Cathedral m Georgian. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - history and a short walk

In Moscow, in ancient times there was a small isolated territory - the Georgian Sloboda, which was owned by the king of this state, Vakhtang VI. Since those ancient times, only the names of the streets remained - Gruzinsky lane, Gruzinsky Val, Gruzinsky Malaya and Bolshaya streets.

The church on Malaya Gruzinskaya stands out strongly against the background of other buildings located nearby

Now on Malaya Gruzinskaya in the building 27/13 there is a unique church - the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Built in the neo-Gothic style, the building of the temple stands out among the nearby buildings with a strict and majestic view with unusual architecture.

The church on Malaya Gruzinskaya owes its name to one of the most important characters of the Christian faith - the Virgin Mary ( Holy Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, earthly mother of Jesus Christ).

Architect, exterior finish, architectural ensemble

The temple begins its history in 1894. At that time, the Catholic diaspora in Moscow grew noticeably. As a result, its representatives put before the Moscow governor the question of the need to build larger temple capable of accommodating a large number of believers. By this time, there were already 2 Catholic churches in Moscow.

Moscow authorities building permit places of worship issued, but put forward certain conditions. It was necessary to build the cathedral away from Orthodox holy places and not in the city center. At the same time, there should not be any sculptures and towers on the building.

The church on Malaya Gruzinskaya was designed by the architect F. Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky.

He developed and presented to the public a design for a neo-Gothic cathedral that could accommodate 5,000 parishioners. At the same time, the put forward conditions for the absence of sculptures on the facade and towers were ignored by him.

Despite this, the project won the competition, it was recommended for construction. For the construction of the cathedral, a piece of land was purchased on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street.

Construction history

The purchased plot had a certain meaning for the Catholics. It was here that the main Polish diaspora lived. Representatives of this community collected the main funds for the construction of the cathedral. In total, the total cost of the temple was 300 thousand rubles. silver.

The construction of the religious building began at the beginning of the 20th century. Its construction lasted almost 10 years. Completed at the end of 1911. In winter (December 21) the church was consecrated.

Interior decoration was carried out even after the opening, until the revolutionary events of 1917. During the first period of the formation of the Soviet Union, the Catholic church did not close for almost 20 years. It held regular services.

However, the situation in the country nevertheless led to the fact that in 1937 the cathedral was closed.

The property of the religious building was looted and destroyed. The organ and the altar were destroyed. The facade of the building was disfigured.

Subsequently, the building was taken under the hostel and redevelopment began in it. During the Great Patriotic War, the cathedral was damaged by German air bombs. A number of towers and spiers perished. After the war, the main spire of the temple was dismantled. The building was refurbished.

In 1956, the research institute "Mosspetspromproekt" moved to the former building of the Catholic Cathedral. This structure continued the major internal rebuilding, changing it beyond recognition, creating 4 full-fledged floors.

Church before restoration

In 1976, the Moscow authorities decided to create an organ hall on the basis of the building. But the institutions that were in the building of the church, and there were about 15 of them, categorically refused to move, which led to the refusal to implement cultural plans.

However, the Catholics of Moscow, who were united under their leadership by the Polish House association, continued their activities aimed at returning the religious building to believers. In 1989, they submitted an official request to the Moscow authorities for the return of the church building to the Roman catholic church.

The authorities of the city reacted favorably to the requests of the believers, and in 1990 the first mass was celebrated in front of the church. It became a landmark, the first in almost 60 years.

However, before the full return of the cathedral to the possession of the Catholic diocese of the capital had to wait another 5 years. Research Institute "Mosspetspromproekt" refused to move out of the building.

The final point in the process of returning the church to believers was set in 1996, when the Moscow Catholic Diocese received documentary materials from the city authorities confirming the right to use the building indefinitely.

Immediately after the transfer of the church, restoration began in it. It dragged on for 3 years. At the end of 1999, the emissary of the Pope, Cardinal Sodano, lit up the cathedral. A few years later, an organ was placed in it.

Interior decoration

The interior of the cathedral is impressive. So the spire of the central inner turret is decorated with a cross, in the side spiers of which the coats of arms of John Paul II and Archbishop Kondrusevich Tadeusz are inserted. In the vestibule of the temple there is a sculptural image of Christ crucified on the cross. At the bowls with holy water, a brick of the Lutheran Lutheran Basilica and a special medal from 2000 are inserted into the walls.

