphant. Located in the State Tretyakov Gallery.
In 1380, the Demetrius Cathedral lost its main shrine - the coffin plaque of St. Dmitry of Thessaloniki, which, by order of the Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich, was transferred to the Moscow Assumption Cathedral and placed near the tomb with the relics of St. Philip.
The Grand Dukes of Moscow did not ignore the St. Demetrius Cathedral. In the letter of complaint of Grand Duke Vasily IV Ioannovich for 1515, in which he favors “his priests who serve at his cathedral church of St. Demetrius in Vladimir inside the city in his yard.” According to this charter, there were 4 priests and 2 deacons at the cathedral, who enjoyed special rights and privileges: “no one could judge them except the Grand Duke himself, or the boyar appointed by him; they were freed from all duties and had the right to cut down their own forest for firewood or for buildings wherever they wished.”
During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, probably in memory of his repeated visits to Vladimir, extensions were made of white stone on three sides to the cathedral. In the north was placed chapel in honor of St. Nicholas, in the south - in honor beheading of John the Baptist, an extensive porch was built on the western side.
On October 30, 1719, the Demetrius Cathedral was engulfed in flames, and in the St. Nicholas chapel both the throne and “everything else without a trace” burned down, and the wooden roof and all the icons on the cathedral burned down.
On February 28, 1720, the cathedral priest Ivan Vasiliev and his brethren submitted a petition to the monastery order, in which they explained that the St. Demetrius Cathedral, built in 1191 with carved white stone and covered with copper, with a gilded dome, which had suffered so much from the fire, could not be restored by means of the clergy, since “one village given to that church, Kerpchino (Fryazino), gives rent four rubles per year, and the dachas have not given cash and grain salaries for more than 20 years.”
Upon inspection in 1756 by the keymaster of the Assumption Cathedral, Ioann Ioanov, of the side-chapel of the Nicholas Church, it turned out: “on the head there is an iron cross with radiance, with a gilded crown, the head is covered with mottled green tiles, the entrance to the church is lined with white stone with ledges, the outer doors are wooden, folding, on hooks and iron hinges, internal doors - glass, carpentry. In this chapel, the royal doors are also carpentry and, moreover, gilded and on them are images - the Annunciation and the four evangelists; in the iconostasis on the right side there is an image of the Savior, Nicholas the Wonderworker, three saints and other saints, and on the left there is an image of the Mother of God; on the southern altar doors there are icons of the Archangel Michael and the Baptist and St. V. K. Vladimirskikh. In the second tier of the image are the Fatherland of the Lord and the 12 apostles. The iconostasis of the chapel was gilded, the vessels were silver, and others were made of pure tin. In addition, there were two tin candlesticks, and copper lamps in front of the icons.”
In 1760 there was a fire in the cathedral. According to the inventory of church property, an antimension remained in the cathedral, newly corrected in 1755; the canopy that was above the throne in a wooden hoop, covered with white canvas, on iron hooks, was removed due to its disrepair.
In 1778, priest Vasily Andreev, explaining that the iconostasis with some local icons had burned due to fires in the past and that the icons repaired from damage had become dilapidated, and that there were no icons in the upper parts of the iconostasis, and the robes of the throne and altar were unusable, asked for replenishment utensils and repairing dilapidated items for the amount collected from donors, which was allowed to him.
In 1788, the priest of the cathedral Afanasiev and Deacon Vasiliev reported to Rev. Jerome, that in fulfillment of his order, the old iconostasis was replaced with a new one, the icons were rewritten, the floor in the altar was raised and everything necessary for the consecration was prepared.
September 21, 1804 Chief Prosecutor St. Synod Prince Golitsyn, informing Rev. Xenophon, that the Dmitrievsky Cathedral had fallen into extreme disrepair and the building was in danger of falling, asked for an examination of it and the presentation of an estimate for repairs. According to the inspection, the dilapidations in the cathedral were as follows: in the altar and chapels with choirs, the floor was broken brick, on the walls of the church the whitewash was crumbling in places, especially inside, the dust from the brick floors with lime had become stronger, the doors on the west side and on the midnight planks were weak and the work of the latter; at one of them the stone porch made of white stone is falling down, and at the other there is no door at all. Inside and outside the church, due to former fires, the white carved stone from which the entire church is made, in many places, and especially outside, excluding the ancient historical carvings, has cracked and burned in places and is therefore falling; In the church, the passage to the choir is also made in the wrong place during changes. The wooden roofing of the entire church, altars and chapels had fallen into extreme disrepair. The iconostasis in the present and the side church is not gilded and in some places is dilapidated.
In 1805, by the highest permission, 8 thousand rubles were allocated to correct the dilapidation of the cathedral. at the complete disposal of the Reverend. Xenophon. A special commission was appointed to correct the dilapidation.
Amendments and improvements were made in the cathedral: the iconostasis was gilded with a new superstructure on the upper tier, the royal gates were made, trophies were carved on all pilasters, there was an alagrek in the frieze, with burrs, on panels, at the top of the iconostasis the New and Old Testaments were carved in frames; the royal doors, canopy and choir are gilded with red gold, the iconostasis is painted and varnished; in the southwestern and northwestern corners above the ancient chapels Bell tower(second), and on the western side - attached porch with columns; the entire roof was lathed, both on the cathedral and on the side chapels, on the two pediments and bell towers; four chapters are made of one dome; two bell towers have staircases with turns; the cathedral is plastered inside and two new ones above the porches with pediment bell towers; a cornice was made inside the cathedral near the dome; outside the fallen stone and carvings have been repaired and painted; the roof of the cathedral is covered with smooth iron, covered with a checkered pattern with chapels and two bell towers and porches in a ridge, pediment porches and two domes above the chapels with white iron on a wooden lattice, covered with iron rafters and supports; the old dome on the church was repainted with old material in a rivet and a valance was made around the entire roof and crosses were re-installed on all the domes; at the cathedral there are two stone porches, of which on one there is a pediment with eight columns, the bases, capitals and steps are made of white stone with cornices, on the right wall in symmetry to the old bell tower with a vault; in the refectory of the chapel of the St. Nicholas Church there was an arch and a vault was built into it on the bell tower and a passage was made; chapters were made again on both aisles.

