8 .
D O R M I T I O N
C A T H E D R A L
КРЕМЛЬ
The cathedral was erected in 1479 by decree of the
Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III by a specially invited
Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti . The dedication of
the Moscow cathedral church to the Assumption of the
Virgin - the main feast of the Virgin , celebrated in the
old style on August 15 , has an ancient tradition due to
the special veneration of the Mother of God in Russia .
For six centuries , the church was the state and religious
center of Russia : the great princes were supplied here ,
they crowned the kingdom , crowned emperors . In the
Assumption Cathedral , they elevated to the rank of
bishops , metropolitans and patriarchs , read out state
acts , served prayers before military campaigns and in
honor of victories . In the XIV – XVII centuries , the
Assumption Cathedral was the burial place of the heads
of the Russian church - the metropolitans and
patriarchs . Here in the precious crayfish lie the ashes of
the Moscow wonderworkers Peter , Jonah , Philip II and
Hermogen .
The superior position of the Assumption Cathedral
predetermined the increased attention of sovereigns
and rulers to the dispensation and decoration of the
church . For the paintings of the walls of the cathedral
and the painting of icons , outstanding masters of
painters from the capital and from all over Russia were
involved . So gradually , a rich and truly unique
collection of monuments of Russian medieval art was
formed in it , which was carefully preserved and
multiplied over the centuries .
After the revolution of 1917 , the Assumption Cathedral
was turned into a museum . Creating an exposition of
the temple , the staff tried to preserve its interior as
much as possible . Thanks to the constant restoration
work , almost all the icons and paintings were revealed
from later recordings . Since 1990 , worship has resumed
in the cathedral .