In the central part of the church there are two sectors with benches. Passages separate them. Near the side aisles there are rooms for confession - confessionals. From one side of the nave on the left (the nave is a part of the room bounded by columns) there is a chapel. Inside it stands a tabernacle with an altar of Gifts.

The side naves are separated from the colonnade hall. Their ceilings are vaults in the form of a cross created by arches. Each nave is individually supported by five buttresses. Their total number is 10, which symbolizes the 10 main Christian commandments.

Cathedral organ

The windows of the cathedral are lancet, with stained-glass window openings. Under them there are 14 bas-reliefs that symbolize 14 "stations" on the Way of the Cross. Next to the first ceiling arch, above the narthex (the entrance area of ​​the porch of the temple), the choirs were erected. Previously, the design of the cathedral involved the placement of about 50 choristers on them. However, a choral organ was installed at this place.

Shrines, icons, relics of the temple

In the central place of the church is its main element - the altar. It is lined with dark green marble.

It contains particles of saints that belong to:

• Chief Apostle Andrew;
• Saint Zeno(Zeno of Verona), patron of children and fishermen;
• Saint Gregory Naziansky(Theologian or Gregory of Nazianzus) is revered as one of the founders of the Church, Archbishop of Constantinople;
• Saints Cosmas and Demian(brothers, unmercenaries, miracle workers and healers);
• cover particle Virgin Mary donated to the church by the diocese of Verona.

By right side from the altar is the pulpit. It is also in dark green marble. In the presbytery, in its back part, there is an elevation consisting of 3 steps. It adjoins the apse (semi-dome temple ledge). There are places for the clergy, as well as the bishop's chair.

The crucifix is ​​located in the presbytery. It reaches 9 meters in height. On the cross Jesus Christ is 3 meters high. On the sides of the crucifix are sculptures made of plaster: the Evangelist John and the Mother of God.

Clergy, mentors

The church on Malaya Gruzinskaya has its own clergy staff. Represented by the Metropolitan of the Moscow Archdiocese, vicar general, rector of the cathedral, cathedral administrators, two parish vicars, three priests in charge of transition assistance. There is a clergyman representing the Armenian Catholic parish and a priest of the Spanish community.

There are 6 sisters in the state. They represent 3 monastic orders: the Salesians of Don Bosco; Daughters of Mary Help of Christians; Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Parish and choir

The parish of the church is extensive. It includes all Catholics living in the west and south of Moscow. Formally, these are parishioners of the parishes of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Family.

The church has its own choir, parish, liturgical. In the basement of the cathedral there is a class of choral singing. There are classes once a week, on Wednesdays. In addition, those who wish can try their hand at a youth vocal and instrumental ensemble.

Interesting facts about the cathedral in the vicinity

The church on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street is famous for its bells. They are located on the left side of the facade, behind the arch. There are only 5 bells. They were made in Poland at the world-famous Falchinski factory. Presented to the cathedral by Bishop Skvorets. The largest reaches a weight of more than 900 kg.

Each bell has its own name (in descending order by weight):

1. "Fatima mother of God».
2. "John Paul II".
3. "Saint Fadey".
4. "Jubilee - 2000".
5. Saint Victor.

The bell sound is extracted by means of an electronic machine.

Not far from the location of the church on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street, there are other sights of the capital:

• Moscow Zoo;
• Monument to Mother Teresa.
• embassy of the Polish Republic;
• Georgian park;
• Cemetery Vagankovsky;
• Schukin's city estate.

Social work, everyday life

There are free tours of the Cathedral. But only by appointment. Their time is Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, when there are no services. Excursion outside groups can also visit the temple. But they also require prior agreement.

Catechism activities are carried out in the temple (teaching the basics of the Catholic faith and the order of church life). Church shops and a library are open to those who wish. There is a cafeteria for the poor. The editors of the bulletin "The Light of the Gospel" found shelter in the cathedral.

Ave Maria Concert in the Cathedral:

The church on Malaya Gruzinskaya is regularly used by the Art of Good Foundation for organ concerts. Paid entrance. Ticket price from 300 to 3000 rubles. The schedule of performances can be found on the foundation's website.

Sunday School

There is no Sunday school in the cathedral. Here you can only get additional knowledge in the field of English language. Classes are held in children's groups, as the main recipients of information are children. They are recruited at the age of 3 years.

