The Cathedral of the Assumption

The Cathedral of the Assumption was built on the place of the first stone cathedral of Moscow constructed by Ivan Kalita in 1326-1327. It was preceded by the most ancient Moscow churches - wooden (XII century) and stone (XIII century). The Cathedral of the Assumption was constructed by Italian architect Aristotel Fioravanti invited by Ivan III.

The cathedral was built in 1475-1479 by the sample of the cathedral of the Assumption (XII century) in ancient Russian city Vladimir. It emphasized a continuity of Moscow in relation to one of the ancient centers of Russian ground. Within four centuries The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Moscow Kremlin was the main temple of Russia. All empire successors were crowned to the throne, the state documents disclosed, cathedrals metropolitans and patriarches were selected here. The cathedral served as a tomb of Moscow patriarches and metropolitans. Their tombs stay along walls. The front entrance in the cathedral is located on the Cathedral Square. The wide ladder comes to the end with a portal from three semicircular arches.

The entrance in the building as though is protected by archangel Michael and a guardian angel; figures of Saints are painted in arches above. Above them - the image of the Mother of God with the baby. These multi-colour frescos are made by unknown Russian artists of XVII century.

The central part of the cathedral is separated from a five-layer altar by an iconostasis of XVII century in height about 16 meters, covered with the gilt silver in the end of XIX century. The iconostasis was made in 1652-1653 by painters of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. In 1682 icons were suffered from a fire and were repaired by masters Kirill Ulanov, George Zinov’ev Tikhon Filatov.

During centuries icons created by Russian painters were collected in The Cathedral of the Assumption. The most ancient icon of the cathedral is "Saint George" (in front of an iconostasis).

During Patriotic war of 1812 the cathedral was subjected to devastation by Napoleonic armies. From the silver which was won back by Russian Cossacks, was made the luster which hangs in the center of a cathedral. The most ancient monument of an applied art in the cathedral - its southern doors (that are brought to Moscow from the Suzdal cathedral, concern to the beginning of XV century), there are 20 images of bible themes written on them with a gold on a black varnish.