Churches, cathedrals and temples of Moscow – history, photo, description, list, reviews, map

Majestic, decorated with bright domes cathedrals. Mysterious, large and small churches, cathedrals and temples of Moscow constitute the spiritual wealth of the country. Many of them are of architectural value and are among the sights of the city.

Andronikov Monastery and Spassky Cathedral

An architectural creation made of white stone is considered the oldest Orthodox church in Moscow outside the Kremlin. He appeared on the territory of the monastery, the first abbot, who was Andronicus (a student of Sergei Radonezh) in the XIV century.

It has been established that Andrey Rublev and Daniil Cherny were engaged in painting the cathedral. From the original frescoes, only separate sections of ornaments remained. Now in the restored Cathedral there is the Central Museum. Andrei Rublev, church services are being held. The Museum stores church books, cult attributes, icons, frescoes from various churches in Russia.

There is a workshop for the restoration of ancient works, guided tours. The museum is open daily from 11.00 to 18.00. Day off Wednesday. The Cathedral is located at Andreevskaya Square, 10. The easiest way to get there is by metro to the stops Chkalovskaya, Ilyich Square, Rimskaya.

High – Petrovsky Monastery

The modern architectural ensemble in the form of restored ancient monastic buildings began its activity in 2009. 700 years have passed since the founding of the monastery (in 2015). There are three options for the appearance of an architectural landmark of Moscow.

According to the main version, the monastery was conceived by Metropolitan Peter. The wooden church of Peter and Paul was built in 1317. The second assumption is associated with a vision that Ivan Kalita had while hunting in these places and who built the Peter and Paul Church.

Around him, the future male monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church was formed. According to the third version, the emergence of the monastery ensemble is associated with the victory of Dmitry Donskoy in the Battle of Kulikovo. Now on the territory of the monastery there are several famous temples and churches.

The ensemble of the monastery performs the functions of the Patriarchal Metochion. It houses the Orthodox Institute of Russia of the Apostle John the Theologian. There is a courtyard with interesting cathedrals, churches at st. Petrovka, 28/2. You can get to it by metro, having reached the Chekhovskaya or Trubnaya stops.

Novodevichy Convent

Now you can admire the majestic ensemble, created in the XVI-XVII centuries and preserved in its original form. Grand Duke Vasily III is considered its founder. The complex of architectural buildings is on the list of world heritage, protected by UNESCO. It received the name “New” in comparison with the previously erected cloisters of Moscow.

The miraculous icon of Hodegetria, painted by the Evangelist Luke, was moved here. The five-domed Smolensky Cathedral is considered the central building of the ensemble. In it you can see amazing frescoes of the 16th century.

Novodevichy Convent is considered one of the most beautiful monasteries in the capital. Services are held in it, the halls of the Historical Museum are located. The attraction of the ensemble is the famous Novodevichy Cemetery (the old one is on the territory of the complex, the new one is located outside its wall).

In terms of importance, it is in second place after the burials near the Kremlin wall. The cemetery contains the graves of Chekhov, Levitan, Khrushchev, Yeltsin, and other well-known names.

Ensemble address: Novodevichy proezd, 1. You can get there by metro to the station “Sportivnaya”, bus routes 64, 132. It works daily from 9.00 to 17.00.

Cathedral of the Archangel

In the white, majestic cathedral, regular church services are not held. Only on patronal holidays, on Radunitsa, calm prayers are heard here.

A solemn, mysterious mood fills the entire temple, erected in honor of the Archangel Michael. He was considered the guide of the souls of dead people to the kingdom of eternity, the patrons of the great princes. Russian tsars (from Ivan Kalita to F.M. Romanov), grand dukes are buried under the vaults of the temple.

The first church building appeared on Russian land in 1333 at the direction of Ivan Kalita. The new tomb was built in 1505 under the leadership of Tsar Ivan III. The Rurikovichs are buried along the walls, the Romanovs in the center of the hall. In the altar part are the bodies of Ivan the Terrible and his sons. There are 54 graves in total.

The temple is located on Cathedral Square, opposite the Annunciation Church. A visit to the sights is included in all tours of the Kremlin. The architectural ensemble of the square is open for inspection on a single ticket, costing 500 rubles. There are benefits for schoolchildren, pensioners, students. Day off every Thursday.

Blagoveshchensky cathedral

The temple is one of the oldest Orthodox buildings in Moscow. Its construction dates back to the end of the 14th century as a house church for the royal family. The first wooden church, built by the son of Dmitry Donskoy, was located next to the entrance to the palace, where the royal family lived.