English courses are characterized by such features as a game form of teaching, a friendly atmosphere, and naturalness in learning the language. The classes are attended by teachers who have experience working with children whose age starts from 3 years.

Patronal feasts

The temple on Malaya Gruzinskaya is a religious cult structure of the Roman Catholic Church. Masses, services, patronal feasts are held in strict accordance with the provisions of the calendar of Catholic dates. A detailed list of church events for the year can be found on the church website.

Schedule of services, mode of operation

The Roman Catholic Cathedral is open daily. It is open for visiting from 8:00 to 20:00. Closed for a technical break from 12:45 to 15:30, except Sundays.

Catholic Easter

Church services are held daily. The schedule is shown in the table.

Church opening hours
Day	time	Name masses, service language
Sunday	8.30 — 20.00	in Polish, Russian, Korean, Latin, children's mass, Armenian liturgy
Monday	​7.45 – 19.00	in Russian, Polish, gift worship
Tuesday	​7.45 – 20.45	in Russian, Polish gift worship
Wednesday	7.45 – 18.00	in Russian, worship gifts
Thursday	7.45 — 19.00	in Russian, Polish
Friday	7.45 – 19.00	in Russian, veneration of gifts, vespers
Saturday	7.45 – 18.00	in Russian, worship of gifts, Sunday in Russian

Information for pilgrims

Persons wishing to visit the church on Malaya Gruzinskaya, pilgrims living outside of Moscow, need to remember that the cathedral does not provide places to stay. It is necessary to think in advance about where you will live. Also, ahead of time, you need to familiarize yourself with the mode of operation and the events that are held in it.

Where is it located, what is in the vicinity, how to get there

The cathedral is located at the address: Moscow, Malaya Gruzinskaya street, 27/13. This cult institution has its own official website Catedra

The most convenient way, according to which the church can be reached without delay, is as follows:

1. First you need to get off at the Krasnopresnenskaya metro station.
2. Then move along Krasnaya Presnya Street in a western direction, towards Tretyakovskiy Val.
3. After 500 meters, you need to turn onto Malaya Gruzinskaya Street, after passing about 600 m, and the goal will be reached.

Another popular way is to choose ground route transport. Bus number 116 follows the cathedral, which is located next to Klimashkina Street. Its route starts at the Belorussky railway station.

Near the church on Malaya Gruzinskaya street there are stops of other public transport. So you can use buses 12, 18, 35, 39, 40, 53, 64, 66, 69, 125, 567. Trolleybus: 54. Fixed-route taxi: 254M.

Useful video on the topic

History of the Cathedral:

The largest Catholic cathedral in Russia, oddly enough, is located in Gruziny, the historically Orthodox Georgian Sloboda. For more than a century of history, the cathedral has survived the closure, looting, bombing of the Great Patriotic War, rebuilding under the research institute and large-scale restoration.

Not all Muscovites know about the small district of Gruzina in the center of Moscow, between Presnya, the Zoo and the Belorussky railway station. One can guess about the once prosperous Georgian settlement - the possession of the Georgian king Vakhtang VI - only by the names of the streets: Bolshaya and Malaya Gruzinsky, Gruzinsky Val, Gruzinsky Lane. On Malaya Gruzinskaya, 27/13, there is the largest Catholic cathedral in Russia - Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In 1894, due to the growth of the Catholic community in Moscow, it became necessary to build a third, more spacious church. Church Council of St. Peter and Paul, he applied for permission to build a cathedral to the Moscow governor: permission was obtained on condition of construction far from the center and main Orthodox shrines, without towers and outdoor statues. The project of a neo-Gothic church for 5,000 parishioners by F. O. Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky won the competition and was approved, despite the violation of the last condition, and the site on Malaya Gruzinskaya was purchased. The place was not chosen by chance. Although historically Georgians had their own Orthodox Church George the Victorious, founded in 1750 (also closed and damaged during the Soviet era), many Poles lived in this area. It was the Polish community that collected the bulk of the funds for the construction, which cost 300 thousand silver rubles. Ten-year construction was completed in 1911, and on December 21 of the same year the temple was consecrated.