Dmitrievsky Cathedral with galleries. Watercolor F.D. Dmitriev from a drawing by F.G. Solntseva 1831

According to recollections conveyed by D.A. Vinogradov, the Dmitrievsky Cathedral, before bringing it to its original form, appeared in the following form: “In the three altar apses there were three large windows, one large window was on the western side. The side extensions rose to the level of the windows of the ancient temple, that is, up to half of the main entrance. The extension to the western side had the shape of a refectory, adjacent to which was a porch with five or six steps. The refectory building occupied almost the entire space, now enclosed by an iron grille. Two bell towers rose above the two corners of the meal. The southern part of the meal had a stove that heated the Ivanovo chapel; in the northern one a staircase was built leading to the choir through a made door (probably later turned into a window). From the main temple on the inside, the meal was separated from the bases of the bell towers by a brick wall. The entrance to the meal was located on the side of the main entrance to the temple. On the sides of this entrance there were two walls, which, in connection with the wall of compartments for the bell towers, formed a kind of porch, which served as a room for pilgrims who did not have the opportunity to be in the temple itself. According to the inventory of 1781, the head of the cathedral was at that time upholstered in copper and gilded, the temple itself was covered with planks, and a new white iconostasis “not yet depicted in icon writing” was installed inside it.
In this form, the Demetrius Cathedral existed until 1834.

Restoration of Dmitrievsky Cathedral

During his return from Kazan to St. Petersburg, the city of Vladimir was visited by the Russian Emperor Nicholas I. Nicholas I examined the Dmitrievsky Cathedral inside and at the same time paid special attention to the relief images of lions under the arches on the pillars, examined the external reliefs of the cathedral and, pointing out the inappropriateness chapels and extensions to the temple, ordered them to be demolished and the cathedral restored to its original form. This order was given directly to the Vladimir governor Lansky.
The drawn up plan and estimate for the restoration of the cathedral were presented to the Holy Synod and by decree of November 24, 1836, the plan, upon approval by the main department of communications and public buildings, was approved, and by decree of the Holy Synod of January 31, 1838 it was The estimate was also returned, and it was given to know that 24,455 rubles were ordered to be released from the treasury for the reconstruction of the cathedral. 45 kopecks banknotes (6987 rubles. 27 kopecks in silver).
Before the start of work, the thrones and altars were moved from two chapels to the main temple; utensils, sacristy, iconostasis and all icons - to the Cathedral and to the convent.
The entrance doors were sealed and the area around the temple was fenced off. The old iron and glaze from the broken chapels were bought by the priest of the village of Gorits, for the temple being built in the village, and all the rubble and brick that remained after the bell towers were broken, except for the white stone, were bought by the contractor Medvedkin. The bells from one bell tower were removed back in 1810, by order of the Reverend. Xenophon of Vladimir, so that in the Dmitrievsky Cathedral there will be the same bell ringing as the Cathedral. Four bells were removed, of which the first was 91 poods 20 pounds, the second, with the Latin inscription 5 poods 20 pounds, the third - 1 pood 24 pounds. and in the fourth - 13 pounds.
In September 1839, the stone work was completed by a peasant from the village of Poretsky, contractor Medvedkin, and according to the testimony of a member of the Provincial Construction Commission, Stelitsky dated October 25, 1839, they were found to be durable.
By decree of St. The Synod of May 30, 1841 approved an estimate of 6,063 rubles. 52 kopecks silver on the device of the iconostasis.
On September 10, 1841, the diocesan authorities provided the commission with “the old plaster in the altar, the church and the choir in all places should be removed, uneven stones should be hewn where necessary and all the walls should be ground as needed for painting.”
Upon inspection of the roof and dome of the cathedral, it turned out that the rafters in the castles were rotten, the iron was rusty in places, and cracks were found in the dome. The contractor, having taken 2 thousand rubles for the work, set the condition that the unusable iron be given to him and that in order to strengthen the dome, he was allowed to use the old iron left over from the destruction of the aisles. The dome was connected by two cross-shaped ties. The roof was covered and painted with verdigris, drainpipes were installed, and the cracks were sealed with alabaster. When dismantling the extensions on the southern and northern sides of the cathedral, large dilapidations were discovered, which it was decided to correct only on the western side, and to “clear” the rest. “The disrepair was extreme” and especially in the corner arches of the western side, at the location of the bell tower, which were in danger of destruction. The walls above the arches above the doors have moved away, and on the north side there are traces of water seepage; Cracks were noticed in the altar and especially in the vaults of the wall of the southern section. These damages threatened the building with destruction, but were not noticed in a timely manner by the provincial architect, who did not include the costs of making these corrections in the estimate.
The newly appointed architect Nikiforov, after the death of the previous one, recognized the need to strengthen the walls of the cathedral with iron ties, which had not previously been in the cathedral building. The walls were punched 3 inches deep for bolting the ties into the butt, with embedding in the plane of the walls for 28 linear fathoms. St. was additionally released for these works. Synod 2 thousand rubles. silver In addition, 2,500 poods were spent on strengthening columns and stones. alabaster and carved iron 9 pounds. 7 lb. Upon completion of the stone work, a new iconostasis was built, which, with the icons in it, was recognized as not corresponding to the antiquity of the cathedral, and therefore a new drawing was drawn up, taken from the iconostasis of the Suzdal Nativity Cathedral, and a plan was drawn up for painting the icons and walls with paintings in the Greek style. 8 thousand rubles were paid to correct the previous iconostasis. banknotes, for painting icons - 7690 rubles. assign. and for painting walls - 6,500 rubles.
In the summer of 1843, the craftsmen began work and began preparing the walls for painting. The craftsmen “forged” the walls so diligently that even the white stone was chipped off “in large pieces.” Architect Nikiforov in his report explained the reasons for the damage to the building, without raising the issue of destroying the frescoes, but explained the crushing of the stone as the carelessness and negligence of workers who beat off the plaster by “forging” the walls in early spring, when the stone was just beginning to thaw.

