Photo: bolshoevoznesenie.ru
Issued by the Department of city property of Moscow of 14 August 2018 No. 26723 on transfer of property of the Russian Orthodox Church of objects of cultural heritage of Federal value “the Church of the Great Ascension, 1848, architect. A. G. Grigoriev,” located at: Moscow, ul Bolshaya Nikitskaya, d. 36, the press service of the Financial-economic management.
Local religious organization Orthodox parish of the Church of ascension (“the Great Ascension”) Nikitsky gate of the mountains. Moscow the Moscow diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).
History
The first mention
The wooden Church “the ascension of the Lord, that the Watchmen” was first mentioned in Chronicles of XV century. The temple burnt down in 1629. Perhaps the title “in charge” associated with wooden fortification on the threat the West from the prison.
The temple on Tsaritsyno street
In the years 1685-1689 the tsarina Natalya Kirillovna Naryshkina, whose yard was nearby, in place of the current Table of the lane, was built a stone Church of the ascension “about five stone heads” with the chapels of the Mother of God “Vladimirskaya” and St. Nicholas — a little West of the now standing.
XVIII century
In the XVIII century the land became the property of Prince G. A. Potemkin. There is a theory that at the ascension Church in 1774 held a secret marriage of G. A. Potemkin to Catherine the great. In any case, that he ordered in 1790, shortly before his death, the construction of new, larger stone Church.
Architects
Who owned the original sketch of the main building, is not known: the names of V. I. Bazhenov, M. F. Kazakov, I. E. Starov. Construction began in 1798 with the refectory on the project by M. F. Kazakov.
The refectory has an attached gallery and two aisles, in which are now situated the thrones of the Mother of God “joy of All who sorrow” and Nicholas.
The fire and recovery
During the fire of 1812 unfinished building burned. The construction work and work on the restoration and decoration completed in 1816. In this refectory on February 18 (March 2) 1831 was held the wedding of Alexander Pushkin and Natalia Goncharova.
The construction of the Central part of the temple
By 1831, the old Church was demolished except for the steeple. The construction of the Central part of the Church started in 1827 by architect F. M. Shestakov (1787-1836). In 1830, bové has redesigned the project, adding to its ionic porticoes on the North and South facades, which enhance the elements of classicism in the building.
The iconostasis
The iconostases are made in 1840 by the architect M. D. Bykovsky. Finally the construction was completed only in 1848, A. G. Grigoryev.
Style
The entire building is made in the Empire style. The basis is a monumental rectangular volume (bushel), decorated with lateral porticoes, in which there are side altars: the Holy sacrifice of the Mother of God “Vladimirskaya” and the beheading of John the Baptist.
The quadrangle ends with a cylindrical lantern drum with a hemispherical gilded dome.
From the square adjacent semi-circular apse. The interior of the Church had excellent acoustics. Now the building is an architectural dominant of the square.
Parishioners
Parishioners were representatives of the nobility, merchants and intellectuals who lived nearby. In this Church in 1863 funeral of M. S. Schepkin, in 1928, a — M. N. Ermolovu.
13 Nov 1917 in Church funeral of the cadets and officers who died during the October fighting in Moscow.
Patriarch Tikhon
5 APR 1925 in temple, performed his last service Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Tikhon; at the Liturgy was made a Bishop Sergius (Nikolsky).
The period of rebellion
In 1931 the Church was closed. In 1937, demolished the bell tower of the XVII century. Although the building left as a monument of Pushkin’s time, the decoration was lost. Until 1987, the temple housed the warehouse containers and the laboratory of the research Institute. Krzyzanowski, was scheduled to open the concert hall. In the 1987-1990 period were restored, opened part of historical painting.
Revival
In 1990 the Church was handed over to the Moscow Patriarchate. The divine services were resumed on 23 September 1990; in 1999, on the feast of the ascension, the Church was consecrated rite bishops.
New tower
In 2002-2004 in the Western side of the temple has been rebuilt the bell tower. Architect-restorer: Oleg I. Zhurin. 20 may 2004 the bell tower was consecrated by Patriarch Alexy II. Construction of the belfry — an example of “recreating” never existed monument: the project was developed by O. I. Zhurin using the designs of architects of the late eighteenth century, 30-ies of the XIX century.
In 2007, the Church funeral of the historian and researcher of Russian architecture A. I. %