Finishing work was carried out until the revolution of 1917, and for the first twenty years of Soviet power, the church managed to keep the parish and continue worship. Everything changed in 1937: the temple was closed, church property was looted or destroyed, the altar and organ were destroyed, the facade was disfigured. Inside, redevelopment for a hostel began. At the beginning of the war, the cathedral was badly damaged by bombing - several towers and spiers were destroyed. After the war, the main spire was dismantled above the once richly decorated altar and the redevelopment continued for workers' hostels, then vegetable stores, various workshops, offices and organizations.

In 1956 he moved to the church Research Institute "Mosspetspromproekt", dividing the building into 4 floors, thereby changing the interior beyond recognition. Twenty years later, in 1976, it would seem that luck should have smiled at the cathedral: the Moscow authorities created a project to turn the cathedral into an organ music hall. However, 15 organizations that occupied the building refused to move. Finally, in 1989, Moscow Catholics, led by the association "Polish House" filed a request for the return of the temple to the Roman Catholic Church. A year later, on the occasion of the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, a mass was celebrated on the steps of the church with the permission of the authorities. It was the first divine service of the cathedral in 60 long years. Nevertheless, it took another 5 years to return the church to the diocese - the Mosspetspromproekt Research Institute refused to move out. In 1996, the parish finally received documents for the indefinite use of the building from the authorities.

The main restoration work took about three years, at the end of 1999, the Vatican Cardinal Angelo Sodano arrived in Moscow for the solemn illumination of the church. A few years later, the cathedral was returned to its main treasure - the organ, for which the project provided for special acoustics. This time the organ was donated by the Swiss Lutheran Cathedral. To date, the organ Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception- one of the largest in Russia: it has 74 registers, 4 manuals and 5563 pipes, allowing you to play organ music of any era, starting from the early Middle Ages.

Today, the main Moscow church is open to the public; masses are served in it in Russian, Polish, English, French, Korean and Latin. Being one of the main halls of organ music, the cathedral conducts music courses in Gregorian chant and organ improvisation. For more than 10 years, together with the Art of Kindness charity foundation, the temple has been holding sacred music concerts open to the public. On September 7, a new season was opened, in total, 10 more concerts will take place in September, where you can hear not only the organ. The program also includes violin, trumpet, vocals, saxophone, polonaise, concert for children.

At any time of the year, you can walk around the temple grounds. On Catholic Christmas, the cathedral turns into a real winter fairy tale, and at the fence, as if from under the snow, a small house grows - a barn with figures of Jesus in a manger, the Virgin Mary, animals and angels. Having survived the revolution, war, destruction, marking the return to the diocese and the centenary, the church is one of the brightest and most peaceful churches in Moscow.

You can get acquainted with the program and buy a ticket on the website: http://artbene.ru
Cathedral website: http://www.catedra.ru

Anastasia Dorogova

The first Lutherans appeared in Moscow in the 16th century. These were artisans, doctors and merchants invited from Europe. And already in 1694, Peter I founded the Lutheran stone church in the name of the holy apostles Peter and Paul - which was consecrated a year later, in his personal presence. During the Great Moscow Fire of 1812, the temple burned down. And the parish acquired the Lopukhins' estate near Pokrovka, on Starosadsky Lane. At the expense of the King of Prussia Frederick William III, as well as with the participation of Alexander I, in June of the following year, the reconstruction of the purchased house into a church began - a dome and a cross were erected. On August 18, 1819, the temple was consecrated. In February 1837, the organ sounded in it for the first time. In 1862, a neo-Gothic reconstruction was carried out, according to the plan of the architect A. Meinhardt. And in 1863, a bell was raised to the tower, donated by Kaiser Wilhelm I.

The church played a huge role not only in the religious, but also in the musical life of Moscow - famous Moscow and foreign performers performed in it. Suffice it to mention Franz Liszt's organ concert, which took place on May 4, 1843.

On December 5, 1905, the church was consecrated as the Cathedral of the Moscow Consistorial District. In 1918, the cathedral received the status of the Cathedral of Russia, and then of the entire Soviet Union.

However, in the post-revolutionary years, persecution of religion began in the USSR. The community building was taken away. In 1937, the cathedral was converted into the Arktika cinema, and then transferred to the Filmstrip studio. The redevelopment made, unfortunately, completely destroyed the entire interior. In 1941, the church organ was evacuated to the Novosibirsk Opera House, where it was partly scrapped, partly for decorations. And before the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1957, the spire of the cathedral was dismantled.