Photos of ancient paintings exposed under several layers of plaster during the restoration of the cathedral

Section of St. Demetrius Cathedral

On June 30, 1843, on the western side of the cathedral, in the arch, under two layers of plaster, traces of ancient painting were discovered, which was reported to St. by Archbishop Parthenius. The Synod, with the presentation of the drawing of the image, and the governor presented it to the Minister of Internal Affairs, according to whose report the Emperor ordered: to send the painter to restore the painting, if possible in its previous form. Archbishop Parthenius asked permission from the saint. Synod to apply parts of the previous, removed plaster to some damaged areas of the frescoes and, after correction, if possible, clean them, and paint the image of the sky at the top of the vault again, in relation to the remains of the drawing in the upper part of the fresco. In pursuance of the Highest command, the Minister of the Imperial Court, Prince Volkonsky sent Academician Solntsev to Vladimir. Solntsev, after reviewing the painting, recognized it as dating back to the 12th century. and depicting the Last Judgment and left it to the painter Safonov to correct it.
On September 30, 1843, the construction commission reported that “the internal walls of the cathedral are smoothly bound from top to bottom, rubbed with alabaster, painted with iconographic Greek writing in oil on putty made of Eralevsky soil with chalk.” The hopeless simplicity of the authors of this report is fully consistent with the primitive methods of restoration. 1,500 rubles were spent on preparing the walls for painting. ser. and 20 bags of rye flour for food for the craftsmen. This amount was spent for the complete destruction and complete destruction of the fresco painting on the “forged” walls of the Demetrius Cathedral.
From the contract with the Vladimir 1st guild merchant Pyotr Ilyin, one can see a touching concern for durability and complete disregard for the cathedral as a place for preserving antiquities.
Painting of icons and walls of the cathedral, which was performed by the peasant Safonov on June 24, 1844, under the leadership of Academician Solntsev.
August 23, 1844 Minister of Internal Affairs and Chief Prosecutor St. The Synod informed Archbishop Parthenius of permission to “immediately allow the peasant Safonov to resume the ancient painting that was accidentally discovered under the plaster of the Demetrius Cathedral, with payment to him of 150 rubles for his work.” silver." In a report from Archbishop Parthenius dated February 15, 1847, to those present in St. The Synod to Archbishop Gideon states that, according to the instructions of Academician Solntsev, Safonov soon corrected the said paintings.

Dmitrievsky Cathedral after restoration

As a result: the floor level was lowered by more than 1 arshin and the new one was lined with glaze on the ancient foundation; the expanded windows were again given a slit-like shape, frames with glass were inserted into the windows; in the corner of the north-western walls of the cathedral, a spiral oak staircase was built to the choir; black oak was placed at the base of the staircase; 6 doors were made, of which three were oak, lined with iron on the outside and 3 were iron; On February 3, 1843, a sidewalk in front of the cathedral was made of white stone, 1 square meter wide. the arshin and seams are filled with lime; ebb tides were drawn from the walls, leading them behind bars; the outer walls of the cathedral were painted gray; the roof is covered with verdigris, and the copper-gilded dome is cleaned.
By decree of the Synod of December 23, 1846, it was authorized to pay 505 rubles. 26 kopecks on the construction of the throne and altar from cypress boards. On August 24, 1847, Archbishop Parthenius solemnly consecrated the cathedral, with the participation of the elected city clergy and in the presence of Governor Danaurov. During the religious procession from the Cathedral, the vessels were transferred to St. Demetrius Cathedral.
On July 16, 1848, the cathedral priest Izvolsky reported to the archbishop. Parthenius that, as a result of two strong storms, the cross mounted on the dome in brick sways, and water penetrates into the resulting hole, and that the head of the cathedral of the 1st guild, merchant A.N. Nikitin agreed to accept at his own expense the cost of correcting the chapter, with the condition that if the ancient copper sheets turned out to be unsuitable, to make a new covering, placing it on the rafters, and covering the cross and the chapter with red gold. With the permission of St. Synod these works were carried out. On December 10, 1850 the work was completed. The dome was constructed “according to the privileged method of the Starchikov factory, and the roof is covered with gilded mesh, which coating, according to theoretical conclusions, can last much longer than ordinary gilding.” Nikitin donated up to 10 thousand rubles for the reconstruction of the dome. ser. Nikitin also made a contribution to the cathedral: banners, a copper ark, 6 copper lamps, 4 cabinets, 12 stools, 4 candles for local icons, totaling 410 rubles. ser. On March 12, 1852, Nikitin was awarded a gold medal on the Alexander Ribbon.
The gilded mesh on the dome of the cathedral lasted only 7 years. On September 22, 1857, a storm on the western side of the cathedral damaged the roof, and the mesh was bent on all sides, and on the northwestern side was torn off and thrown to the ground. On December 2, 1857, the local dean reported that the damage had been repaired.
The temple was not heated. On October 26, the day of the temple holiday, the doors of the cathedral were opened and the church service was solemnly performed for the last time, and then the temple was closed again until warmer weather arrived.

