Church of the Deposition of the Robe

Moscow, Russia

The construction of Church of the Deposition of the Robe was begun in 1484 by masters from Pskov, most likely by the same group of architects who built the adjacent Cathedral of the Annunciation.

The church was built on the site of a previous church, built by Jonah Metropolitan of Moscow in 1451. The name of the church, variously translated as the Church of the Virgin's Robe, The Church of Laying Our Lady’s Holy Robe, The Church of the Veil or simply Church of the Deposition, is said to refer to a festival dating from the 5th century AD, celebrating when the robe of the Virgin Mary was taken from Palestine to Constantinople, where it protected the city from being conquered. For example, tradition says that during the Rus'-Byzantine War of 860 the patriarch placed the Virgin's Robe into the sea, causing a storm that destroyed the invading Rus' ships.

A four-level iconostasis, created by Nazary Istomin Savin in 1627, has been preserved in the church, and has frescoes painted by Ivan Borisov, Sidor Pospeev and Semyon Abramov in 1644. The church itself was built in the traditional Early Russian style. As with the Cathedral of the Annunciation, the intricate interior detail and ornamentation were characteristic of the Russian architecture of this period.

Originally, the church served as the private chapel of the Patriarch of Moscow, but during the mid-17th century it was taken over by the Russian royal family. The church was badly damaged in a fire in 1737 (the same fire that cracked the Tsar Bell).

Today, the church also houses a display of wood sculpture from the 14th to 19th century.

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Founded: 1484
Category: Religious sites in Russia

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worldspan M (7 years ago)
皇帝のお祈り場
BradJill Travels (7 years ago)
One of the cathedral attractions at the Kremlin is the Church of the Deposition of the Robe located just across from the Cathedral of the Assumption. Entrance is included with the general 'Cathedral Square' ticket for the Kremlin. This building was constructed between 1484-86. It is a small church with a single golden dome and similar exterior architecture to other Russian Orthodox churches. The interior is just three rooms, featuring slender columns covered with frescos, an impressive iconostasis and wall display with historical items that make for an interesting visit inside. Visits are generally quick compared to other churches in Cathedral Square given the limited size of the church interior. As such, I'd suggest first queuing up for the important Cathedral of the Assumption just across from the Church of the Deposition. Afterwards,you can pop in and this this church. Note: Like fellow churches at the Kremlin, there are information sheets in multiple languages which are very helpful for helping you understand what you are looking at within the Church of the Deposition. Unfortunately, the information sheets are very busy with text and highlight items seem to be scattered all over the pages so you have to study or a few minutes in order to effectively use it during your visit.
Константин Преображенский (7 years ago)
Храм Ризоположения в Московском Кремле.(1485). 15.07.18. Неделя 7-я по Пятидесятнице. Положение честной ризы Пресвятой Богородицы во Влахерне. Божественную Литургию возглавил митрополит Истринский Арсений.
Sérgio Veludo (7 years ago)
Pequena igreja ao lado da, também pequena, Igreja da Natividade. É uma das muitas igrejas dentro do Kremlin de Moscow.
Михаил Цветов (7 years ago)
Этот небольшой храм, конечно, теряется на фоне именитых соборов Кремля. Расположен между Успенским собором и Грановитой палатой. Основан в XV веке. В течение несколько веков входил в комплекс митрополичьего двора и служил домовым храмом митрополитов и патриархов русских. Иконостас и настенная живопись составляют единый художественный ансамбль. На галерее храма размещена постоянная выставка русской деревянной скульптуры.
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