In July 1992, by a decree of the Government of Moscow, the building was returned to the community. And in 2004, after much effort, we managed to find sponsors, both among individuals and among organizations. This made it possible to start large-scale restoration work. Finally, on November 30, 2008, during a solemn service, the consecration of the revived cathedral took place.

Currently, in addition to divine services, numerous concerts are held in the cathedral - musical instruments sound, delightful voices sing, magical music comes to life. Installed opposite the altar, the SAUER organ (built in 1898 by Wilhelm Sauer, one of the largest organ-building firms in Germany) is one of the few romantic organs of the nineteenth century that have survived in Russia. The unique acoustics of the Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul makes it possible to fully enjoy its sound.

Rules of conduct in the Cathedral

The Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Starosadsky Lane is a functioning cathedral. Concerts are held here in their free time from worship, thereby opening up to everyone (regardless of beliefs and views) the opportunity to join the thousand-year-old cultural heritage of Russia and Europe. Here, as in any public place, there are certain rules:

Entry tickets

Entrance to most concerts is by ticket. Tickets are sold in advance at the theater and concert box office and on the website.

On our website there are discounts of 50% of the total cost in any sector, except for VIP, and for preferential categories of citizens. To buy tickets with a 50% discount on this site, you must register and subscribe to the newsletter. Our discount cards can be used up to an hour before the concert in the cathedral itself. The discount card is valid for all tickets in any sector, except VIP.

Return of tickets is possible only on the terms of the selling organization, if it is provided for by their rules. When buying on the websites of the organizers, tickets can be returned no later than 3 days before the date of the concert with a deduction of% for banking services. Unused tickets are valid for other concerts, they must be rebooked through the contact mail on the organizers website. The organizers have the right to replace the announced concert with another one, in which case tickets can be returned at the place of purchase, or rebooked for another concert.

On the day of the event, payment for attending concerts is accepted by the employees of the Cathedral within an hour before the start in the form of an established donation for the maintenance of the Cathedral in the amount corresponding to the cost of the concert, taking into account the available benefits and discounts.

Remember that to visit the Cathedral at other (non-concert) times, invitations are not required. The cathedral is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00. Tickets are also not needed in cases where the poster or program of the event indicates that admission is free.

Appearance (dress code)

It is not necessary to pick up evening dresses: concerts are held within the walls of the current Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - you just need to remember this. From strict regulations: clothes should not open the neckline, back or shoulders; it should not have defiant inscriptions or images. Otherwise, you can get by with a completely democratic form of clothing (excluding shorts and miniskirts)

Our dear listeners are free to choose what to come in according to their taste: be it a dress or trousers; head covering is not required. Men are supposed to be in the Cathedral without a headdress.

Please note that there is no wardrobe in the Cathedral. Visitors enter the temple in outerwear, which can be removed if desired, leaving it with you. In the cold season, the premises of the Cathedral are heated.

Age

Concerts in the Cathedral are open to everyone, including children. Age restrictions for daytime concerts for the whole family and children's events at 15:00 in the stalls from 3 years old, on the balcony from 12 years old. For evening concerts at 6 pm in the stalls from 6 years old, on the balcony from 12 years old, for evening concerts at 20 and 21 pm in the stalls and on the balcony from 12 years old.

If the child starts crying or acting up, you will have to go out with him into the porch or even leave the concert earlier.

Safety

Please, we strongly ask you to refrain from coming to the Cathedral for a concert with animals, as well as food, drinks, suitcases and other bulky, explosive and cutting objects. You will not be allowed into the hall with them. It is not allowed to enter the premises of the Cathedral on roller skates, skateboards and scooters, to bring in and leave for storage scooters, roller skates, skateboards, bicycles and strollers, and to drive into the territory of the Cathedral in cars. There are no parking spaces on the territory of the Cathedral. Paid parking is available in all lanes around the Cathedral.

BEFORE THE CONCERT

What is the best time to arrive?
The hall opens in 20 minutes. To enter the hall, you need to go through the control of purchased electronic tickets at the registration desk and receive the concert program. It takes a few minutes, but there is a queue before the start. Therefore, we recommend arriving 40-45 minutes in advance. After the start of the concert, entrance to the hall is allowed during the applause, so as not to disturb other listeners.