View from the east. Kukushkin V.G. 1876-1881

In 1883, pneumatic heating was installed, “with the care and diligence” of the cathedral archpriest V.V. Kosatkin and the cathedral elder, merchant V.N. Muravkina. The location chosen for the installation of the furnace and chimney was on the south side, at a distance of two fathoms from the temple; The wires that draw in heated air from the furnace, as well as draw cold air from the temple into the furnace, are laid under the southern cathedral door, at a depth of one arshin. The heated air was fed through channels into two iron cabinets with holes, from which the warm air passed from the furnace to the temple. These cabinets are up to 3 arshins high, and 5 elongated holes are led to the floor in the form of gratings. With this arrangement, not only the appearance of the temple, but also its building itself remained completely intact. In order to close the chimney of the chimney and have constant security and surveillance at the cathedral, it was decided to erect a belfry in the style of Byzantine churches and in the form of three arches crowned with a head, modeled on the head of the cathedral and in general contours similar to the outlines of the cathedral itself. 1,530 rubles were collected from donors. 66 kopecks, the missing amount was filled by Muravkin, who acquired a bell ringing with a total weight of up to 200 pounds. Before this, the ringing was carried out in one bell, weighing up to 10 pounds, located on the outer western side of the outermost window of the temple.
The cathedral was covered with white paint, the reliefs were cleared and shaded with brown-gray oil paint, which they were covered with to protect the stone from weathering. On both sides of the solea, choirs were built to house icon cases for the ancient icon of St. much Demetrius and for the newly built St. led much Panteleimon. In 1897, these icon cases were gilded, and the society of banner bearers built a silver chasuble worth 1,000 rubles for the temple icon.
In 1892, the iconostasis was gilded in all parts, the icons were restored and the crowns were covered with gold.
In 1896, the iconostasis was cleaned, the wall painting was renewed, the stoves for heating the cathedral were rebuilt and a new floor made of metlakh slabs was installed. The walls of the cathedral inside, in the lower part, were lined with red cloth, with a border made of baguette.
“There is only one throne in the cathedral in the name of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Of the objects remarkable for their antiquity or in any other respect, the following have been preserved in the cathedral: 1) An ancient gold-embroidered banner, taken after the restoration of the cathedral from the ancient city of Suzdal. 2) Wooden turned candlestick from 1604. 3) Gospel from 1658 - the former Spassky-Zlatovrat Monastery in Vladimir. 4) Silver chalice and paten, granted to the cathedral by Tsarevna Maria Alekseevna with the inscription on the chalice: “In September 1714, under the power of the most pious Sovereign, Tsar Grand Duke Peter Alekseevich of All Russia, the autocrat, through the diligence of the noble Empress Tsarevna and Grand Duchess Maria Alekseevna, built a chalice in the city of Vladimir in Church of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki." 5) Silver-gilded, arranged according to ancient drawings, a chalice, paten, star, spoon, two plates, a spear and a ladle for warmth, granted by Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich and Empress Maria Alexandrovna in 1845 when His Majesty was Heir to the Throne, and 6) Letter of Grant Grand Duke Vasily IV Ioannovich, written on parchment on March 4, 1515.
The clergy according to the staff are: priest, deacon and psalm-reader. According to plans of 1760 and 1770 According to the cathedral, the land belongs to: a) arable land 59 des. 1862 sq. soot., b) haymaking 95 dess., of which 2 des. It went under the line of the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod railway, and 8 dessiatines of the garden. 2088 pp. The contents of the bill are: rent for land, interest on capital 2043 rubles. and income from services and corrections - in total more than 1600 rubles. There are no church houses for clergy. There is no arrival.”
/Historical and statistical description of churches and parishes of the Vladimir diocese. 1896/

On December 1, 1902, V.E. became the headman of the cathedral. Vasiliev. In 1906, at the expense of Vasiliev, the iconostasis and wall paintings of the cathedral were updated and various items of church utensils were purchased.

In plan, the Demetrius Cathedral looks like an oblong quadrangle, the narrow sides of which face east and west; with three semicircular projections on the eastern altar side, of which the middle one is larger than the outer ones. The head of the cathedral is helmet-shaped, with a ball with a cross on top. The cross is four-pointed, slotted, gilded, resting on a crescent, with a dove at the very top of the cross.
The main attraction of the cathedral is its walls, completely covered with relief images of the Lord, the Mother of God, angels, saints, figures of various kinds of animals and plants, etc. The meaning and significance of these sculptural images has not yet been established with certainty.
Count Stroganov, who wrote a special article at the Demetrius Cathedral, made a different assumption. He thinks that most of the main decorations relate to events from the life of the holy great martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, who was proconsul in Macedonia, - relates to the localities of Macedonia and to the actions of the circus.
For example, a lion tearing apart a deer, wild boar, and bull is on the medals of the city of Ahanti; two centaurs with a branch in their hands, an archer with a bow in their hands - on the medals of Ameripolis; a donkey standing on its hind legs in front of a grape bush - the city of Mekdi; two centaurs - mountains. Selunya. Finally, the image of two fighters, a man tearing the jaws of a lion - images hinting at the lists of the amphitheater. But this opinion is nothing more than a guess, which does not exclude the possibility of other types of interpretations.
Little has survived from the interior decorations of the cathedral.
Under the vaults of the choir, precious remains of fresco painting from the 12th century, discovered in 1918, have been preserved. These are fragments of the “Last Judgment” composition located in the western part of the temple. On the middle vault of the choir the main scene of the court is presented - the twelve apostles sitting on thrones, and a host of angelic hosts behind them. On the corner, southwestern vault, the result of the trial is depicted - the procession to paradise of the righteous, led by the Apostle Peter and accompanied by trumpeting angels - and paradise itself with the Mother of God on the throne and the “forefathers” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob under the canopy of the bizarre vegetation of the Garden of Eden. The painting style reveals the work of two masters: an outstanding Greek painter and his talented Russian co-author. The Greek painted the figures of the apostles and angels of the southern slope. The apostles are depicted casually talking with each other; their slender figures, given in free turns, are gracefully hugged by the fabric of their clothes flowing in whimsical folds. The faces of the apostles are filled with austere beauty and endowed with individual, as if “portrait” features, giving each of them great vitality. The angels of the southern slope are just as subtle and beautiful. The Russian artist took the lessons of the main master in his own way. The angels of the northern slope he painted are more humane and simple, their thoughtful and rounded faces are soulful. The Vladimir artist is characterized by a graphic, almost ornamental rendering of facial features, which is especially clearly reflected in a number of faces devoid of Byzantine severity in the painting of the corner vault. This craving for patterns brings the tastes of the Russian painter closer to the tastes of the Russian carvers of the cathedral reliefs, executed in a flat ornamental manner. His art combines an interest in the impressions of living reality with a love of fairy-tale fantasy and intricacy. He puts a lot of ingenuity and poetry into the depiction of unprecedented plants of paradise, dresses the holy women in Russian clothes, makes Russian explanatory inscriptions, and gives Russian features to the faces of the angels. The painting is given a special charm and nobility by its exquisite coloring, built on delicate halftones. Blue, light green, steel-blue tones are skillfully combined with light brown, lilac, greenish-yellow. One can imagine what an impression the painting of the cathedral as a whole made, when the entire interior shimmered with the mother-of-pearl tints of these delicate and noble colors.

