Address: Russia, Leningrad region, Nevsky forest park of Vsevolozhsky district
Building: 2003 - 2008 years
Project author: Alexander Viktorovich Opolovnikov
Coordinates: 59 ° 49'36.6 "N 30 ° 34'09.0" E
Content:
Among the stone cathedrals and temples of St. Petersburg, the multi-domed wooden church in the Nevsky forest park stands out. This is an exact copy of the wooden church that adorned the Vytegorsky churchyard in the Vologda region until 1963. The newly built church is so beautiful that you can admire its harmonious proportions and neat domes for hours. The graceful building is rightfully considered a masterpiece of Russian wooden architecture.
View of the Complex "Bogoslovka Estate"
History of the original temple
The church appeared in the village of Ankhimovo, 316 km from Vologda, in 1708. According to one of the legends, the wooden temple was erected according to the drawing drawn by Peter I. For this reason, it was consecrated in honor of the king-reformer. According to another legend, the unusual temple was built by Russian craftsmen under the guidance of a Dutch architect. True, none of these legends has documentary evidence.
At the end of the 18th century, the wooden building was moved to a massive stone foundation and consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Virgin. Initially, the church had 25 chapters, but in 1793, during reconstruction, four of them were lost.
In 1909, the founder of Russian color photography, Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorsky, traveled around the Olonets diocese. He was amazed at the splendor of the wooden church and captured a wonderful monument of Russian wooden architecture in photographs.
The old photo shows that at the beginning of the last century, the walls of the church were whitewashed, and the roof and domes were painted in bright green. To the left of the Intercession Church in the photo rises the Church of All Saints, which appeared in the village in 1905 and served as a burial vault for the merchant of the 1st guild A.F. Loparev.
The ancient Intercession Church stood in the Vologda region for more than two and a half centuries. It was carefully looked after, dilapidated logs and parts were regularly replaced. During this time, many historical events took place in the country. Russia defeated Napoleon's troops and took part in two world wars. The wooden church survived the October Revolution, the bloody Civil War and the harsh years of persecution of the church.
In the early 1960s, when the Khrushchev thaw was painting bright prospects, a tragedy struck unexpectedly for everyone. A massive fire broke out, and the old church burned to the ground. Some believe that the temple suffered from careless handling of the fire, and the culprits are people who had a rest in the Nevsky forest park. Others are convinced that the wooden building burst into flames after being struck by lightning.
View of the Bogoslovka Estate Complex from the Neva
Revived church
The project for the restoration of the architectural monument was prepared by the famous architect and restorer Alexander Viktorovich Opolovnikov. In 1956, he made careful measurements and drew up detailed drawings so that the lost parts could be restored and the wood paneling replaced. However, these developments lay unclaimed for almost 50 years.
The church began to rebuild in 2003 with the installation of the Cross of the Worship. For the building, selected Karelian forest was used, which was harvested in the suburbs of Petrozavodsk. The stones left over from the burnt Pokrovsky Church were laid in the foundation of the church.
The construction work took 5 years and was completed in 2008. The solemn ceremony of consecration of the revived church took place on October 14, on the feast of the Intercession of the Virgin.
The new church became the architectural dominant of the "Churchyard of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos" complex. Next to the temple there is a new-made bell tower, the Holy Gates, the Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands and a wooden fence.
From left to right: the Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the bell tower
Architectural features
The Church of the Intercession appeared 6 years before the famous Transfiguration Church in Kizhi, which tourists from all over the world come to admire. It is believed that both churches were built by the same artel of artisans.
The Church of the Intercession has the shape of a cross, 32 m long and 30 m wide. The church rises from the ground by 19 m, that is, it is two times lower than the Transfiguration Church.
The Church of the Intercession is multi-tiered. The main volume is made in the form of an octal, to which cuts are added on four sides. On the bottom eight there are two smaller octahedral log cabins. Small onion domes are located in the first, second and third tiers, at the very top and above the altar ledge in the east of the building.
The eastern cut for the altar has the shape of a pentahedron. Two limiting altars are attached to the sidewalks from the south and north, and from the west side, a low refectory and a hipped porch adjoin the main volume. Each cut is crowned with barrels stacked on top of each other, and eight barrels are installed above the main octagon.
The Church of the Intercession has more than 20 windows, they are small and arranged in two rows. The temple can be accessed through five doors. The main entrance and exit uses the west porch.
Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos
Interiors and shrines
According to the ancient Russian tradition, the ceiling of the wooden church is made in the form of a "sky" - a flat truncated pyramid. This is how the ceilings were built in all the churches of the Russian North. Thanks to the unplastered walls and soft lighting, it is very cozy inside. There are benches for those who want to sit.
The altar Gospel, printed in 1701, is kept in the church. The church's relics are the Solovetsky cross and a copy of the icon of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the original of which is kept in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
Nevsky forest park
The green zone is located 5 km southeast of the city, therefore it is accessible to all residents of St. Petersburg. The picturesque forest area covers an area of more than 600 hectares. Spruce, pine, mountain ash, aspen, birch, larch and aspen grow in it. The Chernaya River flows through the forest park. At the entrance to the territory, there is a stele dedicated to the sailors who died during the war.
The area on the right bank of the Neva looks well-groomed. The further part of the park looks more like an overgrown forest, and several paths lead through it. In summer and autumn, you can meet mushroom pickers here. In the depths of the park there is a spring used by summer residents.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Nevsky Forest Park is under intense artillery fire, so more than 90% of the trees were destroyed by fire and explosions. In the post-war years, the forest plantations were restored and the park regained its beauty.
The Church of the Intercession stands in the western part of the forest park. In the 18th century, the estate of the Zinovievs Bogoslovka was located on this site. Several years ago, a beautiful two-story building and outbuildings were rebuilt.
Useful information for visitors
The Church of the Intercession is located on the territory of the Bogoslovka Estate Museum and is one of the architectural sites of St. Petersburg that are under the protection of UNESCO. A large historical and cultural complex of the wooden estate is still under construction (2019).
Bell tower
It is planned to recreate the wooden churchyards that existed in the Vologda and Olonets provinces in the 17th-18th centuries. Soon, visitors will be able to visit the Ethnographic Park, see wonderful examples of Russian wooden architecture and visit interesting museums.
The Pokrovsky Pogost complex is open every day. From October 1 to May 31 - from 10:00 to 17:00, from June 1 to September 30 - from 10:00 to 18:00. Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 19:00. Every Saturday from 13:00 to 16:00 there are guided tours of the temple for tourists.
The entrance to the church is free. Services are held twice - in the morning and in the evening.The refectory and Sunday school are located on the ground floor. There is a church shop near the gate, which sells candles, icons and audio recordings of the church choir. On the territory of the Pogost there is a small cafe where you can taste delicious pastries.
How to get there
The church is located 5 km from the city. From the metro station "Lomonosovskaya" to the park "Usadba Bogoslovka" you can get there by regular buses No. 476 and route taxis No. 476M. Public transport runs from 6:00 to 23:00 at intervals of 10-30 minutes.
Church domes
When a pier is built on the banks of the Neva, it will be possible to get to the temple complex by ships that ply from the berths of St. Petersburg.