20 minutes after the start of the concert, entrance to the hall is allowed only on the balcony. If the balcony is closed for technical reasons, the entrance of late listeners to the hall is carried out only during the breaks between the numbers of the concert program, while visitors are required to occupy the nearest empty seats to the entrance (the seats indicated on the latecomer's ticket lose their relevance)

Please be understanding and don't be late.

I'm thinking of buying a ticket just before the concert...
Yes it is possible. The sale starts an hour before the concert. Within an hour before the start of the concert, you can pay for the concert in the form of an established donation for the maintenance of the Cathedral in the amount corresponding to the cost of the concert, taking into account the available benefits and discounts. It is highly recommended in such cases to come a little earlier in order to be able to choose the seats according to your preference from those available, because. before they start, you may not stay and just walk around the beautiful territory of the Cathedral.

Sobriety of mind and peace of mind
Please be calm and take your time as soon as the caretakers start letting the audience into the hall. Such behavior is not only inappropriate in the church, but also dangerous to health. We count on your understanding!

Ticket control
Please be prepared to show your entry tickets to the caretakers. If you have a special ticket purchased with social discounts, be prepared to also show a document confirming the fact of the social discount.

Seats in the central and side naves, central and side balconies
Please take seats in the specified sector strictly according to your tickets.
If you have chosen seats in the side naves and on the side balcony, you can take a row and a seat only in the indicated sectors, and not in the central ones. We ask you not to transfer during the concert to the central sectors to other people's seats.
If you have any difficulties, please contact the caretakers for help.

History of the Cathedral

You can learn in detail about how our Cathedral works - on an excursion. We kindly ask you not to produce it privately, and not to walk around the Cathedral with a similar purpose (“to look”) before the concert. Moreover, we ask you not to go into the altar part and behind the fences. After the concert, if you wish, you can ask your questions about the structure of the Cathedral to our employees (they wear badges with names).

DURING THE CONCERT

Photo and video
It is possible to shoot in the Cathedral during a concert, but only without a flash and not in front of the performers, so as not to interfere with the concert. Filming of performers is made only at their request and with the consent of the concert organizers. If you are going to post photos or videos in social network- we ask, if possible, to put down the geotag (Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul) and the hashtags #fondbelcanto and #Lutheran Cathedral

About what is unacceptable
Once again, we earnestly ask you to remember that the Cathedral is an active church. Please follow the generally accepted rules of conduct. For non-compliance, you may be asked to leave the hall. In the temple, as in other public places, you can not kiss, behave provocatively, be rude and interfere with other people. If the caretaker asks you to leave the hall, you must do so immediately. You can find out the reasons and all the circumstances in the porch at the administration.

Applause and flowers

During concerts in the Cathedral, you can express your approval with applause. Those who wish can give flowers to the performers at the end of the concert.

Additionally

After each concert, you can sign up for a tour of the Cathedral.

Its real name is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But it is precisely by the title of the article that this cathedral is most often searched for in search engines.
This church is the largest Catholic cathedral in Russia and one of two active catholic cathedrals in Moscow. It is very impressive with its appearance, but most of the city's residents do not even know that there is something similar in Moscow. Personally, I learned about it a few years ago, and for the first time I saw it just the other day and this is for 30 years lived in my hometown.

The construction of the cathedral began in 1901 and ended in 1911. It was consecrated on December 21, 1911. The construction of the cathedral was due to the large number of Catholics in Moscow at the beginning of the 20th century, at that time their community was about 35 thousand people, and the other two existing cathedrals at that time could no longer serve so many parishioners.
After the parishioners had collected the necessary money, the construction project was agreed with the Moscow authorities and the construction of the largest branch of the Catholic Church in Russia began. But already in 1919 the branch became a full-fledged parish.


