Publication details
Ruská národní architektura. Chrám Krista Spasitele v Moskvě
| Title in English | Russian National Architecture. Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow |
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| Year of publication | 2015 |
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| Description | The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was (and is still today) one of the most important churches in Moscow. It is often called “the main Russian cathedral”. Its two-hundred-year history is closely linked to all the main turning points in Russia’s past two centuries. The construction was announced by the tsar Aleksandr I after the Russian victory over Napoleon’s invading forces in 1812. The church was meant to be a token of thanks to God for the salvation of the fatherland, a memorial to the fallen and, above all, the national monument, meant to commemorate the victory achieved by the joint forces of the whole Russian nation. The construction was started in 1817 according to the plan of the architect Aleksandr L. Vitberg (1787–1855). However, after the enthronization of Nicholas I in 1825, the construction was called off and a new project was started in 1832 – this time according to the proposal of Konstantin A. Ton (1794–1881). After its completion, the Cathedral became one of the most important churches in Russia – the national cathedral. After the takeover of power by the Soviets, the building was blown up in 1931 and in its place, the monumental Palace of Soviet by architect Boris M. Iofan (1891–1976) was planned. However, the Palace was never completed. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Cathedral was reconstructed over the years 1994–1997 and became Russia’s main church again. This role came into question, however, in 2012 after the punk protest group Pussy Riot held an illegal performance in the Cathedral. The conference reflects on the Cathedral as place of contest and struggle between different ideologies and political currents. |