One of the leading roles in the Temple reconstruction belongs to Russian painters

Mayor of Moscow on the scaffolding of Temple of Christ the Savior

People do not stop to go to the Temple. Girls and boys, men and women, children and old people. They all understood vain wisdom of the XX century and want to absorb small part of spiritual and moral power.

• One of the leading roles in the Temple reconstruction belongs both to Russian painters
• ...and to the Moscow city administration

In 1931, sad year for the Russia, when the Temple was wiped off the face of the earth, its parts in pictures, pieces of wall panels, human memory kept for future generations silent example of characters of the people in honor of whom the Temple was built.

25 December 1812 the last soldier of Napoleon's army was èçãíàí from our homeland borders. That huge multinational army had not been able to conquer Russia. Smolensk, Borodino and Maloyaroslavets are the milestones placed by Napoleon along old Smolenskaya roads ruined by himself. As a result of the retreat army of 600 thousand soldiers vanished. Even in Moscow reduced to ashes Napoleon couldn't regard himself as a winner. Russian attack in the Europe began.

Emperor Alexander I signed the manifesto about construction in honor of the Russian army victory, in gratitude to God the Temple in the name of Christ the Savior. First it was planned to construct the Temple in Moscow by Vitberg project, and on 12 October 1817 between Smolenskaya and Kaluzhskaya roads on Vorobyovy Hills took place grand foundation of the Temple. However the construction had to be stopped soon because of the subterranean waters. Architect Konstantin Ton makes a new project. On 10 April 1832 the project is signed by the Emperor Nicholas I and a new place for the construction is chosen on the place of Alexeevsky monastery and all saints church.

On 10 September 1839 grand foundation of the new Temple started. In 1860 the construction was finished. In 1881 the embankment and the square before the Temple and outdoor lanterns were installed and internal paintings was finished. Emperors Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III in turn commanded the erection. For its creation worked the best architects, builders, painters of the time. Masterpieces were created by sculptors Klodt, Logonovsky and Ramazanov, painters Sourikov, Kramskoy, Markov, Koshelev, Vereshagin turned the Temple to the treasure house. Medallion on the doors and doors also were made by in accordance with models of Fedor Tolstoy.

Nevertheless on 5 December 1931 The Temple was blew up and the decision to restore it was taken only at the present time. In 1988 a group of faithful people established the fund of the Temple reconstruction. In February 1990 Holy Synod of Russian Orthodox Church applied to the government with request about reconstruction of the Temple. From the moment when the president signed the decree about creation of the fund of Moscow reconstruction for the Temple reconstruction to the short consecration of the Temple on 31 December 1999 is the distance of 7 years. Reconstruction of the Temple of Christ the Savior from the moment of foundation of the first stone on 7 January 1995 last for 5 years. Expected to restore the decoration of the Temple made from 1860 to 1880 by Russian painters, academics and professors F.À. Brouni, V.P. Vereshagin, N.À. Koshelev I.N. Kramskoy V.Å. Makovsky, À.Ò. Markov, G.I. Semiradsky, V.I. Sourikov and others.

Control public council of the Temple reconstruction leaded from the first moment (7 September 1994) by All Russian Patriarch Alexiy II who controlled and helped the Temple that inherited unique original architectural form and high quality of internal painting and sculpture decoration. The task of wall painting in conformity with Orthodox traditions of temple creation including Old Russian traditions (thematic and ornamental) was given to professionals, masters of Russain Art Academy leaded by president Tsereteli. Chief architect of the complex was appointed Michael Posokhin, academic of the Russian Art academy.

Commission of the Temple decoration leaded from 1995 to 1998 by Metropolitan Krutitsky and Kolomensky Juvenaliy continued to control the observance of iconography canons of Russian Orthodox Church and technology of reconstruction of Temple elements under direction of Bishop Orekhovo-Zuevsky Alexiy, deputy of Novo-Spassky monastery.

Preparatory work before the painting took more than 3 years. In all in the Temple worked more than 400 painters: 22 teams chosen by competition. One of them was Vladimir Boytsov team. Ornament drafts uniting all fragments, created by ancient and modern painters, have been many times adjusted and remade. Building finished in 1997, and the reconstruction work passed to the painters.

Rebuilding of Temple of Christ the Savior

Temple story