The cathedral did not serve the parishioners for long, already in 1938 it was closed and looted. And later, the Soviet authorities organized a hostel in it. But that wasn't the worst. During the great patriotic war, the cathedral was partially destroyed by bombing. Several towers were lost, as well as collapsed roofs. But even this is not the most deplorable thing that could happen to him. Later, in 1956, the Mosspetspromproekt Scientific Research Institute came to the cathedral. Apparently, such talented designers worked in this special project that they completely changed the entire internal appearance of the cathedral. Instead of one huge hall, 4 floors with flights of stairs were built, which completely destroyed the original interiors of the church. Surprisingly, this predatory organization sat there until 1996, and not only was no one following the building, but it was possible to expel the organization of the Mosspetspromproekt Research Institute only through scandalous lawsuits, and if it were not for the intervention of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, then it is known how much longer the litigation would have dragged on, and they have lasted since 1992.
This is what the Cathedral looked like in 1980, as you can see, there is not a single spire above the entrance:

from 1996 to 1999, global restoration work was carried out in the cathedral, and already on December 12 of the same year, the cathedral was re-consecrated by the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.
Cathedral during restoration:


In 2011, the centenary of the cathedral was celebrated.
On the this moment masses are held in the cathedral in many languages, most often in Russian, Polish and English. As well as performances and concerts of cultural figures. The schedule of concerts can be found on the official website of the cathedral http://www.catedra.ru

The architecture of the cathedral is a neo-gothic style with many decorative elements. I propose to look at the cathedral from different angles in the daytime and at night:
3) View of the cathedral from the north side during the day:


4)


5)


6)


7) View of the spiers of the main entrance, from the back:


8)


9)


10) North side at night:


11) Main entrance to the Cathedral:


12) The entrance is so beautiful that I took several different photos:


13)


14)


15) The dome, with a light drum, majestically rises above the entire building:


16) From the back, the cathedral has fewer windows and thus resembles an ancient knight's castle:


17) At night, the back is not lit at all:


18) But with a slow shutter speed, you can accumulate enough light to see huge walls and a cross made of bricks.


19) The cathedral has no less huge windows, or rather stained-glass windows. Entirely made of mosaic glass:

20) Stained Glass at Night:


21) and from the inside:

I liked the inside of the church as much as the outside. A different style is already felt here, with massive columns and very high ceilings. By the way, the only church where I was allowed to take pictures inside without any problems.
22) View immediately after entering:


The central part of the cathedral is visually divided into three zones, the so-called naves, separated by columns. In the central part there are benches, and on the sides there are passages leading to prayer areas and the altar.
23)


24)


25) As I said above, all windows are made of mosaic glass:


26)


27) This photo captures the colors of the night light passing through the light drum of the dome.


28) The main cross with a sculpture of the crucified Jesus Christ:


The territory of the main Catholic cathedral is not big, but very well-groomed. During the day, children play here, and often leave toys and balls right there. And the next day they come and play with them again and no one touches these things. In the evening, young people and girls from Catholic communities come here and rehearse various performances and performances. The whole area is paved with paving stones and has several monuments:
29) monument "Good Shepherd":


30) Virgin Mary Monument:


31) And of course, the entire temple complex is taken under state protection. It is an extremely rare occurrence when an architectural monument is really protected by the state and is in excellent condition, although I am not sure that this is the merit of the state ...


32) The final, twilight photo of the south side of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

In the end, I want to say that I recommend everyone to visit this place. A wonderful, hospitable place in the center of Moscow for all citizens and religions.
The cathedral will also be of interest to all photographers-architects. In photographic terms, a very difficult building because of its geometry, where the laws of perspective do not play into the hands of the photographer, breaking and distorting the true geometry of the building. Photos are obtained either by barrels in the case of panoramas or a fish eye, or by rockets tapering to the top :) You have to spend a lot of time aligning geometry in editors, but you still can't get rid of all the distortions. Of course, you can move further away to slightly reduce the effect of the rocket, but you won’t go very far, the city is still. A Tilt-Shift lens would help a lot, it will probably be my next lens)

A stone's throw from the Moscow Zoo on the corner of Malaya Gruzinskaya and Klimashkina Streets, among residential buildings and narrow streets, is the largest in Moscow and one of the largest Catholic cathedrals in Russia. Today we will look into Cathedral Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This building was built in 1911 and has been misused for most of its history. Only since 1996, Catholics have been gathering here again.

1. The building with sharp spiers is visible from neighboring streets. Neogothic three-nave cruciform pseudo-basilica in its architecture. It is said that the ideas of the facade of Westminster Abbey and the dome of the cathedral in Milan were used in the external design.

2. I was neither there nor there. I hope there are those who will help compare the appearance.

3. There is a cross on the spire of the central tower, and coats of arms on the sides. One - Pope John Paul II, the second - Tadeusz Kondrusevich, who previously headed the archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow.

