The Church Of The Nativity Of The Theotokos Photo: Church Of The Nativity Of The Theotokos

The Church of the Nativity of the blessed virgin Mary your name is no accident. 8 September 1710, the Swedish fortress of Kexholm (now Priozersk) capitulated to Russian forces, commanded by General d-major Robert (Roman Daniel Bruce. For those hundred years, during which the city was a part of Sweden, in it there is not a single Orthodox Church. Therefore, under the Orthodox Church was a converted Lutheran Church, built in 1692 on the Spassky island. It was consecrated in honour of the Nativity of the virgin Mary, this feast was celebrated on September 8.

Worship was conducted there until 1836. Due to weak Foundation by this time in the Northern part cracks appeared, the bell tower "recoiled" from the temple, although they were a single whole with him. The necessity of erecting a new Church. The place for the Church was found quickly – on an Eminence, near the shopping area. By may 1838, plans were facades and estimates. Money for the construction of the temple, as a General rule, had to find parishioners, in this case, the Holy Synod decided to make an exception, and the required amount allocated from its budget.

The construction was carried out by a local merchant Andrey V. Lisitsin. Construction supervision was carried out by the architect, who was the author of the project, Louis Tullius Joachim Visconti. Created in his sketches of fountains "galon", "Love", "Moliere", "Four bishops" and now adorn the streets and squares of Paris. His most famous creation – the Napoleon's tomb in the Church of the Invalides.

Louis Visconti knew well the Empire style is the official style of architecture of the First Empire, which came to Russia from France. In his architectural work, Visconti has taken into account the style and form of the model projects of the churches of Russia, developed Tone.

Dome of Church of the Nativity is made slightly pointed up, like a helmet, ancient knight. Duplicating the shape of the dome, pointed and elongated up window openings at the site of the chimes of the bell tower, the deepening of the arches over the entrances to the Church.

Perhaps the Nativity Church in Priozersk turned out to be original as it is organically blended and not contradicting each other, the elements of style and the Russo-Byzantine style, and vepskie and Italian notes its stone Symphony supplemented Moscow and Yelets.

Single altar of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the blessed virgin Mary was consecrated on 11 December 1847. The length of the temple with a bell tower was 24, 14 m, width -10, 65, the height of the temple with a dome -19, 17 m. In the Church had three entrances: from the South, North and West. In the dome was located Windows 8, below 8, and between the arches – 8. There were three furnaces: two in the Western entrance, one in the chancel. Inside the temple was plastered and painted yellow. In the dome on the East side – the face of the Lord Almighty, from the West the image of the Mother of God; on the sails – Evangelists. The porch of the temple was made of hewn slabs.

Attraction of the temple is one of its bells, which was founded in Stockholm in 1649. He went to take the campaign to the troops as a war trophy. He weighed 992 kg, its surface was carved several inscriptions in Latin.

The Church in its history, was rebuilt twice: once in 1898, the second time – in the years 1933-36.

After ended the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-40, and the Karelian isthmus, together with Priozersk departed the USSR, the Church was closed and its building was occupied by the quartermaster's warehouse. During the great Patriotic war Finland again regained the lost territories, and in the temple resumed service, which lasted until 1944. 19 September 1944 Finland and the USSR signed a ceasefire Agreement, and one of the conditions was the return to the borders of 1940. As a result, the Priozersk again became a Soviet, Christmas the Church was closed again. The building of the temple housed the Museum, the house of pioneers, typography, bitcoment.

In 1991 the Church was returned to believers. Since 1995 he is a Priozersky compound of the Nativity of the Theotokos became Konevsky monastery.

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