Fresco painting of Dmitrievsky Cathedral. XII century

Sculpture of Dmitrievsky Cathedral

Western façade, central half, upper tier

Western façade, upper tier.

Western facade of St. Demetrius Cathedral.

Western doors

Western portal

Northern façade, central part, upper tier

Northern façade, upper tier

Northern doors

Archvolt of the northern portal

Eastern façade, upper tier

Eastern facade, middle part, upper tier

South facade, central section, upper tier

South facade, upper tier

South portal

South doors

There are more than a thousand carved stones on the facades of the cathedral. The original reliefs are located on the western facade, in the central and eastern sections of the southern and northern facades, and on the apses. On the western sides of the southern and northern facades there were many carved stones from the towers, which appeared (or were built) somewhat later than the cathedral and were dismantled in 1838; many reliefs had to be re-done.
The ancient arched-columnar belt survived only in the western part of the northern façade; other columns and figures of saints were carved in the 19th century. The exception is the 13 columns and seated saints on the western facade, removed from the towers. Blocks with spreading “trees” under the figures of saints were also rearranged from the towers. These reliefs are distinguished by their graphic nature, decorativeness and artistry.
Reliefs of the 19th century. more primitive and rude. In the original design of the sculpture, the leading theme is the theme of power. It is revealed by compositions with a relief of St. David in three central zakomaras. In the image of David - psalmist, shepherd, king, prophet - the image of Christ is anticipated. The theme of the ideal ruler includes “The Flight of Alexander the Great” on the southern façade. The heraldic figures of lions, leopards, and eagles serve as symbols of power and patronage. The entire created world - animals, birds, trees and grass - listens to David at the foot of the throne.
The New Testament theme is revealed by the images of saints in an arcature belt, in medallions, and 12 horsemen. Among them are George, Dmitry of Thessalonica, and the first Russian saints Boris and Gleb. The picture of Paradise was painted by a variety of plants, sometimes with birds and animals under their shade.
Only in the carving of the columnar belt did the church theme sound in full force. Here, between the columns, a whole gallery of images of saints was placed. Unfortunately, most of these figures have been replaced by later reliefs. Authentic sculptures have been fully preserved only in the western division of the northern façade. They are distinguished by their excellent style, their heads have a characteristic “parabolic” profile, and the cutting of clothes and parts is strict and uniform. Among these figures are the first Russian feudal saints - princes Boris and Gleb. It is very likely that the figures of the belt formed a grandiose Deesis order, in which Russian “celestials” and holy patrons of the Vladimir dynasty occupied a prominent place.

It was assumed that the reliefs illustrate the text of David’s psalm “let every breath praise the Lord,” but among the reliefs there are too many formidable predators, warlike horsemen, scenes of struggle and bloodshed, far from the idyllic character of the psalm. Other scholars believed that the reliefs represented a “cathedral of all creation” and conveyed images of animals as they were “intended” by God, but among them were swarming monsters that hardly did honor to the plans of the deity. Still others solved the stone puzzle of the Cathedral of Demetrius as a reflection of cosmogonic ideas such as the “Dove Book” or “Conversations of the Three Saints” - books rejected by the dominant church; but on the walls of the princely cathedral this liberty was hardly permissible. The cathedral stood behind the wall of the detinets, and its intricate decoration was not designed for public viewing.

Dove on the cross of Demetrius Cathedral

The very world of animal images or strange monsters - half-dogs, half-birds, two-headed animals, etc., which undoubtedly aroused the interest of the townspeople, was especially familiar and understandable to the feudal nobility. In ancient Russian literature, feudal hero-princes were often compared to a lion or leopard, crocodile or eagle; in the treasuries of temples and princely life, precious items of Russian and foreign craftsmen, decorated with fantastic animals, and ceremonial clothes made of Byzantine and oriental fabrics with animal ornaments abounded. The cathedral looked like a powerful feudal lord in magnificent clothes, woven with unprecedented monsters.
The solemn rhythm of the cathedral's architecture is different from the high-altitude aspiration of the Assumption Cathedral of 1158-1160. Here it is a majestic “ascent”; Apparently, “the great Vsevolod” moved so calmly and imperiously, rising in heavy precious vestments along the “degrees” of his “table” during palace ceremonies. This analogy was strengthened by the carved decoration of the temple. He solved mainly this ideological and decorative problem.
It reflected primarily the tastes of the feudal nobility, intricately fused with elements of church symbolism. It is very likely that precisely because the decoration of the princely temple showed such a strong secular principle and the luxurious carving sharply distinguished it from the strict episcopal Assumption Cathedral, the ecclesiastical chronicler passed over in silence the construction of the palace cathedral of Vsevolod III.
Two large sculptural compositions deserve special attention. One is placed in the eastern corner of the southern facade - this is the scene of “The Ascension of Alexander the Great” from the popular medieval story “Alexandria”. Alexander sits in a basket to which winged griffin monsters are tied; he holds in his raised hands small lion cubs - a bait to which the griffins are drawn and draw the king upward. Above Alexander's head are two birds in a very vividly conveyed movement of flight and surprise by the carver. This fantastic theme was understood in ancient times as a symbol of the glorification of royal power, its apotheosis, and corresponded well with the general idea of the image of the palace cathedral of Vsevolod III.
In the eastern zakomara of the northern facade facing the city, the sculptors immortalized the “great” Vsevolod III himself, sitting on a throne with his newborn son, Dimitri, on his knees, surrounded by the rest of the sons of Vsevolod’s “big nest” worshiping the prince-father.
Some of the carved stones, executed in high relief, are distinguished by great plasticity and reveal in their authors masters who have mastered stone carving well and understand its plastic capabilities. Another part of the stones (there are especially many of them in the western division of the southern facade) are made in extremely flat relief with an abundance of ornamental details; their carvers clearly work in stone, as in wood - they seem to be afraid to “break through” the plane of the board with a cutter and use almost graphic modeling of the form. This latter style of Russian masters leaves its mark on all the carvings of the cathedral. It is generally of a clearly expressed ornamental nature. Russian craftsmen drew its motifs from artistic crafts from church and princely treasuries. They could understand and rethink these motifs in their own way, since the world of animals and monsters was familiar to Russian folk mythology and fairy tales. Therefore, the carved decoration of the cathedral, woven by Vladimir carvers, was imbued with a great poetic feeling and genuine inspiration, acquiring a fabulous character. Thanks to the ornamentation of the carved headdress, the images of animals and monsters lost their formidable, frightening character, turning into entertaining and intricate motifs of “stone fabric”.
The row-by-line “arrangement” of carved stones is very reminiscent of the principle of folk art, where in embroidery, fabrics, and carved boards of peasant huts we encounter the same system of row-by-line arrangement of figures and ornaments. At the same time, this “linearity” emphasized the rows of white stone masonry, without at all masking it, revealing the formidable “weight” of the princely cathedral. The close connection of the cathedral's carvings with its architecture, its line-by-line ordering and ornamentation are a peculiar feature of the decorative system of the Demetrius Cathedral, sharply distinguishing it from Romanesque sculpture, where volumetric carvings predominate, usually placed without a special system on the walls of the temple, where the images of animals are cruel and monstrous. Certain stylistic features of the Vladimir reliefs indicate that their “samples” were deeply rethought by Vladimir carvers, who created a unique and beautiful Russian system of sculptural decoration of the building. He developed and strengthened the idea of the apotheosis of the power of the “great” Vsevolod and the power of his Vladimir land, embedded in the very architecture of the cathedral.