This explains the ancient name of the cathedral “The Annunciation, which is in the hallway.” Weddings and christenings of the royal family took place here. The painting of the temple was carried out by famous masters Prokhor from Gorodets, Andrei Rublev, Feofan Grek. The stone cathedral, which has survived to our time, appeared 100 years later at the behest of Ivan III. Divine services in the cathedral resumed in 1993.

They take place once a year for the Annunciation. Together with him, the old custom was revived to release birds on this joyful spring holiday.

The Annunciation Cathedral is located in the southwestern part of the square. You can visit the sights of Moscow with a single entrance ticket, which gives you the opportunity to see the architectural ensemble of Cathedral Square.

Verkhospassky Cathedral

The elegant cathedral with eleven golden domes is part of the presidential residence. It's hard to get into it. Otherwise, he was called the Spas behind the golden bars. The fabulous temple, erected under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, in ancient times was separated from the street by a wrought copper fence covered with gold leaf.

The cathedral represents house churches of tsars and Moscow princes united by a common roof. This is the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, Catherine, the Resurrection of the Word, Verkhospassky, etc.

A common roof with 11 small domes appeared in 1680. The whole complex of churches entered the ensemble of the Grand Kremlin Palace. Separate elements of different churches have been preserved. These are a chased copper iconostasis, icons on silk, a carved crucifix, and gilded choir stalls.

Many elements have been restored to their original form. The cathedral is located on Verkhospassky Square. Currently, there are no worship services. The temple is closed for mass visits during excursions.

Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles

Passage to the main square of Moscow is organized through the festive arches of the church built in honor of the Twelve Apostles. It makes up a single harmonious ensemble of the Kremlin together with the main temples of the square.

The temple was erected much later (1680), along with the creation of the magnificent Patriarch's Chambers, which became a model of the national architecture of ancient Russia. The ensemble includes two house churches, the World Chamber (cross), royal chambers, cells of monks. Initially, the cathedral served as the home church of the patriarchs of Russia.

The feast of honoring the holy apostles of Christ originated in the 4th century. The date of its holding was approved the day after the celebration in memory of Peter, Paul. Previously, this place was the church of the famous Holy Solovetsky wonderworkers.

Only the altar remained from the old temple, access to it is closed. The current name of the cathedral was given in 1580 after a restructuring caused by a fire. The old gallery connecting the buildings was reconstructed in 1922.

Now the cathedral houses the Museum of Applied Arts, life of the XYII century. In it you can see textiles, books, dishes, weapons, jewelry created by famous craftsmen. You can visit the Patriarchal Palace, the cathedral, along with excursions daily, except Thursday from 10.00 to 17.00.

St. Basil's Cathedral

It is impossible not to admire the multi-colored domes of the most beautiful St. Basil's Cathedral, which survived the difficult times of Russia. For many centuries it has been a decoration of Red Square. The architectural complex includes ten churches or limits.

Initially, these were marching wooden churches erected in honor of victories in the fight against the Kazan Khanate in campaigns on Vzlobye (now Red Square). In October 1552, the day after the day of the Most Holy Theotokos, the tsar decided to build a stone church (Protection Cathedral) on the site of small churches.

There are several versions about who built the cathedral. Not all the secrets of the unique style, combining elements of Russian architecture with the traditions that came from the Renaissance, have been revealed in our time. Healing from many diseases, the relics of St. Basil the Blessed were transferred to the earth near the Intercession Cathedral.

In 1588, the ninth church was erected over his grave in the form of an independent temple of the cathedral. Rare icons and frescoes can be seen in the cathedral. A bell tower was built on the site of the old belfry.

Address: Red Square, 2. Tours are held daily from 11.00 to 16.00.

Kazan Cathedral on Red Square

I can't even believe that a small, beautiful cathedral, after three centuries of its difficult life, was completely destroyed around 1936. The building was completely restored and consecrated in 1993.

Its main shrine is the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Kazan. The cathedral became the first functioning Orthodox church, revived from the completely lost ancient heritage of the city.

One of the central churches of the capital continued the life given to it in the middle of the 17th century in gratitude to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God for the victory over the Polish-Lithuanian invasion under the leadership of Pozharsky and Minin. Images of the pre-revolutionary painting of the interior decoration of the church have not been preserved.