4. The territory is surrounded on all sides by ordinary residential buildings. Only from the south is the mansion.

5. Jesus is the good shepherd. Sculpture among flowers.

6. Nearby is a monument to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was beatified in 2003.

7. The dome of the cathedral separately.

8. For those who enter the cathedral only inside, I advise you to go around it from the outside. There are many interesting things.

9. And it's time for us to look inside.

10. As I said, the cathedral was reopened to believers in 1996. At that time, Pope John Paul II was Pope. Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, whose coat of arms is on one of the spiers, supervised the restoration work.

11. At the entrance there is information for visitors, a donation box and requests to turn off the phone. The place is open to the public. Anyone can book excursions. This is not uncommon in the cathedral.

12. The decoration of the cathedral inside consists of white and yellow flowers. he is very light. In sunlight, even bright.

13. All places from the dome to the far corner are visible. After visiting numerous temples, churches, cathedrals and basilicas in Spain and Portugal, as well as visiting the Vatican, I have seen a lot. For the most part, these were dark rooms. even those that were decorated inside in white seemed darker to me.

14. Is it good or bad? Of course, compared to something very old and used exclusively for its intended purpose for many centuries, it seems empty here. But we are in Moscow, in Orthodoxy. There are very few places for Catholics in our country.

15. The history of the organ is interesting. The date of its creation is 1955, when a completely different organization was located in the cathedral and the premises were divided into 4 floors. It is one of the largest in Russia: 73 registers, 4 manuals and 5563 pipes. This organ is a gift from the Basel Cathedral, dismantled in its old place in 2002 and put in a new place in 2005. All parts except for one register were transported to Moscow.

16. There is also an electric organ.

17. The history of the creation of the Moscow Cathedral began in 1894 with a request to build 3 Catholic churches because of the growing community in Moscow. Permission was obtained on the condition that no towers, external design be created, and that they generally be built away from the center.

18. Malaya Gruzinskaya at that time was far from the center. The place was chosen for the location of the majority of Catholic Poles, who work mainly on the Moscow-Smolensk railway. Trains to Warsaw still depart on this route. 30,000 Poles raised money for the construction. For 10 years, from 1901 to 1911, construction was carried out according to the project of Bogdanovich-Dvorzhetsky. Internal work was carried out until 1917.

19. In 1938 the cathedral was closed.

20. The construction of the building is made in the form of a cross, over the intersection of which there is a dome.

21. In addition to the central nave, there are two side ones. they are separated by two rows of 5 columns, symbolizing the 10 commandments.

22. Initially, according to the project, 5 thousand people were supposed to fit here. I don’t know how it is now, but the number of Catholics is clearly higher.

23. Probably not everyone knows, but in order to see and hear everything they say, you can not leave the house. The cathedral has a webcam.

24. In various parts of the cathedral there are several saints who can be consulted. A lot of people come here for a specific purpose.

25. Of the bells installed in the cathedral, the largest weighs 900 kilograms and is called the "Mother of God of Fatima".

26. Fatima - a place in Portugal, where in the last century the Mother of God appeared three times. By the way, I was in Fatima. You can report from the religious center.

27. Along the walls in simple frames there is information for acquaintance with various saints and not only.

28. Altar part and large cross.

29. The largest crucifix in the cathedral is 9 meters high, and the body of Jesus is 3 meters. On the sides are the Mother of God and the Evangelist John.

30. It is noticeable even from the entrance.

31. On one side of the altar is consecrated water and a bath.

32. Here is the crucifixion of the already deceased Jesus.

33. On the other hand, a small but very rich part. This, if I'm not mistaken, is the chapel of the Divine Mercy with the altar of the Holy Gifts.

34. Very unexpectedly, but on this day the weather cleared up and gave out sunny weather. We can see how the rays, penetrating through the Gothic windows, play on the building.

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38. Under the windows there are 14 bas-reliefs - 14 stations of the way of the cross. Here are the confessionals.

39. Each of them has a memo.

This ended our tour. The visit was interesting. The cathedral was very bright. This did not surprise me after Portugal. My girlfriend, for example, considers it too light. What do you think?

Thanks:
-organizers of the tour from the side of the cathedral- for openness;
-community mosblog - for information about the event;
-fellow bloggers for the company(but it seems not everyone got there): arctic-inga.ru , kis_dikiy , podpolkovnikvvs , bulyukina_e ,