Literature:
N.N. Voronin Vladimir, Bogolyubovo, Suzdal, Yuryev-Polskoy. A companion book to the ancient cities of the Vladimir land

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

Dmitrievsky Cathedral. Vladimir. 1911

Exposition of St. Demetrius Cathedral

On May 17, 2005, the St. Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir opened to the public after a 30-year break. The event was dedicated to International Museum Day. During those 30 years, while the entrance to St. Demetrius Cathedral was closed, probably thousands of tourists tried to see through the crack in the door what was inside. And only travelers with great experience or Vladimir old-timers could remember how they entered this palace temple of Grand Duke Vsevolod the Big Nest until the mid-70s.
For the re-opening of the temple, workers of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve prepared an exhibition in it. The exhibition includes copies of the icon (“tomb board”) of St. Demetrius and the reliquary, brought to the temple in 1197. And also a four-meter cross, which for many years towered over the dome of the cathedral, and in 2002 was replaced by a new one.

Stone carving

Tombstone of Vorontsov Roman Illarionovich. 1804

Count Vorontsov - the first Vladimir governor. He was buried in the cathedral, which did not have a necropolis, in 1783, out of respect for the merits of the count and according to his will. The sculptural tombstone was erected in 1804 by his sons Alexander and Semyon. Allegorical figures - a “mourner” with a cypress branch in her hand, bending over an urn, and a boy with a pelican - were sculpted from white marble in London, where Semyon Romanovich served as envoy and then minister. Pelican is one of the symbolic signs of Freemasonry, to which R.I. belonged. Vorontsov. The background for the sculptural group is a pyramid of gray marble - an allegory of eternity. The pyramid was erected later, during the renovation of the cathedral in 1841, at the expense of his grandson, Novorossiysk Governor M.S. Vorontsova. The tombstone stood against the southern wall - where the burial is located under the floor. In 1896 or 1906, in connection with the renovation of the frescoes on the vault under the choir, the tombstone was moved to the western wall; restored in 2003. In terms of style, spirituality and quality of execution, the tombstone belongs to the best examples of memorial sculpture of the early. XIX century
Inscription on the memorial plaque:
To the late Count Roman Larionovich Vorontsov, General-Ancher, Senator, Actual Chamberlain, Sovereign Viceroy of Vladimir and Kostrama, Orders of St. Apostle Andrew, Alexander Nevsky, St. Vladimir, the Polish White Eagle and St. Anne to the cavalier, who was born in 1717 on the 17th day of July, who died in Vladimir on the 30th day of 1783. This tombstone was erected by his sons, Count Alexander and Semyon Vorontsov in the summer of 1804. It was restored by his grandson Count Mikhail Vorontsov in 1841

Cross of St. Demetrius Cathedral. 1957 Copy

The original frame of wrought iron bars was covered with sheets of gilded copper with incised designs. The copy is a 13th-century frame covered in brass in 1957. The height of the cross is 4.07 m, the span is 2.78 m. In 2002, this copy also required replacement. The reason for the destruction of the crosses was the proximity of two different metals - black (iron frame) and non-ferrous (copper and brass sheets). The remake, now crowning the head of the cathedral, is entirely made of ferrous metal - an iron frame and gilded steel sheets. The exhibition features several fragments of carved gilded copper of an authentic cross of the 12th century.

Reliquary of St. Dmitry Solunsky. XI century Byzantium. Copy

Vessel with a fragment of a Byzantine glass bottle from the 12th century. Reconstruction.

Dragon shaped overlay. Con. XII – beginning XIII centuries

St. Demetrius of Thessalonica. XIX century Brass, casting, enamel.

Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.
- Interior of the Assumption Cathedral.
- Dmitrievsky Cathedral is a unique monument of ancient Russian architecture.
- Military-historical exhibition in the Golden Gate. The first Liturgy in 200 years in the ancient Dmitrievsky Cathedral

The liturgy took place in 2011 in the Demetrius Cathedral of Vladimir on the Day of Remembrance of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica.

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

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 and 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 Dmitry of Thessaloniki 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.

Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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Demetrius (or Dmitrovsky) Cathedral in Vladimir was built in honor of the Christian great martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki, who ruled in Saluni in the 1st century AD. e. and executed for his adherence to Christianity. This small cross-domed church made of white stone, externally reminiscent of the famous Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, is one of the monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is not only an example of art, but also a shrine: pilgrims come to venerate the icon and a piece of clothing with the blood of the martyr.