Located on st. Nikolskaya, 3. When traveling by metro, you need to get off at the stations “Teatralnaya”, “Okhotny Ryad”, “Revolution Square”. Tourists can get into the cathedral from 8.00 to 16.50 hours. Daily at 8.30. and 4:50 pm church services.

Assumption Cathedral on Cathedral Square

Cathedral Square is the oldest square in the Kremlin. Each meter of its area creates an atmosphere of distant events of antiquity, the times of the life of kings, a numerous grand principality. Among the main architectural gems of the square is a simple and at the same time majestic Assumption Cathedral.

For a long time it was the main Cathedral of Russia. The temple was erected by order of Ivan Kalita around 1326. The white-stone building of the temple appeared in 1479, and the golden domes were born during the life of Ivan the Terrible around 1547.

The coronations of kings of the 16th and 17th centuries took place in this temple. Under the arches of the cathedral, chants were heard during the wedding of royal persons. The burial places of the patriarchs and metropolitans of that time were also created here. Since 1955, festive services have been held in the temple.

Since 1991, it has been an important element of the Moscow Kremlin State Historical Museum-Reserve.

Krutitsy Patriarchal Compound

This place of Moscow is often called the “Island of antiquity” in the modern city. In the distant depths of antiquity, on a steep and steep river bank, stood the princely village of Krutitsy. Important trade routes of ancient Russia passed through it, merchants and princes settled.

In 1272, a temple was erected in the village, and then a monastery. An old cobblestone pavement, streets with wooden buildings, flowering trees from the remains of an orchard create a special atmosphere in the courtyard.

The architectural monuments of the Krutitsy metochion include the small Assumption Cathedral, the church in the name of Peter and Paul, and the bell tower. Chambers of the Metropolitan, the Holy Gates, their connecting gallery, the Cross Chamber (the Church of the Resurrection of the Word). Embankment, Drying room, Order chambers. He failed to avoid destruction, robberies. Now, along with traditional church activities, the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for Youth Affairs functions in it.

The Krutitsky courtyard is located at the intersection of the 1st Krutitsky Lane with Krutitskaya Street in the Tagansky district of the capital. You can visit the restored ensemble on your own or together with organized excursions. The ticket price is 350 rubles.

Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye

The white-stone church soaring upwards proudly rises above the Moskva River, the environs of the ancient village of Kolomenskoye in the former Tsar's estate near Moscow. The temple has long been included in the UNESCO lists, it is considered a worthy monument of Russian architecture.

The architecture of the majestic temple had an unusual shape for the time of its construction in 1530. The place for the construction of the church in honor of the birth of the future Tsar Ivan the Terrible was chosen in accordance with the traditions of Russia, next to a healing underground spring (unfortunately, filled up in 1970), which heals from infertility.

Until now, there is a legend about countless treasures, the library of Ivan the Terrible, hidden in the dungeons of the temple. Now the first tent temple, made of brick and stone, is part of the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve complex. There is an exposition of elements that allow you to learn the history of the temple.

It is open for tourists from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00. Church address: Moscow, Andropov Avenue, 39. Easy to get by metro to the station. Kolomenskoe. Divine services are held on Sunday, on church holidays.

Church of Pope Clement

The largest church in Zamoskvorechye, built in honor of the apostle Clement, who was martyred, is considered a monument of federal significance. The Orthodox church in its original form was a small wooden church.

In the middle of the 18th century, a majestic five-domed temple was erected in honor of the new Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. The temple is well preserved due to the presence of the funds of the Russian Library in it. It contains more than 1.5 million books seized from the libraries of monasteries and churches.

The structure of the modern church includes the limits of the Blessed Bush, Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Sign of the Mother of God, the Patriarch of Alexandria, Clement of the Pope of Rome. A large number of ancient and modern revered icons are stored here. Among them is the Mammal-Giver, an icon of Pope Clement. The rich interior decorations of the temple include a beautiful baroque iconostasis.

Located at st. Pyatnitskaya, 267, next to the Tretyakovskaya metro station.

Ivan the Great belltower

Bell ringing was considered holy and powerful at all times of the existence of Russia. All the most important events of the country were announced by the ringing of bells. The symbol of the Mother See was the ringing from the bell tower of Ivan the Great.

For more than 500 years, the church has harmoniously united all the buildings of the Cathedral Square into a single ensemble, towering above it. Initially, it was a small wooden church built in honor of St. John of the Ladder on Borovitsky Hill by order of Ivan Kalita. The Ivan the Great Bell Tower acquired its modern look around 1630.