Story

At the end of the 12th century, Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest ordered the construction of a temple on the territory of his estate in honor of the saint. Russian and Greek masters were invited to work on the Grand Ducal Cathedral, and its opening took place around 1997. Then artifacts belonging to Saint Demetrius were brought from Saluni (now Thessaloniki).

Later, St. Demetrius Cathedral was subjected to enemy raids and fires, after which it was renovated. During the process of inept restorations, the external appearance of the building was distorted and most of the frescoes were lost. During the revolution of 1917, the church was transferred to the Vladimir City Museum, and 20th century restorers were able to extract fragments of the original frescoes from under the plaster and protect the white stone carvings. Now the cathedral is operational, it is open to parishioners and tourists.

What to see

Demetrius Cathedral is a Byzantine temple, built in the form of a cross and framed by semicircular apses; the gilded dome is crowned with an openwork cross with a weather vane.

This masterpiece of architecture is compared to a precious box - its architecture and ornaments are so elegant. It is made of white limestone and is conventionally divided into three tiers - earthly, heavenly (spiritual) and intermediate. Of particular interest are the white stone wall reliefs on the upper belt and on the drum near the golden dome; about 600 stone elements were used to create them. The bas-reliefs intricately intertwine Christian, mythological and literary images: saints, rulers, musicians surrounded by symbolic flowers, birds, lions.

On the southern wall are depicted scenes of the ascension of Alexander the Great, on the northern - portraits of Prince Vsevolod and his sons, the eastern one tells about the life of the biblical king David, and the western one - about the exploits of the legendary strongman Hercules.

Inside there is a functioning temple and at the same time a museum exhibition. Here is an old cross 4 m high, which once crowned the dome of the cathedral, an icon of St. Demetrius and a piece of his shirt in a silver casket. On the walls you can see rescued fragments of once-lost frescoes from the 12th century, among them the most impressive one is “The Last Judgment”. Also presented is the tombstone of Count R. Vorontsov, the first governor of Vladimir.

Practical information

Address: Vladimir, st. Bolshaya Moskovskaya, 60. Website.

Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 17:00, from November to March from 10:00 to 16:00, closed on Tuesday and the last Wednesday of the month.

My attitude towards Orthodoxy and religion in general is cool and neutral. One of the respected Russian scientists, Sergei Petrovich Kapitsa, once said: “I am a Russian Orthodox atheist,” and this common formula for spiritual culture, for faith, for religion is very convenient in understanding my personal attitude to the above.

I haven’t read the Bible, I don’t go to church, I don’t know prayers and I know almost nothing about Orthodoxy, but I remember well 6 commandments out of 10. Why 6? - because the first four talk about love for God, the last six about love for one’s neighbor, that is, for all people, and I consider the last 6 to be the most important.

My approximate and superficial understanding of religion is not a matter of pride, but I have nothing to be ashamed of either. In matters of faith, everyone has their own attitude, and multinational Russia is the only country on whose territory the main religions of the world - Orthodoxy, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism - coexist peacefully. They are different, but they all talk about the need to love people, live in peace, respect elders, do good deeds for the benefit of people, and defend your homeland. And this is their common kinship, that is, the kinship of all of us - all the people and peoples of the largest country on the planet, not excluding atheists, people who believe in something else...

However, if my attitude towards religion changed, I would rather start not by reading the Bible, but by studying the history of the world's religions. And since I live in Russia and am especially interested in architecture, I would travel to the most famous holy places, photograph the most ancient temples, cathedrals and churches, as well as the architectural masterpieces of Holy Rus'.

One of the most interesting and unusual architectural monuments, in my opinion, is St. Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir. Of all the religious-themed architectural monuments I know, this is the most special. Ideal proportions, magnificence of facades and harmonious modesty of interior decoration.

Photo: book33.ru

The luxurious white stone structure was built in 1194-1197. The exact date is unknown. This unique monument of white stone architecture is primarily famous for its white stone carvings. There are no analogues to this monument in the world.

Currently, the cathedral is under the jurisdiction of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve and is open as a museum exhibition.

Photo: vladimir1896.ru

At the beginning of the 13th century, the Vladimir-Suzdal land became a great principality, which reached special prosperity and power under the tenth son of Yuri Dolgoruky, the Vladimir prince Vsevolod Yuryevich. The prince was baptized as Dmitry, in honor of his heavenly patron, the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Hence the name of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral, which was built as a “personal” court cathedral at the prince’s court.

Photo: tonkosti.ru

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. However, the history of the name of the cathedral, it seems to me, is not as interesting and important as the main architectural value of the building - the snow-white carvings on the facade of the building. The world-famous UNESCO agrees with this, having included St. Demetrius Cathedral in the list of World Heritage Sites in 1992.

Photo: travel.rambler.ru

In total, the walls of the cathedral are decorated with about 600 reliefs depicting saints, mythical and real animals. Most of the reliefs were preserved in their original form, some were replaced during the restoration of the 19th century (according to M. S. Gladkaya, almost exact copies).

In type, the Dmitrievsky Cathedral is close to the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, but it is a work of architecture that has no analogues either in Rus' or in Western Europe. The cathedral is a Byzantine type of temple with four pillars and three semicircular apses. The building is crowned with a flat 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.

Photo: kolizej.at.ua

An arcature-columnar belt separates the lower – “earthly” part of the temple from the upper – “heavenly”, drawing the line between the material and the spiritual. The clear rhythm of the columns, covered with ornamental weaving, is complemented by figures of saints and celestials, among whom we meet the Russian princes Boris and Gleb, as well as the heavenly patrons of the Vladimir princes.

Photo: pmvd.info

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.