The church has 22 bronze bells decorated with an interesting pattern. The heaviest bells “Novgorodsky”, “Medved”, “Swan” are located on the first floor. The most ancient “Nemchin”, “Korsunsky” Cast in the XVI century.

Many visitors tend to climb the spiral staircase almost to the very top in order to enjoy the extraordinary view of Red Square. You can visit the bell tower with a single ticket that gives you the right to enter the square or as part of excursions.

Church of All Saints in All Saints on Sokol

The history of the appearance of the temple is connected with the life of the ancient village of All Saints. It is believed that this happened in 1398, along with the appearance of an ancient monastery and the village surrounding it with the name “the village of the Holy Fathers on the Khodynka River.”

A stone temple in the village on the site of a monastery (exact information about it has not been preserved) was built in 1683. The existing temple was built in 1736 by the daughter of Prince Miloslavsky. For a long time (before the destruction in 1982) there were many graves of Georgian princes (from the Bagration and Tsitsianov clans) in the cemetery near the temple.

Among them is a monument to the father of the famous commander Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration. His location changed frequently. Now it rises next to the memorial “Reconciliation of Peoples” and is a historical monument of federal significance. Since 1992, the temple, made in the Baroque style, received the status of a patriarchal residence.

Services are held daily in the church. It is located at the address: Leningradsky Prospekt, 73, Sokol metro station.

Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin in Yasenevo

The temple did not come to the inhabitants of the densely populated Yasenevo district of Moscow from ancient times. It was built at the beginning of the 21st century. The first Divine Liturgy was performed in the church on December 4, 2008. The large five-domed temple was erected as part of the 200 New Temples program in the capital. Rich exterior decoration (in the form of Byzantine mosaics), copies of famous Christian shrines adorn the new temple complex. Copies were created according to the project “Icon of the Holy Land”.

By the way, for the first time such a project was implemented under the leadership of Patriarch Nikon in the New Jerusalem Monastery. The cathedral consists of an upper church erected in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos as a monument to those who died in armed conflicts of modern times. Below is a temple in the name of the Archangel Michael.

The temple is located at the address: Litovsky Boulevard, 7. You can get here simply by metro to the Yasenevo stop. You can see the church on your own or with guided tours (carried out on donations) daily from 6.00 to 19.00.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior

In the main Russian Cathedral, services of the Patriarch of Moscow, All Russia are held, meetings of Bishops' Councils, important church events are held. The temple is a monument erected in honor of the victory over Napoleon.

It was blown up during the Stalinist regime. At the end of the 20th century, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was rebuilt in accordance with the preserved drawings and drawings. The inner hall of the temple can accommodate about 10,000 people.

The thickness of the walls of the new building reaches 3.5 m, its internal height is almost 100 m. The interior of the temple is striking in its beauty and richness. Gold leaf, jewelry made of precious stones, rare minerals were used to create elements of sculpture and painting. By the way, Christmas trees for children are held in the Hall of Church Councils.

You can see the temple along with excursions. During their passage, a visit to observation platforms is available, offering an unusual view of Moscow. The whole history of an important era of the Russian state is reflected in the design of the temple. Located on st. Volkhonka, 45.

Open every day (Monday closed). Entrance to the temple and museum without payment. To get to the sights simply by metro to the Kropotkinskaya stop.

Cathedral of the Epiphany in Yelokhovo

This name was given to a small village temple, operating in the 16th century. The consecration of the New Church of stone took place around 1853. In 1945, the temple received the title of Patriarchal Cathedral. Before the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, it was the main cathedral of Moscow. The enthronement, the funeral of the patriarchs were carried out here (in the cathedral there are tombs of Sergius, Alexy II). In one of its limits A.S. was baptized. Pushkin.

Local legends say that in the village of Eloh (from the name of the Olkhovets stream) the famous holy fool Vasily Blazhennye was born, whose name is the famous Moscow Cathedral. The temple did not close even in the most difficult times.

The shrines of the temple are the relics of the miracle worker Alexy, the list of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. The cathedral is located at the address: Basmanny district of Moscow, Spartakovskaya street, 15. Services are held regularly and on patronal holidays. You can visit on your own, along with excursions.

Church of Peter and Paul in Yasenevo

The beautiful temple is located in the Moscow region, where the oldest manor “Yasenevo” was once located. The mention of the village and the temple dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. The first wooden church (Novopribyla) was erected during the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich in honor of the martyr Sophia and her daughters in 1630.

For almost 700 years of existence, the church has been restored, some architectural elements have changed. In 1973, crosses appeared above the church. During the 1900s, the building housed the “people's rooms of the horse yard.”

The return of the building of the Orthodox Church in 1989 helped to resume services and carry out the necessary repairs. The temple became part of the Moscow Compound of the Holy Vvedenskaya Hermitage. Particles of the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Barbara, Catherine, Tatiana, and many other saints are considered shrines of the church.

Church of Elijah the Prophet in Obydensky Lane

One can kindly envy this ancient temple of Moscow. It appeared on the Russian land in the 16th century. As follows from the existing legends, it was built around 1597 only a day (the meaning of the word everyday). A stone temple in honor of the revered prophet Elijah appeared instead of the old wooden one in 1702.

Almost 100 years later, a bell tower and a refectory grew up nearby. The temple was not closed, services were held even in troubled times. Here is the image of the Holy Trinity, Pozharsky and Minin prayed before it. The icons of the Unexpected Joy, the Mother of God Feodorovskaya, Vladimirskaya are considered to be the shrines of the temple.

The famous icons “The Fiery Ascent of St. Elijah the Prophet”, famous saints Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov. Since 2008, small particles of his relics have been considered a shrine of the church. Divine services are held daily in the church. The church is open to the public from 07:00 to 22:00.

The church has a Sunday school for children and adults, one of the largest church libraries in Moscow.

It is located at 2nd Obydensky Lane, 6. A convenient metro station is called Park Kultury.

Church of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Khamovniki

In the period of 1679, a church appeared in the place of residence of the weavers of the tsar (khamovniki), which became a monument of the ancient architecture of the capital of the 17th century. The first building (St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas Church) stood until 1677. The new stone building began to be called the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

The last restoration of the church was carried out around 1972. And at the end of the century, a huge 108 pood bell was installed on its bell tower. Wall painting, interior decoration of the church has been preserved since 1845. The shrine of the temple is the miraculous icon “Guide of Sinners”.

A gilded iconostasis was installed, painted with golden, bluish hues of paint. The church never closed. In it, even during the years of godlessness, believers prayed for their loved ones, all those who needed help in front of the holy icon of the Mother of God. The church has a Sunday school and a youth group. By the way, Leo Tolstoy, who lived nearby, went to this church.

Address: Lev Tolstoy street, 2. The easiest way to get there is by metro to the Park Kultury ring station, then go along Komsomolsky Prospekt. The temple, which is visible from afar, stands at the intersection of Frunze and Tolstoy streets.

Church of Michael the Archangel in Troparyovo

The center of spiritual life in the ancient village of Troparevo was considered the Temple, built in the name of the Archangel Michael. At first it was a wooden building in the name of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael, built with the financial support of the Novodevichy Convent. A fire in the 17th century completely destroyed the church.

The stone temple was built at the expense of the monastery around 1694. Now we see this functioning, five-domed Orthodox church with beautiful bell towers. The architecture of the temple harmoniously combines the traditions of the buildings of rural churches with the exquisite design of the facade.

Here is the icon of the Archangel Michael, considered his shrine. Among the shrines are the icons of the Virgin of the Don, Smolensk. The famous Image of the Holy Princess of Kashin, the healing relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the remains of Charalampia.

The ensemble includes a house with a baptismal church, a library with a reading room, and a beautifully painted refectory. New buildings of the Sunday school, kiosks selling icons, church books. Church activities are held daily. The church is located on Vernadsky Avenue, 90. Nearby is the Yugo-Zapadnaya metro stop.

Church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka

One of the most beautiful Moscow churches is located among the ancient alleys of Yakimanka Street. The street is named after the righteous Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Mother of God (grandparents of Jesus Christ). In the name of the patron, the protector of warriors, the temple was built in 1717.

The first building of the temple, which served as a parish church during the time of Ivan the Terrible, was located near the river itself and often flooded during its floods. His famous frescoes and decorations created by Vasily Bazhenov and Gavriil Domozhirov have been lost forever.

Now among the sights of the interior decoration of the temple are wooden sculptures of the Crucifixion, Sitting Christ, made in the XVIII century. The revered shrines of the temple are the particles of the Sepulcher, the Robe of the Lord, a stone from the Jordan River.

In an outstanding architectural monument of the Petrovsky baroque, regular church services are held, a Sunday school and a youth club are open. The temple of John the Warrior is located on Bolshaya Yakimanka Street, 46. The nearest metro station is Oktyabrskaya on the Kaluga line.