Photo: travel.rambler.ru

Relief depicting Prince Vsevolod and his sons in the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir, Photo: art-alex.ru

In 1237, the temple shared the fate of the capital of the Vladimir principality. Looted and damaged by the Tatars, the cathedral subsequently burned and was looted several times. In 1837-1839, “experts in Russian style” carried out a “restoration” by order of Nicholas I to give the cathedral a “primitive appearance.” As a result, the temple was defaced to such an extent that it lost any semblance of its original appearance and began to collapse. Only subsequent restoration work partially returned the temple to its original appearance.

The naked eye can see that the lower tier of the cathedral was left without decoration. The fact is that initially it was closed by galleries surrounding the cathedral on three sides. And from the main, western, facade, at the corners of the galleries, there were two staircase towers, reminiscent of the towers of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral. The galleries and towers were also decorated with white stone carvings. But as mentioned above, during restoration in the 19th century, they were dismantled.

Photo: tonkosti.ru

Demetrius Cathedral is much more beautiful on the outside than on the inside.

...After a continuous carpet of white stone patterns on the facades of the temple, you expect to see something extraordinary inside the cathedral. But it greets us with almost pristine whiteness. Apart from rows of hewn white stone, alas, there is almost nothing on its walls.

The Greek masters invited by Prince Vsevolod painted the walls with such frescoes that the worshipers probably took their breath away with admiration. The remains of these frescoes, which had suffered over the centuries from devastation and fires, were knocked down in 1843, at which time the cathedral was re-painted with oil paints.

In 1918, the All-Russian Restoration Commission, while clearing the walls, discovered under the vaults of the choir the remains of fresco painting from the 12th century - scenes from the Last Judgment. A miracle happened: one of the best creations of ancient Russian artistic genius arose from oblivion.

Judging by the style of painting, two masters worked on the fresco - Greek and Russian, both outstanding icon painters. Despite the fact that they adhered to the Byzantine canon of church painting, the frescoes of St. Demetrius Cathedral, with their realistic manner, high skill and exceptional floweriness of painting, revolutionize traditional ideas about Byzantine art of the 12th century. The faces of the apostles are filled with austere beauty and endowed with pronounced portrait features. The coloring of the frescoes is based on delicate halftones - light green, blue, greenish-yellow, bluish-gray...

Inside, the temple seems small, but it is actually small - after all, the St. Demetrius Cathedral was built for the princely family and was not designed for a large mass of worshipers. The wide and measured rhythm of the arches supporting the vaults gives the interior of the cathedral a solemn calm, the space is filled with air and light. This, of course, is a “house of prayer” - this is exactly what the ancient architects intended it to be.

Photo: Maria Anashina, anashina.com

Russian journalist and writer Lev Dmitrievich Lyubimov said an interesting thought. I liked her very much:

“Dmitrievsky Cathedral is one of the masterpieces of art that confirms in our minds faith in the great destinies of the human race, for the highest nobility of forms testifies in art to the inexhaustible greatness of the human spirit.”

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The famous Dmitrievsky Cathedral is located in the city of Vladimir and is a large court temple, which was built by Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest on the territory of the princely court. It was decided to consecrate the temple in the name of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki.

The exact date of construction of the Demetrius Cathedral is still unknown, but many researchers point to the period between 1194 and 1197. Russian craftsmen were involved in the construction process, although it was originally planned to invite German ones.

In 1237, the cathedral was destined to share the fate of the capital of the Vladimir principality. Damaged and plundered by the Tatars, the temple subsequently burned and was looted more than once.

Between 1837 and 1839, according to the order of Emperor Nicholas I, repair and restoration work was carried out in the cathedral in order to give the cathedral its original appearance. As a result of the work, it turned out that the temple was incredibly disfigured and was completely different from the original version. After a certain period of time, the cathedral began to quickly collapse. Again an order was given for its restoration, but this time the appearance of the temple was almost completely restored. The church was built as the palace temple of Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest and occupied first place among all the buildings of his court.

It is worth noting that Demetrius Cathedral is a masterpiece. It has almost ideal forms and noble proportions, which makes the cathedral unique. The appearance of the cathedral is striking at first glance, because the spirit of solemnity envelops the temple down to the most inconspicuous details. The symbol of the Orthodox faith has absorbed all the best from Russian engraving and wood carving, which has found its place not only in decorative, but also in pictorial motifs. The cathedral is rich in white stone carvings, which almost completely envelop the temple walls - it is not for nothing that the cathedral has a second name - “precious casket” or “stone poem”.

The richness of the interior decoration is delightful, although in some places you can notice that there is even too much of it, but apparently the Vladimir architects could not dwell on the splendor that was created by their hands - which is why there is a somewhat sense of imbalance.

As mentioned, the authors of the stone carvings were Vladimir architects who worked in collaboration with Bulgarians, Serbs and Dalmatians - visitors from the Balkan Peninsula. This circumstance explains the presence of motifs that were so widespread in Byzantium and the Balkans.

The façade of the Dmitrievsky Cathedral is divided into three tiers, and the lower one is devoid of decoration, so only carved portals are visible against its background. The second tier is an arcature columnar belt, equipped with white stone figures and luxurious ornaments. The third tier is cut through with narrow windows and completely covered with carvings, which are also noticeable on the dome drum. The crowning of the temple was carried out using a gilded shallow dome, shaped like a hero’s helmet. On the dome there is a wide cross made of gilded copper.

The southern facade of St. Demetrius Cathedral stands out due to the presence of a large-scale composition called “The Ascension of Alexander the Great into Heaven.” The plot of the composition is somewhat unconventional for an Orthodox church, but in those days it was acceptable and popular. In the hands of Alexander the Great are depicted small lion cubs that so attract griffins - terrible monsters.

The key figure in the cathedral decoration is the statue of King David, which occupies a central place on each façade. Today, a small fragment of the painting “The Last Judgment” has survived. It is believed that two talented masters took part in the creation of the fresco. The Byzantine motif of painting is clearly visible in the picture, but this composition is so realistically executed that it literally revolutionized the entire appearance of St. Demetrius Cathedral, adding elements of Byzantine art of the 12th century.

The interior of the cathedral seems quite small, but it was built exclusively for the prince’s family and was not designed for a large crowd of people. But despite this, Dmitrievsky Cathedral is a unique architectural monument of its time.